Stepping out into life
 

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- A car accident, an assault, a combat injury -- trauma can arrive in many forms, and its trail can leave behind newfound social anxieties. New people, situations and experiences can simply add up to too many unknowns and uncertainties for those adjusting to life after severe distress.Introducing safe ways to reintegrate is the specialty of Madigan Army Medical Center's Warrior Transition Battalion's occupational therapy community outing group, which takes 12 to 15 Soldiers each month on new adventures such as a hike in the Nisqually Valley, a trip to the governor's mansion or a visit to a pumpkin patch. In addition to working with Soldiers who experienced trauma, the group helps Soldiers who are injured to find leisure activities they can still enjoy, and it introduces career Soldiers to activities they can continue to participate in once they leave the military.

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