AFSOC leadership visits Invisible Wounds Center
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- On Oct. 29, Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, visited and showed his support for the Invisible Wounds Center, which enables service members to remain ready and resilient to carry out operations.
The center offers an intensive five-week outpatient program providing individualized approaches to care and the resources necessary to get Airmen well and back to work.
“The convenience aspect – that service members are given quality care within a short amount of time, is unique to the location here, and is huge for our command,” said Webb. “It’s an excellent reassurance that there is even more localized care.”
More than 100 service members have been treated for traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress and pain since February of this year. Program areas include delivering tailored treatment, increasing education on issues, raising awareness of available resources and educating young caregivers on treatment of TBI.
“I was really affected by what AFSOC’s Preservation of the Force and Family is doing,” said Thomas Piazza, Invisible Wounds Center medical director. “They care about the four pillars so much, and we believe that is highly valuable at the unit levels because of the positive impacts on wellness. It was an inspiration for this center.”
The four pillars of wellness are spiritual, mental, physical and social. The center provides different forms of therapy tailored to the pillars, including: speech language, music, massage, creative arts, reaction timing, diet, spiritual and occupational.
“One of the most important aspects for us is gaining the trust of our service members,” said Piazza. “We want them to know that we’re going to take good care of them when they walk through the door.”