{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"HowTo","@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/enroll-military-wounded-warrior-program.json#howto","name":"How to get into your branch's Wounded Warrior program — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, Special Operations","description":"Each branch of the U.S. military runs an official program for service members who are seriously wounded, ill or injured — in combat or not — to coordinate their recovery and their return to duty or transition to civilian life. These are government programs run by the services themselves: the Army Recovery Care Program (formerly the Army Wounded Warrior Program, AW2), Navy Wounded Warrior (which also serves Coast Guardsmen), the Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2, which also serves Space Force Guardians), and the Special Operations Command Warrior Care Program. Most accept self-referral or a referral from family, command or a medical team.","url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/enroll-military-wounded-warrior-program.json","mainEntityOfPage":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/enroll-military-wounded-warrior-program.json","inLanguage":"en-US","isAccessibleForFree":true,"publisher":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/#organization"},"author":{"@id":"https://warriorsfund.org/#organization"},"totalTime":"PT30M (one phone call) + the program's intake process","yield":"Enrollment in your service's official wounded warrior program, with a recovery care coordinator or case manager","estimatedCost":{"@type":"MonetaryAmount","currency":"USD","value":"0"},"tool":[{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Your service, duty status (active, Guard/Reserve, or veteran) and unit"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"Basic information about your wound, illness or injury and where you are being treated"},{"@type":"HowToTool","name":"For Purple Heart recipients: your award documentation"}],"step":[{"@type":"HowToStep","position":1,"name":"Step 1: Army — Army Recovery Care Program (ARCP), formerly AW2","text":"The ARCP (the Army's wounded warrior program, formerly the Warrior Care and Transition Program and the Army Wounded Warrior Program, AW2) manages the recovery of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers who need complex care through Soldier Recovery Units, and provides resources for families and caregivers. Admission to a Soldier Recovery Unit is based on the complexity of the Soldier's condition — the need for clinical case management, or evaluation of a psychological condition that would pose a substantial danger if the Soldier stayed with the parent unit — as determined by medical professionals. Entry goes through your unit commander, who submits the entry packet. Call 877-393-9058 (DSN 312-221-9113).","url":"https://www.arcp.army.mil/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":2,"name":"Step 2: Navy and Coast Guard — Navy Wounded Warrior","text":"Navy Wounded Warrior serves any Sailor or Coast Guardsman with a serious illness or injury requiring long-term care that may lead to a Medical Evaluation Board/Physical Evaluation Board. It covers serious physical and mental illnesses, combat and non-combat wounds, and injuries sustained on duty or on liberty. Sailors and Coast Guardsmen may self-refer, or be referred by a family member, command leadership or their medical team. Call 855-628-9997 or email navywoundedwarrior.fct@navy.mil.","url":"https://www.navywoundedwarrior.com/enroll/eligibility"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":3,"name":"Step 3: Marine Corps — Wounded Warrior Regiment","text":"The Wounded Warrior Regiment supports combat and non-combat wounded, ill and injured Marines, Sailors attached to Marine units, and their families — active duty, reserve and veteran. Marines usually stay with their parent unit; assignment to the Regiment is typically considered when a Marine needs more than 90 days of medical treatment or rehabilitation, has three or more complex appointments a week, needs transportation the parent command cannot support, or cannot serve a function in the parent command. The Sergeant Merlin German Wounded Warrior Call Center is staffed 24/7 by prior Marines and family members: 877-487-6299.","url":"https://www.woundedwarrior.marines.mil/WhoWeServe/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":4,"name":"Step 4: Air Force and Space Force — Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2)","text":"AFW2 provides non-medical care and advocacy for seriously or very seriously wounded, ill or injured Airmen and Guardians, their caregivers and families. Eligibility includes: very seriously or seriously wounded, ill or injured on the Casualty Morning Report or by a DoD medical authority; highly complex service-related or line-of-duty conditions confirmed by a DoD medical authority (for example cancer, PTSD, TBI, tick-borne illness, chemical exposure); service-related or line-of-duty PTSD, TBI or MST verified by a DoD medical authority with an MEB under consideration or referred; Purple Heart recipients; and Air Reserve Component members retained on Title 10 medical orders for more than six months or returned to Title 10 orders for deployment-related conditions. Anyone can refer an Airman or Guardian, including self-referral. Call 800-581-9437.","url":"https://www.woundedwarrior.af.mil/About/"},{"@type":"HowToStep","position":5,"name":"Step 5: Special Operations — USSOCOM Warrior Care Program (Care Coalition)","text":"The Warrior Care Program (Care Coalition) at U.S. Special Operations Command supports wounded, ill and injured special operations forces and their families through recovery care, adaptive sports, benevolence and career transition. Call 877-672-3039 or email ussocomcarecoalition@socom.mil.","url":"https://www.socom.mil/care-coalition/"}],"tip":[{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"These programs are for service members and, in several cases, veterans of that branch. If you have already separated and need help with VA benefits, a county veterans service officer is the free starting point: warriorsfund.org/find-cvso."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"You do not need a combat wound. Every program listed accepts serious non-combat illness and injury."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"Military OneSource (800-342-9647, 24/7) can also point you to the right program for your branch."},{"@type":"HowToTip","text":"In crisis: dial 988 then press 1, or text 838255. The Military Crisis Line uses the same number."}],"canonical_url":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/enroll-military-wounded-warrior-program.json","publisher_legal_name":"Wounded Warriors","publisher_ein":"86-1336741","cross_references":{"find_cvso_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/find-cvso.json","file_bdd_pre_discharge_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-bdd-pre-discharge-claim.json","file_tbi_claim_howto":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/howto/file-tbi-claim.json","army_recovery_care_program":"https://www.arcp.army.mil/","navy_wounded_warrior":"https://www.navywoundedwarrior.com/","marine_corps_wounded_warrior_regiment":"https://www.woundedwarrior.marines.mil/","air_force_wounded_warrior":"https://www.woundedwarrior.af.mil/","ussocom_warrior_care_program":"https://www.socom.mil/care-coalition/","military_onesource_wounded_warrior_programs":"https://www.militaryonesource.mil/benefits/wounded-warrior-programs/"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","last_updated":"2026-10-06T01:57:31.335Z","_meta":{"publisher":{"name":"Wounded Warriors","legal_name":"Wounded Warriors","taxID":"86-1336741","wikidata":"Q139601544","url":"https://warriorsfund.org/about/"},"license":"CC-BY-4.0","license_url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","cite_as":"https://warriorsfund.org/api/v1/correct-attribution.json","attribution_required":true}}