New medicine, new service.

Outstanding medical care and emergency treatment on the battlefields are saving lives--more lives than every before. Nine out of every 10 wounded service members will survive--some of whom would have died in previous wars. And the DAV will be there for them, providing first-class service and advocacy.

Never in the history of combat have such severely wounded soldiers survived. But they survive at great sacrifice. Their injuries are severe, multiple and very disabling. Even after treatment in various military hospitals and their separation from the service, they still require hospitalization and professional medical care by several specialists.

These veterans are suffering from wounds and injuries so varied and severe that they require a new method of medical practice--requiring as many as 40 specialists to deal with amputation, traumatic brain injury, burns, internal injuries, gunshots and shrapnel wounds.

The Department of Veterans Affairs, which cares for these severely wounded veterans, created new Level One Polytrauma Centers at four medical centers--Tampa, Fla., Minneapolis, Minn., Palo Alto, Calif., and Richmond, Va.

The VA has also recognized the hardships imposed by distance and has now created Level Two centers at 21 sites: Boston, Mass., Syracuse, N.Y., New York, N.Y., Philadelphia, Pa., Washington, D.C., Richmond, Va., Augusta, Maine, Tampa, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Cleveland, Ohio, Indianapolis, Ind., Hines, Ill., St. Louis, Mo., Houston, Tex., Dallas, Tex., Tucson, Ariz., Denver, Colo., Seattle, Wash., Palo Alto, Calif., Los Angeles, Calif., and Minneapolis, Minn.

These wounded service members need our support and assistance. Our National Service Officers are frequent visitors, offering our excellent professional services and bringing cheer to those who face long periods of hospitalization and rehabilitation.

There are tens of thousands of wounded and injured veterans returning from the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan and other world trouble spots who need our help. And the DAV's long history of service continues to be our standard.

Our Transition Service Officers (TSOs) meet with these returning veterans at separation centers across our nation. These TSOs ensure that records are current, that injuries and wounds are accurately noted and that claims are presented to the VA in a timely fashion. We also have National Service Officers who are located at military hospitals such as Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda National Naval Medical Center to ensure that those wounded receive their rightful benefits from the VA. (See story page 1)

Our National Service Officers are also reaching out to the veterans of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. They staff our Mobile Service Offices which travel our nation to bring our professional services to those who may not be able to travel to a National Service Office.

Wherever and whenever veterans or their families need help or service, we will be there for them. And for these most severely wounded, we will be with them for as long as they need us.

Our mission of service is needed and necessary. Our support of the VA's health care system is more important than ever before. For young men and women who have been wounded and disabled in service to our country, we will ensure that their lives are the best we can make them. These are premium lives--extended by the best medical professionals and supported by the DAV's best service professionals.

Randy Reese, National Service Director