Guest Post: Wounded Warrior Project® Uses IoT for Veterans

At KORE, we are not only committed to simplifying the complexity of IoT but also helping to make the world easier and more accessible for everyone. When we consider all of the causes and people we honour during the month of June – there is one organisation that stands head and shoulders above the rest in supporting those affected: Wounded Warrior Project.

This organisation has been innovative in finding ways to apply IoT and connectivity capabilities to help warriors deal with challenges that face them long after they leave the battlefield. In this guest blog from Rob Flippo, CEO of MobileHelp, learn how MobileHelp has partnered with KORE and Wounded Warrior Project to put wearable IoT in the hands of veterans nationwide.

Bringing Technologies Together to Support Wounded Warrior Project

While Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects people from all walks of life, it has an immense impact on the lives of our military members and their families. In fact, according to a recent survey, 78% report PTSD as their main health challenge and are still dealing with its effects.

According to experts, what happens after a traumatic event can impact the manifestation (as well as severity) of PTSD: Additional stress following the event can make PTSD more likely to occur, while social support can make it less likely.

This aligns with a key Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) approach to healing, which aims to honour and empower warriors along their journeys to recovery, including through social interaction. Building camaraderie with other wounded veterans can help warriors deal with the invisible wounds of war.

Interestingly, one of the core tenants of our business hinges on that same notion – that a connection to support (and getting people help quickly after an emergency) can make all the difference in how quickly they are able to heal.

With our two missions so aligned, it made sense for us as a company to partner with the WWP – and so last year we joined forces with KORE Wireless to announce a product gift of 50 of our wearable MobileHelp Smart devices to warriors in the Warrior Care Network™.

Warrior Care Network is a collaboration between WWP and four leading academic medical centres, that provides access to clinical and family-centered treatment for veterans dealing with PTSD, TBI, and other mental health-related conditions.

Our wearable devices give them a connection to help as they move through the process of healing – which is a (very) small aspect to their care. But sometimes it’s a small thing that gives people the ability to take a big step.

If a warrior presses the “Help” button on their wearable device, trained operators receive the call and know who the warrior is, where they are located and can contact them directly through the watch to determine the scope of the emergency and provide the right level of response. The emergency response centres are also able to connect warriors to a veterans’ crisis hotline. KORE provides the ongoing connectivity for these devices, to ensure the connection to help is always available.

We hope that knowing someone has their back, and that they can access help anytime they need it, will give them more confidence as they move through recovery.

I come from a military family – my dad and brothers all served, and I grew up moving around all the time as our family was relocated based on my dad’s assignments. So I know the sacrifice military families make. And while my dad always came home to us, without injury, we knew about the countless other families who weren’t so lucky.

Growing up that way instilled two things in me: 1) a deep sense of pride in patriotism, and 2) a deep sense of gratitude for those who volunteer to protect us. To be our heroes.

Their service deserves ours, and it is our deepest honour as a company to move through the healing journey with our wounded veterans, and to partner with Wounded Warrior Project as they help them every step of the way.

Many thanks to Rob and the team at MobileHelp for sharing this story. We look forward to continuing to provide solutions for those who need it most. If you’re looking to help, Wounded Warrior Project has a number of ways you can contribute or actively give back.