Hi-Tech Military Rehab Center Opens

More than 3,000 people, including wounded and recovering military service men and women and their families, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, and Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ), participated in the dedication ceremony January 29 for The Center for the Intrepid and two new Fisher Houses at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Texas. The Center is a $50 million, state-of-the-art physical rehabilitation center, which comprises 60,000 sq. ft. The Fisher Houses are 21-room residences for hospitalized soldiers' families. This facility will provide treatment that is available nowhere else in the world and is based on best practices, technology, and facilities around the globe, it was noted.

The dedication program also featured a performance by singer John Mellencamp and a military fly-over. Other special guests included Denzel Washington, Rosie O'Donnell, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and country music group Big & Rich.

"This Facility will not only serve military personnel injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, but all veterans injured in prior conflicts and service members critically injured in non-combat operations," said Bill White, president of the Intrepid Foundation. "To date, more than 18,000 men and women have been wounded in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Their future quality of life, their ability to care for themselves and provide for their families, and their very survival depends on the treatment, rehabilitation, and advanced training skills they receive following their injury."

The Center for the Intrepid is distinguished by the number of rehabilitation programs co-located under one roof, enabling a more comprehensive care approach, noted the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF). Many of the next-generation treatment and rehabilitation environments were conceptualized and designed based on direct input from specialists in amputee care, and the patients themselves.

The design team from SmithGroup, a national architectural and engineering firm based in Detroit, Michigan, sought a balance throughout the facility by designing spaces to support the critical mission of rehabilitation and research, while providing supportive areas for patients and families. Most of the patient activities are intentionally placed along the outer edge of the building, and the generous use of glass provides patients, who often spend the entire day in rehabilitation, views to the outside and plenty of natural light.

"The Center for the Intrepid will provide for the critical needs of America's most severely wounded and disabled military personnel, giving them the best opportunity to regain their ability to live and work productively," said Senator Clinton, who personally supported the construction of the Center. "Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to these men and women who have volunteered to defend our country, and their sacrifice demands that their care and rehabilitation be given the highest priority."

"I am proud to be part of this wonderful initiative to help our severely wounded service personnel," said Senator McCain, who also lent his personal support to the construction. "I am equally inspired by the thousands of Americans who have stepped forward to help our wounded troops and veterans. I am aware of the tremendous challenges facing the young men and women who have been injured in our nation's service. This facility will go far in providing them the ability to meet those challenges."

The unique project is made possible by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which provides assistance to U.S. military servicemen and women who have been critically injured in the performance of duty and their families, and the Fisher House Foundation. The IFHF has raised more than $90 million for military families, including for the Center, which is also known as the Armed Forces Physical Rehabilitation Center (AFPRC). The Fisher Houses, of which there are more than 35 around the country and in Germany, provide temporary nearby housing for families of military personnel undergoing surgery and intensive rehabilitation.

"The Center for the Intrepid is a wonderful example of Americans giving back to the men and women who serve our country," said Arnold Fisher, chairman of the Board of the Intrepid Museum Foundation. "They deserve the best, and we are thrilled that here they will get the best: in care, in physical rehabilitation, in prosthetics. We owe them nothing less."

"We are happy to open our two newest Fisher Houses today," said Fallen Heroes Fund Chairman Ken Fisher. "These houses provide a home away from home for the families of our wounded warriors, relieving them of the burdens and expenses of travel and housing, and allowing them to focus instead on helping their loved one in their treatment."

"We thank the thousands upon thousands of people who contributed to this project," said Fallen Heroes Fund President Richard Santulli. "We received gifts from $1 to $1 million, all from the heart. It is great to see our country truly getting behind this important effort for our troops and veterans."

"This facility will bring the highest level of care to our wounded warriors, helping them to regain the greatest possible capability and mobility. We sincerely thank all who have given something to make it possible," said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England.

The Center for the Intrepid and the Fisher Houses are designed to co-exist in a "village concept" around a common courtyard on the five-acre site. One of the facility's key areas, the rehabilitation training and exercise center, includes a cantilevered running track; a treadwall, and 21-foot climbing tower with auto-belay; custom-designed elevating parallel bars; and other advanced equipment to promote strength, balance, agility, and aerobic conditioning. A state-of-the-art Gait Laboratory is fitted with 24 cameras on an automated truss which use infrared light to analyze human motion, with particular emphasis on amputee gait (walking).

Adjacent to the Gait Lab is the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN), a 21-ft. simulator dome with a 300-degree screen upon which a variety of "virtual realities" are displayed. The system, which was researched in its development stages in Israel, utilizes a moving platform and high-speed infrared cameras to immerse patients in a fully reactive virtual and physical environment. Patients use atrophied muscles and relearn skills necessary to do everything from walking on different terrains to driving a car. This system is a first of its kind in the United States.

In the prosthetics fitting and factory, prosthetists and technicians will provide state-of-the-art, on-site fabrication of artificial limbs, using computer-assisted technology for design, milling, production, and fitting of prosthetic devices, including unique specialty limbs for sports and other activities.

A natatorium contains a six-lane pool for pre-running activities, kayaking, water basketball and volleyball, and swimming. Also located here is the Flowrider ® , a unique indoor wave pool used to improve balance, coordination, strength, motivation, and confidence.

A variety of comprehensive support spaces will help patients and their families maximize their potential for recovery, including social services, case management, and behavioral medicine, said the IFHF.

For more information about the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, visit www.fallenheroesfund.org

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