Army Wounded Warrior Transitions to DHS Post-Injury

Filed under DoD News by on February 26, 2011 at 10:01 am {no comments}

At the 2011 Wounded Warrior Federal Employment Conference,  Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) veteran Cpt. Alvin Shell spoke about the challenges wounded warriors face when making the transition to civilian jobs. In Shell’s case, one of the many hurdles he dealt with was chronic pain from his severe burns and other combat-related injuries.

Shell is currently working at the Department of Homeland Security as the Acting Deputy Division Chief, Force Protection Branch, Office of the Chief Security Officer, Department of Homeland Security.  His transition to the civilian workforce parallels any career change: depart one job, take a minute to reconnect with Family and think through career goals and where you would like to go next, apply for that new job and begin to orient yourself to a new corporate culture.. See the full article: http://bit.ly/goIiR9

Army Wounded Warrior Program Holds Federal Resume Workshop

Filed under DoD News by on February 25, 2011 at 5:01 pm {no comments}

The Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) program held a two-day resume workshop to prepare applications for federal jobs. Experienced human resources counselors from the Office of Personnel Management provided tailored advice to soldiers in hands-on sessions.

Participants were also provided online resources that help translate military experience into civilian terms. This week, these Soldiers and Veterans will have the opportunity to network with federal officials at the 2011 Wounded Warrior Federal Employment Conference. See the full article: http://bit.ly/eSnafC

U.S. Army Bloggers Roundtable: “Adventurers of the Year”

Filed under Bloggers Roundtable by on March 18, 2010 at 1:13 am {no comments}
Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister

Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister

On a recent DoDLive Bloggers Roundtable, U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Lt. Col. Marc Hoffmeister, recently named by National Geographic as one of their “Adventurers of the Year” discussed his journey from being severely injured in Iraq to successfully climbing Mount McKinley (also known as Denali) as part of Operation Denali.

Hoffmeister was the team leader of a group of wounded warriors who set out to climb the 20,320-foot summit in order to symbolize their strength and perseverance over adversity.

On June 16, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. local time, Hoffmeister and two other soldiers successfully reached the summit. In April 2007, Hoffmeister was severely injured while serving in Iraq when an IED outside of Al Hillah blew up his humvee. Hoffmeister was evacuated to Germany and then back to the U.S. where he had eight surgeries on his arm and endured months of painful rehabilitation.

To listen to the audio podcast, click here.

 To read the transcript, click here.

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    An United States Air Force C-130J Hercules cargo aircraft from the 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, conducts flare training off the Ventura County coast. The flares are used as tactical infrared countermeasures to confuse and redirect heat-seeking missiles.

    (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Dave Buttner)


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    Famed Yankees pitcher “Lefty Gomez” once remarked “I’d rather be lucky than good,” but for one Tuskegee Airman, luck and good combined to make him one of the most successful combat pilots of World War II.

    During the summer of 1944, 2nd Lt. Clarence D. “Lucky” Lester was flying the P-51 Mustang over the skies of Italy’s Po Valley providing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers with cover support on their way to attack airfields in southern Germany.

    Lester was assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron, a part of the 332nd Fighter Group, and had earned the nickname “Lucky” “because of all the tight situations from which I had escaped without a scratch or even a bullet hole in my aircraft.”

    Read the story of a flight that helped Lester earn his nickname here.


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    The only African-American ace of World War II, and a former Tuskegee Airman, went on to have a career in the Air Force, as well as success in the business world.

    Lee A. Archer joined the Army in 1941 with high hopes of becoming a pilot, but was initially denied because of his race. When the Army’s policy changed about a year later, Archer was accepted to the training program for black aviators at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama.

    Archer is best known for a day in late 1944 when he was involved in a series of dogfights over German-occupied Hungary. Flying a P-51 Mustang fighter, Archer shot down three German fighters. He would go on to add two more German fighters to his credit to become the first and only African-American ace of the war.

    As a civilian, Archer enjoyed even greater success, serving as vice president for urban affairs with General Foods, as CEO of North Street Capital Corp. and chairman of Hudson Commercial Corp. He also served on the board of directors of Beatrice International Foods and the Institute for American Business.

    Read the rest of his story here.