Skip to main content

Military Health System

Recovering airman finds a new path with OWF support

Image of Air Force Tech Sgt. Adam Grimm  posing for a photo. Air Force Tech Sgt. Adam Grimm posing for a photo

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Internships give recovering service members the opportunity to test out a potential career field.

Within the Defense Health Agency, Operation Warfighter (OWF) allows Recovering Service Members the opportunity to intern with over 200 federal agencies. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam Grimm utilized this program, and with the help of his OWF Coordinator, Sandra Ambotaite, interned at Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs Hawaii.

In 2018, Grimm was introduced to the Air Force Wounded Warrior (AFW2) program after being flagged for Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) review. Prior to this he had served as an explosive ordnance disposal technician. He was moved from his primary specialty, and was in a mobility training program that wasn't utilizing him to his best abilities. Grimm has heard about the OWF program and knew that it could help him find a purpose again. After being accepted into the program, Ambotaite and Grimm began searching for agencies that could help him find a new career and sense of purpose.

After several months of looking for suitable positions, DPAA expressed needing help in their travel office. The DPAA is an agency within the Department of Defense whose mission is to recover our military to their families and the nation. Grimm has had previous missions with DPAA in the past as a bomb tech, and therefore sincerely appreciated their mission.

During his 6-month internship, Grimm had the opportunity to work with military and civilian personnel, helped process DTS orders and vouchers, and learned the importance of meeting deadlines. "For an agency that has a 100+ mission queue at any time, falling behind can affect real world missions" explained Grimm. "I was happy to help their mission."

Air Force Tech Sgt. Adam Grimm and someone he trained while in Afghanistan
Air Force Tech Sgt. Adam Grimm trained local Afghanistan military in explosives during his first deployment to PNG. Two years later, during a second deployment, they ran into each other again (Courtesy Photo). 

Unfortunately, the MEB two-year mark was quickly approaching. With no official job offer from DPAA and the office shutting down due to COVID-19, Grimm reached out again to his OWF coordinator, Ambotaite, to find a new internship opportunity, preferably in the medical field.

During this time, Grimm started taking prerequisite courses for nursing at a local college. "I had been thinking about going into a medical career after service and was hoping to work at the VA clinic on Oahu," Grimm stated.

Ambotaite was able to make that possible, due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the VA seeking extra assistance. During Grimm's time at the VA, he supported the administrative duties while also having the opportunity to shadow many medical offices at the VA clinic and the attached Army hospital.

Grimm explained that his experience there was a great opportunity to see the true side of a new world, the experience allowed him to see that maybe nursing wasn't the right fit for him. "I switched my college path to a master's in social work to start a private counseling practice. I'm on track to graduate in four years and have my own practice in six," Grimm shared.

Opportunities provided through AFW2 and OWF allowed Grimm to become more comfortable in his future and career choices. Grimm shared, "The time out of uniform and in more supportive roles was a huge help to foster my mental transition. In addition, I was able to help other's missions and explore an entire, very complicated, career path and decide the best true fit for me."

You also may be interested in...

Horse Therapy Helps Wounded Service Members Find "New Normal"

Article
9/13/2022
Horse on left with ARNG Spc. Yesenia Flores, at an equine therapy program used by Fort Campbell's Soldier Recovery Unit.

Horse therapy is one way Fort Campbell wounded soldiers move toward recovery.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Return to Duty: An SRU Soldier's Story of Recovery and Resiliency

Article Around MHS
9/12/2022
Fort Stewart Soldier Recovery Unit insignia

Capt. Viola Howard, an Iron Guardian at the Fort Stewart Soldier Recovery Unit, injured herself during her tour of duty in Germany and was transferred to Fort Stewart She set her mind to recover, rehabilitate, rebuild and ultimately return to active duty.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Unexpected Friendly Rivals

Article
8/24/2022
A woman helps a person lifting weights

The Brooke Army Medical Center Soldier Recovery Unit is more than where support for wounded, ill, and injured soldiers receiving rehabilitative care takes place.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Wounded Warrior Reconditioning Paves Way to Invictus Victory and More

Article
7/29/2022
An athlete rower

New veteran reflects on his experience at the last Invictus Games as a recovering service member and how DOD adaptive sports programs got him there and aided in recovery.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

From Recovery to Resilience: Navy Service Member Shares His Story

Article
7/22/2022
Two people with a shotput

Navy RSM shares how military adaptive sport programs helped him during his recovery from cancer.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Wounded Sailor Ready to Lead Navy Wounded Warrior Marksmen to Victory

Article
7/8/2022
Roel Espino and Retired AZ3 Elizabeth “Ellie” Smith at Navy Warrior Games Training Camp

Adaptive sports allow athletes to pursue new goals. Team Navy’s Shooting Coach Roel Espino shares his journey from athlete to coach.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care | Warrior Care

378th Medical Partnerships Sustain Life and Mission

Article Around MHS
6/1/2022
Military medical personnel perform mock emergency care

Air Force medical contingency response team members, with the 378th Expeditionary Medical Squadron, perform mock emergency medical care for a simulated casualty at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Recommended Content:

Health Readiness & Combat Support | Warrior Care

Multiservice medical providers, medics take on dive injuries, treatments

Article Around MHS
5/31/2022
Military personnel in pool for training

A group of medical providers and medics recently spent two weeks at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Dive Center here learning how to treat patients who may have suffered a dive injury.

Recommended Content:

Health Readiness & Combat Support | Warrior Care

JBLM Soldiers Start Preparing for Warrior Games With Hard Training

Article Around MHS
4/19/2022
Military personnel training for Army Trials and DoD Warrior Games

The DoD Warrior Games 2022 may be months away, but the Soldiers of Task Force Phoenix at Joint Base Lewis-McChord Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU) in Tacoma, Washington already are deep into an intense training regimen in the hopes of securing some shiny hardware this August in Texas.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Recovering Service Members Compete in National Rowing Championship

Article
3/4/2022
Recovering Service Members and Paralympic athletes take on National Indoor Row Championship.

Recovering Service Members compete in 2022 national indoor rowing championships.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Air Force Invisible Wounds Initiative helps build a supportive culture

Article
2/4/2022
Invisible Wounds Initiative

Late last year, the Air Force launched Invisible Wounds Initiative Command Team Campaign

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

National Caregivers Day

Infographic
1/12/2022

It’s #NationalCaregiversDay! Thank you to the millions of dedicated caregivers keeping our loved ones safe and healthy. https://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/Caregiver-Resources/

Recommended Content:

February | Warrior Care

Ft. Belvoir Leaders Learn to Row Learn More About MASP

Article
12/10/2021
Military personnel participating in adaptive sports

Fort Belvoir Soldier Recovery Unit Command team joins MASP for a rowing clinic in Washington D.C. to experience benefits of adaptive sports firsthand.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Caregiver Wife’s Support Instrumental to Wounded Warrior’s Recovery

Article
11/30/2021
Retired Air Force Tech Sgt. Eric Heldman staying active

Eric and Crystal Heideman are not just husband and wife, but life partners navigating life as a wounded warrior and his full-time caregiver with resilience, will, and above all, love for one another.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care

Meet the Matriarch of Wounded Warrior Caregivers at Walter Reed

Article
11/30/2021
Service members transporting a severely wounded soldier

For worried caregivers at Walter Reed Bethesda, Linda Rasnake is a positive force of nature.

Recommended Content:

Warrior Care
<< < 1 2 3 4 5  ... > >> 
Showing results 16 - 30 Page 2 of 6
Refine your search
Last Updated: December 29, 2022
Follow us on Instagram Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on YouTube Sign up on GovDelivery