[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 86 (Friday, June 24, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1332-E1333]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               APPLAUDING ASSISTANCE TO MILITARY FAMILIES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 23, 2005

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, ``Operation Helping 
Hand,'' a program of the Tampa Chapter of the Military Officers 
Association of America (MOAA), was recognized for its efforts to assist 
the families of service members wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom 
(OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).
  The James A. Haley VA Medical Center is one of four designated 
polytrauma centers within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since the 
start of OIF/OEF, these trauma centers have served as regional referral 
centers for individuals who have sustained serious disabling conditions 
due to combat. Patients treated at these facilities may have a serious 
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) alone or in combination with amputation, 
blindness, or other visual impairment, complex orthopedic injuries, 
auditory and vestibular disorders, and mental health concerns. Because 
TBI influences all other areas of rehabilitation, it is critical that 
individuals receive care for their TBI prior to, or in conjunction 
with, rehabilitation for their additional injuries.
  ``Operation Helping Hand'' provides assistance to the families of the 
very seriously wounded and injured service members who were deployed in 
either Iraq or Afghanistan and are now receiving treatment at the James 
A. Haley VA Medical Center. The average hospital stay for the injured 
is approximately 45 days. The families of these injured service members 
travel from all over the country to be with their loved ones at this 
critical time.
  ``Operation Helping Hand'' assistance ranges from providing rental or 
leased cars, bus or taxi fares, cell phones or phone cards to the 
families of wounded service members. The program also provides tickets 
to local amusement parks, movie theaters and restaurants to make these 
families more comfortable while they are in Tampa waiting for their 
loved ones to recuperate. The assistance provided allows families to 
focus on their loved ones' recovery.
  This year marks the sixth year that Newman's Own Inc., Fisher House 
Foundation Inc., and the Military Times Media Group have joined forces 
to present the ``Newman's Own Awards'' which seek to reward ingenuity 
and innovation for volunteer organizations working to improve the 
quality of life for military personnel and their families. These 
organizations issued a challenge to all private organizations serving 
our military communities: ``present an innovative plan to improve the 
quality of life for your military community and receive funding to 
carry out that plan.''
  This year, 177 organizations submitted nominations for the award. I 
am pleased that ``Operation Helping Hand'' received the top

[[Page E1333]]

prize of $10,000. Ten other organizations shared $40,000 in grants.
  I want to congratulate the Tampa Chapter of the MOAA and all the 
individuals involved in ``Operation Helping Hand'' for winning the 
Newman's Own Award. I also want to commend them and all the other award 
winners for their outstanding work in support of our military personnel 
and their families.

                          ____________________