Retired chief coordinates care for servicemembers Published Dec. 22, 2009 By 1st Lt. Samuel Lee Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Almost halfway into the "Year of the Air Force Family" campaign, it's assuring to see that lives are being tangibly changed through recovery care coordinators like John P. Wood. Mr. Wood, with the 72nd Medical Group, works with the Recovery Coordination Program that provides total force (active duty, Guard and Reserve) support for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families. He and other RCCs across the nation are helping implement one of the four significant emphases of the campaign: to provide accessible, quality care and support for families, Wounded Warriors and those with special needs. "Mr. Wood has helped me with everything from writing a résumé to helping me with my finances," said Senior Airman Chad Kuykendall a Wounded Warrior currently assigned to Tinker. "I felt an immediate relief because Mr. Wood was from the local area, someone that I knew I could run to in a pinch and that has occurred several times. Sometimes that's what we need -- just someone to listen when we are hurting" said retired Tech. Sgt. Phillip McGee, a Wounded Warrior who served in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Senior Airman Brian Petras, an amputee undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, shared that Mr. Wood travelled all the way to Little Rock, Ark. to make a house call to check up on him. Mr. Wood was able to answer all of his questions and pointed him in the right direction. "I have someone that I can call if I run into any roadblocks that will keep me from getting back to flying status as soon as possible," said Airman Petras. These testimonies are only a handful of the many others whose lives have been changed through Mr. Wood's guidance and care. Mr. Wood's experience as a fellow Airman, along with his various deployments at locations like Balad Air Base, Iraq, helps give him a greater sense of connection and understanding when working with Airmen -- whether they are wounded or not. He served on active duty for 23 years before retiring as the command chief master sergeant at Dover Air Force Base, Del., and saw a bit of everything during his career. He has worked as a maintainer on the KC-10 and KC-135 and even spent time here at Tinker working on the AWACS. Bringing all these experiences together, he said, "It has allowed me to mature, to look at more than just the operational side of things and to look at how Airmen are cared for -- from dorms to their personal development." He has also been able to build a fairly extensive network of contacts and friends that has proven to be an invaluable asset when he needs to get a hold of someone to make sure things happen. He seems like a perfect fit for the job. "I'd do it for free if I had to, because I'm that passionate about helping our Airmen and their families" he said. The Air Force currently has 18 RCCs and locations were picked based on the number of medical cases and need. Most of the other RCCs have similar backgrounds, serving as first sergeants and command chiefs, and all are in the business of caring for Airmen. The main purpose of an RCC is to guide wounded, ill and injured servicemembers along their road to recovery. When Mr. Wood first found out about the job he didn't realize there was such a big need. "Prior to this program, Airmen were isolated and had to do all this stuff on their own," he said. With the full support of base leadership, an office inside the Tinker Clinic was already waiting for him when he started this job last July in order to immediately help people who desperately needed his assistance. "As several other veterans will attest, sometimes we seem to have reached the end of our rope. Medical burdens, financial burdens and home life are falling apart and no answers. Suicide hotlines, psychiatrists and units sometimes cannot answer our questions. Sometimes it's just good to have a person on the line who cares and that's how I feel about Mr. Wood and the RCC program," said Mr. McGee. This is what Air Force leaders had in mind when they placed such a high emphasis on caring for Wounded Warriors. Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Personnel has said the Air Force is "committed" to Airmen's recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration so they can "pursue their dreams." That is what Mr. Wood does for servicemembers. "The Recovery Care Coordinator and Wounded Warrior programs have absolutely saved my life," said Master Sgt. Alexander Diaz, a C-130 loadmaster from Little Rock AFB, Ark., and a Wounded Warrior. "I have learned to focus on my transition to retirement and stop being my own road block to success to ensure that I can successfully transition to civilian life and be proud once again about my service." For more information, contact Mr. Wood at 736-2389 or DSN 336-2389.