Recent Projects

Below is an overview of the projects that Operation Comfort has coordinated on behalf of our wounded service personnel. Brief descriptions of current projects and projects in the serious planning stages are presented. You too can get excited and become a part of this great effort! If at anytime, while you are browsing through our services section, you have a question related to any of our services don't hesitate to send us an e-mail at operationcomfort@sbcglobal.net

Automobile Restoration Program “AUTOMOTIVATION”

Operation Comfort is organizing an automotive restoration program. The goal of this program is to motivate wounded service members who might not otherwise be inclined to participate in existing recreational rehabilitative programs but they want some rehab.

Operation Comfort is a tax exempt organization that supports our Afghanistan and Iraq war wounded troops at Brooks Army Medical Center (BAMC), San Antonio, TX. We provide our amputees and burn victims with projects to get them out of the hospital environment and involved in sports, outdoor activities and other programs that provide a diversion from their medical rehabilitation regimen.

Our automotive restoration program is in its infancy. To date, we have a donated 1984 4X4 Ford Bronco. The Auto Craft Shop at Fort Sam Houston has donated the working area and storage space. We could certainly use the support of the folks and companies attending the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer’s Association (SEMA) conference. Specifically, we need:

• · Industry partners willing to provide us a point of contact for parts and other support. Your support is tax deductible and we see an ongoing need for parts as each restoration project will have differing requirements.
• · Donations to acquire cars for restoration.
• · Various air-tools, arbor press equipment, welding and body-work specialty tools.

Computer & Living Rooms:

On one of Janis’s first visits to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas she asked a soldier if there was anything he needed or wanted. After some cajoling he finally said he wished they had computers so he could talk to his buddies in Iraq. She told him she would get him computers. Another request was for an inviting living room area where they could go when they did not want to stay in bed.

Advanced Micro Devices, a global microprocessor manufacturer whose largest site is in Austin, came to the rescue by donating computers for the living rooms and laptops for the soldiers who could not get out of bed. Janis has said that AMD gave “the gift of communication”. We also supplied the rooms with 50” screen TV’s, X-Boxes and of course the computers. They are all voice activated for the soldiers who cannot use their hands. Our wounded love their rooms and use them constantly.

Activities of Daily Living Lab:

Our second project was to redo the Activities of Daily Living Lab. We reworked this area to be a more realistic representation of a home environment with furniture and general fixup. This is where our amputees go to learn how to live in an apartment again. They learn how to cook, clean, make up a bed, open a refrigerator, and turn on a stove using their prosthetics.

Soldier Family Assistance Center (SFAC):

The soldier and family assistance center was created for our wounded outpatient military who require treatment at BAMC: a comfortable area where they and their families have a friendly, comfortable environment in which to take a break, watch a movie, grab a snack, check e-mail, use the Internet, let the children play or just make a phone call. It is also a place where they can meet with other servicemen and families who have had similar experiences. It is a resource to assist families and soldiers in dealing with their situation - housing, food, and travel arrangements. There are approximately 2500 visitations by wounded service personnel and family members a month.

This outpatient soldier assistance center needs extensive rework. It is used for storage as well as for serviceman and family administration. Operation Comfort is planning the remodeling of the SFAC and will go on to remodel the ICU Burn Waiting Room as well as other waiting rooms within the hospital where the severely injured are being treated.

In October 2005 Operation Comfort completed the remodeling of the Soldier Family Assistance Center. We would like to thank Kwik Trip, Inc. and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary along with many other individuals who made the remodeling of this very important facility possible.

Occupational Therapy Clinic:

Operation Comfort redid the waiting room for the Occupational Therapy Clinic. It was a very dull room that needed a facelift. Operation Comfort painted the walls, provided a 50” TV, added comfortable sofas and a pool table! The room has been a huge success...

Amputee Physical Therapy Project:

Operation Comfort has given the amputee clinic a 42-inch flat screen plasma T V and DVD library consisting of rehabilitative training videos. Previous training was very constrained in equipment and space. Now the TV will be ceiling mounted and have digital camera and print so that therapist can take a picture of the wounded Soldier / Marine taking new first steps.

Burn Physical Therapy Clinic:

Operation Comfort has given the Burn Physical Therapy Clinic two laptop computers that are attached to hospital carts, with a metal plate over the keyboard and a rubber keyboard and rubber mouse attached to the computer. The rubber keyboard and mouse can be washed and sterilized due to infection control issues. When a soldier suffers burns to his hands he has to relearn how to bend his fingers. These computers with the rubber keyboards are a tremendous help in rehabilitation therapy. All of our computers have the voice response system installed for those who can no longer use their hands. We have another 8 computers on order that will have the rubber keyboards and mice and they will go into the rooms of the soldiers who are isolated.