'Wounded: The Battle Back Home' - John: Operation Employ

The Wounded Warrior Project is marking its tenth anniversary with a new documentary series called Wounded: The Battle Back Home. Episode 7 is called “John: Operation Employ” profiles Texas native John Usener as he recounts the harrowing war events that led to his PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI). A February 2007 insurgent attack targeting his Army truck convoy left Usener with severe injuries to his eyes and debilitating migraines. %embed1%

Following his physical recovery and medical discharge in 2010, Usener returned home with little guidance on how to navigate civilian life and without the sense of purpose the military had instilled him since the age of 17. Usener later found help through Wounded Warrior Project and entered the service organization’s TRACK™ program, the nation’s first education center built specifically for wounded veterans. The 12-month program gives warriors a jump-start on meeting their educational goals, while also supporting goals around personal health and wellness, mental health and career development.

The documentary series offers a sobering look at PTSD, an issue of critical importance to this generation of wounded service members, who have struggled to find adequate long-term care through a backlogged government bureaucracy.