Grassroots and corporate supporters came together May 24 at the home of Army Sgt. 1st Class Juanita Wilson here to honor and support her as she continues serving her country.
America Supports You member group “Serving Those Who Serve” is refurbishing the home of one of the 11 female servicemembers wounded in the war on terror.
This is the fourth home repair project taken on by “Serving Those Who Serve,” which was started in September by “Rebuilding Together,” the nation’s largest volunteer homebuilding organization, and backed by Countrywide Financial Corp.
“I’m very, very grateful for everything that you guys have done, the things you are doing, and the things that you will continue to do for the soldiers that are coming home,” Wilson said at a news conference to volunteers helping refurbish her home. Wilson is one of 11 women injured in combat so far in the war on terror, having lost her left hand in Iraq on Aug. 21, 2004, when a roadside bomb detonated under her vehicle. She was treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and given a prosthetic limb. She chose to re-enlist in April and now serves as a supply sergeant in the Active Guard/Reserve Program.
Patricia Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Rebuilding Together, spoke about the goals behind Serving Those Who Serve. “This program is about providing assistance — home rehabilitation modification — for soldiers, military men and women, who return from Iraq or Afghanistan and who have sustained life-changing injuries,” she said.
The nonprofit organization is a member of “America Supports You,” a Defense Department program highlighting grassroots and corporate support for the nation’s servicemembers and their families.
Wilson’s example is “an inspiration” to all Americans, said Johnson. “As a mother and a soldier, she entered a combat zone, and, after sustaining a significant injury, she chose to return to the military because she understands the importance of keeping our country safe and secure,” she said.
Johnson thanked Countrywide, primary sponsor of Serving Those Who Serve. The company also is sponsoring a program to rebuild 1,000 homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Rick Simon, a spokesman for Rebuilding Together, said the three previous projects completed by Serving Those Who Serve have been more invasive to servicemembers’ homes because those troops were in wheelchairs. Changes to Wilson’s house will focus on making life easier for Wilson and her 7-year-old daughter. Improvements include installing handrails throughout the home, re-arranging storage areas, landscaping, enhancing the lighting outside, replacing the doorknobs with lever handles, installing rocker wall switches and installing an upgraded security system.
Wilson said she had been worried about security since her husband, Charles, joined the Army and will be away for a long time.
Help from several companies and government groups made the project successful, and representatives from many of them were on hand, including John Ciresi of Countrywide, John Mills of the TW Perry building materials supply company, Justin Hayes from U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski’s office, Laurie Atherholt from the Maryland Department of Veteran’s Affairs, several members of the Maryland legislature, and radio personalities from the morning show at Baltimore radio station WIYY, “98 Rock.” The radio station presented Wilson with a new home alarm system and two years of free service.
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