In April 2007, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the U.S. Army stood up the Warrior Transition Brigade to help focus on Soldiersí needs outside medical care.

In February 2008, a new troop clinic officially opened to help better meet the needs of the Soldiers at WRAMC.

This month, another step took place, one that focuses on rehabilitating the Warrior Spirit.

Cadre from The Judge Advocate Generalís Legal Center and Schoolís (TJAGLCS) NCO Academy began conducting Basic Noncommissioned Officerís Course (BNCOC) Stand Alone Common Core training at WRAMC.

Last fall, the TJAGLCS NCOA was named an Institution of Excellence by the U.S. Army Sergeantís Major Academy (USASMA). After the assessment Sgt. Maj. Brett Jurgerson of the Army Wounded Warriorís Program (AW2) spoke at TJAGLCS, and the idea to take training to the warriors quickly grew. The USASMA was contacted, cleared the proposal, and it was pitched to the WTB and AW2 programís senior enlisted advisors.

Walter Reedís WTB Command Sgt. Maj.Jeffrey Hartless and Jurgerson, were immediately sold on the program and Command Sgt. Maj. Shannon Boyer and Sgt. Maj. Rod Celestaine of TJAGLCS, along with their cadre finished putting together the pilot program. The training would be conducted to standard with no special exceptions, and all training and evaluations would be conducted to the standards set as if it were at academies traditional academy.

ìThe idea just makes senseî said Sgt. 1st Class Barry Nelson, senior small group leader for the academy, and one of the Small Group Leaders on the ground at WRAMC.

ìStories like those of Cpl. Peter Sprenger graduating Ranger School and other NCOs fighting to stay on duty and return to places like Iraq shows that continued service in the toughest environments can and does happen; why not build leaders ready for it while waiting on appointments at places like Walter Reed?,î Nelson said.

He and Sgt. 1st Class Theodore Scully, began training the noncommissioned offiers March 10 and graduation is today.

The BNCOC SACC (also called Phase I) is academically heavy, focusing on topics such as motivating subordinates, developing a cohesive team and implementing an effective physical training program for a unit. All of the students passed at least one of the basic evaluations. The course also includes a written exam.

The students, all staff sergeants, come from a variety of military occupational specialties. The class is a mixure of Warriors in Transition and WTB cadre.

The Warriors in Transition still attend scheduled appointments and make up missed work through remedial training each evening, normally conducted by Scully.

ìWhen the idea was being war-gamed we werenít certain weíd get even one NCO that would want to go through training and evaluation on top of everything else,î Nelson said. ìThe fact we got this many says a few things. One, continued NCO development can take place alongside physical rehabilitation.

ìTwo, Warriors at Walter Reed want not only to return to duty, but demonstrate their abilities not ëdisabilities.í And three, it has room to grow and continue,î Nelson said.

Todayís graduation will represent not only a milestone in the career of the NCOs, but it also represents another step in the recovery taking place not merely at, but because of, Walter Reed. It also demonstrates the abilities of injured Soldiers versus their disabilities, Nelson added. (BNCOC SACC)