Jessie Blanton, a wounded warrior, transitioned from a search and rescue career in the Marine Corps to a civil service job with the Naval Air Systems Command in 2015. While he said he initially believed he did not have much to offer, he began to cultivate a positive attitude. “It’s not about what you can’t do,” he explained. “It’s about what you can do.” (U.S. Navy photo)

Patuxent River, MD  – As Cpl. Jessie Blanton fought his way through the flames of a raging fire in Afghanistan, a tank explosion sent him flying backward with a concussion and burns.

Soon he was back to work as part of the Marine Corps search and rescue team where, removing the doors of a truck, the door flew off its hinges from the pressure and struck him in the face. As a result, he sustained multiple traumatic brain injuries, hearing loss, nerve damage and a vestibular disorder.

After he left the Marine Corps in 2012, Blanton had to learn to walk and talk again through rehabilitation and cognitive therapy. He initially believed he didn’t have anything to offer an employer, but after meeting NAVAIR’s Wounded Warrior Outreach Program Coordinator Sonny Fann at a job fair, he joined NAVAIR in January 2015 as part of the Naval Acquisition Development Program for Wounded Warriors, a four-year developmental program with rotational assignments and mentoring.

Today, he works for the H-53 Heavy Lift Helicopter Program (PMA-261), where he supports the Design Interface Maintenance Planning Team and, specifically, reviews data rights and assertions to help analyze potential impacts to the helicopter once it’s fielded. He also helps the team develop and review logistics management information data, which they will use to create product support packages for the H-53.

November was Warrior Care Month, dedicated to honoring the courage, resilience and accomplishments of wounded, ill and injured service members like Blanton. This year’s Warrior Care Month theme was “Show of Strength.”
“A lot of people said I couldn’t do some things, so that drove me to try even more,” he said. “Being able to continue to serve [at NAVAIR] is one of the greatest honors in the world.”

Wounded warriors often face barriers to civilian employment, such as the stigma of mental health or a lack of education or self-confidence, according to information from the nonprofit Wounded Warrior Project.

Blanton listed leadership, integrity, loyalty and commitment as some of the traits wounded warriors can bring to civilian employers. He urged hiring managers to let go of stereotypes, particularly when it comes to post-traumatic stress disorder.
“They [wounded warriors] deserve a fair shot. They just want to be treated like everyone else,” he said.
As of Oct. 31, 2015, NAVAIR has hired 1,533 wounded warriors and, in fiscal year 2015, hired 514 veterans with a 30 percent or greater service-connected disability.

“NAVAIR recruits veterans and wounded warriors because we value their service to our nation and their superlative accomplishments under the most austere, challenging and dangerous conditions imaginable,” Fann said. “They provide exceptional technical expertise, leadership ability and critical thinking skills, and they bring life experiences that cannot be replicated anywhere else. This translates to a highly motivated and professional employee who only wants to continue to serve and protect our nation from harm by contributing to the NAVAIR mission.”

Read more information on NAVAIR’s Wounded Warrior Program or email navairwoundedwarrior@navy.mil.