With the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the term “wounded warrior” has entered into common parlance as the numbers of men and women returning from combat with physical and mental trauma continues to grow.

To help improve access to support services, the  Department of Defense (DOD) has recently released a mobile app to help wounded soldiers and their families access information that can assist in their recovery and return to U.S. civilian life.

The app is free and is available for both the iPhone and Android devices.

The app was developed in collaboration with the DOD and the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, as well as the Social Security Administration.

The app is heavily based on the “The Wounded, Ill and Injured Compensation and Benefits Handbook” that was released in November by the DOD. This new app is a resource for injured soldiers who are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and aids them in readjusting to civilian life as well as  provides them information on medical, benefits, and other support they need in the United States.

The app also gives access and answers to many questions that soldiers and their families may have including:

  • Recovery coordination
  • Medical care
  • DoD Pay and Allowances during recovery
  • The Disability Evaluation System (DES)
  • DoD Disability Compensation
  • The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
  • Social Security Benefits
  • Reintegration into Civilian Life
  • Veterans Affairs Benefits

Additionally, the app also gives toll free numbers for TRICARE regional contractors, behavioral healthcare providers and other TRICARE programs such as dental, pharmacy, etc. The TRICARE program is basically the health/medical benefits program for United States military soldiers.

The iMedicalApps team has previously reported on exciting developments in the military using tablets and mobile devices to do everything from documenting and tracking patient care, digitally managing medical supplies, and monitoring the health of soldiers in the combat zone. We have also discussed the 1000,000 tablets that are being deployed to medical personnel serving under the Veterans Affairs Department.

This wounded soldier app represents another logical step in the integration of mobile technology into military life – in this case, supporting individuals that were willing to make incredible sacrifices on behalf of their country.

Sources: US Army and InformationWeek