Putting together our 2nd Annual New Facilities Issue, which is packed with stories of how new armed forces Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facilities and programs are adapting to meet the needs of servicemembers and their families, and wounded warriors, the prophetic words of H.G. Wells — “Adapt or Perish” — reverberated throughout the pages.

As we dig in for the long haul in the Global War on Terror, the Department of Defense (DoD) is adapting in an effort to attract, train and retain a fighting force that will continue to grow in end-strength numbers in the coming years, and shift and transform as the Base Closure and Realignment (BRAC) process continues. Taking care of not only the warfighter but also the family is the new mantra, and creating a better support network for wounded warriors is now part of the thought processes for all, from the President on down to the MWR professionals who run these amazing facilities and programs.

One new Army program, Warrior Adventure Quest (WAQ), is having great success in addressing the serious — and, for some, life-threatening issues — that face those who return home after long deployments. And the program doesn't just address the challenges facing those returning from combat; it is for the families too. Partnering with the Medical Command's “Battlemind” program, Army MWR professionals run high-adventure programs, such as paintball, rock climbing and whitewater rafting, and most importantly, help provide great relief from combat stress.

“The ability of injured servicemembers to engage in recreational activities is a very important component of rehabilitation and reintegration,” Art Myers, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Military Community and Family Policy), told the House Armed Services Committee Military Personnel Subcommittee during MWR oversight hearings on March 12, 2009. “Our installation MWR specialists are successfully working with medical personnel, wounded warrior units, community parks and recreation, and non-profits to integrate sports and recreation as part of the healing process.”

In addition to WAQ, DoD has contracted with Penn State University to provide 12 joint Inclusive Recreation Training Courses over three years. The four-day course trains 30 installation recreation specialists to successfully integrate wounded warriors and family members into existing MWR programs, bringing in specialists, medical professionals and wounded warriors, who all contribute their experiences in a very hands-on, interactive training program.

The United States Olympic Committee's Paralympic Military Program has also made great strides recently in enhancing recovery of injured servicemembers and veterans through sport. By providing ongoing training programs at local, regional and national sites that build capacity in collaboration with military, veteran and community-based organizations, more than 800 community leaders have received training in the development and implementation of sports programs for wounded warriors. And 5,400 injured servicemembers have been introduced to physical activity through ongoing sports programs at military/veteran medical treatment facilities and installation MWR facilities.

Grants have also been provided to 14 community/military partnerships throughout the country, offering 2,200 injured servicemembers the opportunity to participate in sports.

In response to a congressional request to study capabilities of MWR programs to accommodate eligible disabled personnel, DoD funded the purchase of 254 adaptive golf carts in the past year for use on military golf courses.

In addition to recreation and sports, more and more fitness centers are adapting facilities, increasing accessibility to equipment and around the facility itself, as well as purchasing adaptive equipment, which can be used by both the able bodied and those in wheelchairs.

These new programs and facilities are building blocks of a new infrastructure that is sorely needed, and if built up strong and sustained will provide a real difference in the lives of servicemembers and their families.

Wells says adaptation is an “inexorable imperative,” and we must continue to remind ourselves — “adapt or perish.”