This is the story of a career Marine who has had a pivotal impact on the Marine Corps, in particular the wounded warriors. Col. Tim Maxwell has had numerous articles written about his personal experience and how he turned it into a model for treating our wounded warriors. Unfortunately I have not had the honor of meeting Col. Maxwell; there were a couple of times we planned to meet but at the last minute unforeseen circumstances prevented our connecting.
Back in August 2004, while serving in Iraq, Col. Maxwell had been hit by a mortar round to his head and was severely injured and sustained a traumatic brain injury. His recovery took place here at Bethesda Naval Hospital (now Walter Reed) until he was discharged to return home to his wife and children in North Carolina. At that time Gen. James Amos (the current Commandant of the Marine Corps) asked Col. Maxwell, while recovering from his devastating injuries, if he would visit with other wounded Marines who were on base at Camp Lejeune or at local hospitals. Col. Maxwell's suggestion was that those injured Marines needed to be together during the healing process since they were accustomed to being part of a team in combat. He knew that for those wounded who were isolated, perhaps at home or in an empty barracks while their brothers were still at war, the downtime could be detrimental and they would benefit from living together.
Col. Maxwell had an idea......a barracks set aside as a residence for these recovering Marines....so they could encourage each other, support each other and just be there for each other. They could share their fears, their combat stories and help each other. Gen. Amos approved of the idea and let him run with it. He and a Gunny, who served with him in Iraq, were given an old barracks. They reached out to the local community and businesses for contributions and turned that old barracks into living quarters. They were assigned twenty wounded Marines with the mission of recovery for duty or transitioning to civilian life. The Injured Support Unit was born.
It was at this juncture that I was at Camp Lejeune for a few days to attend the homecoming of my nephew, returning from Iraq. I contacted a friend, one of the Marines I had shipped care packages to, and who was home between deployments himself. He arranged for us to visit the wounded warrior barracks prior to it's official opening ceremony when it would be christened "Maxwell Hall." We were supposed to meet with Col Maxwell but at the last minute he was called out of town. His Gunny gave us a tour of the humble abode that would be the 'new home' for those recovering.
Throughout all of this, Tim Maxwell was still dealing with his own injuries. He still traveled back and forth from North Carolina to Bethesda for follow-up medical appointments.
That barracks was replaced with a new Wounded Warrior Battalion-East on Camp Lejeune and then a Wounded Warrior Battalion-West was built on Camp Pendleton in CA. Eventually the Wounded Warrior Regiment Headquarters at Quantico, Va. was up and running. There are case managers, care coordinators and counselors all over the country who track and assist the wounded Marines, which was Col. Maxwell's intent from the outset. He wanted to make sure they did not drop off the radar after they were discharged. The Regiment now serves non-combat and ill troops as well. Currently there are about 2000 Marines at the two barracks East and West.
I have had the pleasure of spending time with Col Maxwell's wife Shannon on a few occasions. She is as dedicated to our wounded warriors as her husband. Together they have a nonprofit SemperMax Support Fund that supports and advocates for the wounded and their families. Last year the Bob Woodruff Foundation gave them a grant for a 'couples retreat' for troops, who are suffering from TBI, and their wives. Shannon has worked tirelessly on similar issues that are unfortunate symptoms of the traumatic brain injury. Shannon and her daughter have authored books for children dealing with combat injuries, highly acclaimed for their insight relating to invisible and visible wounds combat wounds.
The Maxwells are little known Heroes but their contributions to the lives of the wounded will never be forgotten. Tim may have retired from the Marine Corps a couple of years ago but his work is not done. He still visits the wounded at Bethesda and at the Barracks.
As they say, "Once A Marine, Always A Marine".....you can take the man out of the Marines, but you cannot take the Marine out of This Man.
