Army to close 5 WTUs, eliminate 549 positions.

Jason Perry

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The command is closing the five WTU’s where the populations of wounded, ill or injured soldiers are “extremely low,” Bishop said. None of them have more than 36 soldiers, and most have fewer than 10 soldiers, he said.

■ Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

■ Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

■ Fort Irwin, Calif.

■ Fort Jackson, S.C.

■ West Point, N.Y.

Technically, the units are being “inactivated” and not closed completely, as the Army could reactivate them if needed, Bishop said.
 
The command is closing the five WTU’s where the populations of wounded, ill or injured soldiers are “extremely low,” Bishop said. None of them have more than 36 soldiers, and most have fewer than 10 soldiers, he said.

■ Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

■ Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

■ Fort Irwin, Calif.

■ Fort Jackson, S.C.

■ West Point, N.Y.

Technically, the units are being “inactivated” and not closed completely, as the Army could reactivate them if needed, Bishop said.


This idea has been in place for at least two years that I know of. When I was in CB-WTU back in 2011 in the California location, I was told by Cadre at that CA location that their higher HQs at JBLM was expanding the WTU (new barracks housing, etc). Besides this, was the talk coming that CB-WTU-CA was going to shutter their location in Sacramento, and relocate/co-locate at JBLM.

Back then, I was frankly glad to hear this. Many of the Reserve SMs running CB-WTU from Sacramento were NOT in sync with their Higher HQs in maintaining current policies, made up the rules as they went, or didn't follow Regs even when you emailed the Regs and quoted them Chapter and Verse!

It's one thing to help a Soldier out - but quite another to screw a Soldier out of needed documentation due to personal interpretations, and run a place like you are immune from all competent training and accountability. And then blame the issues on the injured SM when the Commander or HQs wanted an explanation as to why something went wrong or the task never happened (never mind they only saw that injured SM once or twice a year from hundreds of miles away).
 
Just got the word that we will all be "moved" by May 1st…. Really worried about how this will happen. I am already really far from home :-/
 
Just got the word that we will all be "moved" by May 1st…. Really worried about how this will happen. I am already really far from home :-/

Have you contacted your NCM or your PLT SGT to find out if you are going and where you are going?

Are you on post now or in a CB-WTU?

nwlivewire
 
CBWTU-CA is basically closed. Beginning April 1st the CADRE will begin to REFRAD. The resources will be relocated to JBLM. A new Community Care Unit will be stood up in its place.

In my opinion, the CBWTU was a failure because of the CA National Guard influence.
 
I stood up the first California unit, then called CBHCO, as an SFC platoon sergeant. It wasn't just National Guard influence; CBWTU was a Guard-run program at first. USAR personnel came onto the cadre as they ran out of Guard personnel to assign. From its inception, the California unit suffered from weak leadership, people who made up their own rules, and major lack of accountability at all levels. Managing people across several states was hard enough, but the flaws in the command structure made it worse.

By the way, these problems were across all the community-based units; I also served in Utah and saw it there, and had regular contact with installation-based units. Even the installation-based WTUs had major problems. The whole concept of large numbers of people needing to be held for medical evaluation stumped them pretty much force wide.
 
I stood up the first California unit, then called CBHCO, as an SFC platoon sergeant. It wasn't just National Guard influence; CBWTU was a Guard-run program at first. USAR personnel came onto the cadre as they ran out of Guard personnel to assign. From its inception, the California unit suffered from weak leadership, people who made up their own rules, and major lack of accountability at all levels. Managing people across several states was hard enough, but the flaws in the command structure made it worse.

By the way, these problems were across all the community-based units; I also served in Utah and saw it there, and had regular contact with installation-based units. Even the installation-based WTUs had major problems. The whole concept of large numbers of people needing to be held for medical evaluation stumped them pretty much force wide.

Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Hmm, indeed interesting to say the least; appreciate the historical perspective! ;)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Hmm, indeed interesting to say the least; appreciate the historical perspective! ;)

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!

I was an injured Soldier and was placed into CB-WTU-CA in SEP 2008. I remained in that unit until discharge in APR 2012.

3 1/2 years worth of CB-WTU-CA time.

Believe me, I have saved all copies of emails from those days and know for a fact just how poorly and not up-to-standard that location was.

It's pretty bad when you get assigned a NCM who is a CPT and still has yet to compete their 4-year degree in nursing (and doesn't want to/keeps getting extension/waivers, etc), who asks to you spell basic medical terminology that I even learned how to spell in Basic A School Navy Enlisted Corps School, who never replies back to your emails & only phone calls you from 600 miles away once every other week.

AHLTA records were pathetic considering all the information she received via phone and fax. Stuff never got annotated into the system, paperwork was misplaced/lost/never completed, & rules where simply "made up" & decisions rendered that were contrary to regulations. Oh. And no accountability either.

This way of "doing business" had a BIG impact on my ability to get a properly fair and accurate IDES rating - let alone the treatment I needed prior to getting coded for the MEB/PEB.

It was a fight every step and twist in the road just to get treatment. The constant NCM mantra's, "Let the VA take care of you" was her first and last words to anything.

I found you guys (this web site) in the Summer of 2009. Thank GOD! I began posting my situations back then on this web site. Feel free to go back and read the first three years of my stuff and you will get a taste of what this experience was like for me.

At the end of my time in this unit, I finally got to have the "official" transition meeting. It lasted 45 minutes & the Enlisted NCO in charge of transition was soon to retire with his regular 20 years of AD service - non-injured.

The entire 45 minutes were NOT spent explaining or asking me questions, or informing me of any tools or services. Oh no.

It was spent with my listening to him talking about HIS sunny retirement to Mexico - HIS home building near the Mexico coastline - HIS pointing to pictures of HIS retirement home construction and the beautiful views from HIS property he had pinned all over the walls in his cubicle.

So much for transition services.... or, the ideas of developing a transition plan. Basically, it's a good thing I realized without the help of the Army I needed to develop plans for my future as the Army was no help at all to me.

What made this a difficult process was the isolation and lack of contact to competent staff and decision-makers who seemed not to have any occupational/professional accountability.

Enough said....

V/R,
nwlivewire
 
CBWTU for me too...

March 6, 2010 through Jun 7, 2014...this was after a stay at the WTU Ft. Bliss from Nov 7, 2009 to March 5, 2010

Yes, that is 1667 days or 55.5 months or 4.6 years.

I lost a great career due to the extraordinary time on active duty, however I am receiving over $10,000 a month in entitlements and benefits right now.

It's pretty much a wash I guess, however I know in my heart that my MEB/PEB could have been processed in 90 days. I came in with medical issues that were never going to be resolved and they were considered 100% permanent and total from the day I arrived.
 
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