Chairwoman Herseth-Sandlin, Ranking Member Boozman, and members of the Subcommittee, I am pleased to be here today on behalf of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) to offer our views on rehabilitation through sports and recreation for severely injured service members and veterans.  Perhaps no veterans’ service organization understands the importance of sports as a rehabilitation tool more than PVA. 

Since its inception in 1946, PVA has recognized the important role that sports and recreation play in the SCI rehabilitation process.  In fact, it was paralyzed veterans, injured during World War II, who first started playing pick-up games of wheelchair basketball in VA hospitals.  This marked the birth of wheelchair sports.  Doctors quickly realized the significance of these types of activities and the powerful therapeutic benefits on the physical, mental and social levels that could be derived from participating in wheelchair sports.  It is for this reason that PVA developed, and annually administers, a comprehensive sports and recreation program for its members and other Americans with disabilities.

PVA sponsors a wide array of sports and outdoor recreation events to improve the quality of life and health of veterans with severe disabilities.  Most notable of these activities is the National Veterans Wheelchair Games (NVWG) which PVA has co-sponsored with the Department of Veterans Affairs for 23 years.  Last year alone, the NVWG drew 514 veterans.  In fact, PVA has one of the highest participation rates of members in this event.  Likewise, we fully support the activities of the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, the National Veterans Golden Age Games, and the National Creative Arts Festival.   

PVA also runs a number of other sports and outdoor recreation programs meant to get severely disabled veterans involved.  Our Shooting Sports Program consists of the PVA National Trapshoot Circuit, pistol and rifle competitions and various hunting opportunities.  The Trapshoot Circuit includes 10 events annually that draw approximately 600 participants. Our Boating and Fishing Program consists of the PVA Bass Tour and a variety of other fishing opportunities.  The Bass Tour is comprised of five events annually that draw more than 350 participants. 

PVA, in association with the National Wheelchair Poolplayers’ Association, has developed a unique series of billiards tournaments for people with disabilities.  Last year, we conducted five events that drew 131 participants.  Likewise, PVA has partnered with the American Wheelchair Bowling Association to create a bowling tournament series.  Last year, we conducted five bowling tournaments that drew 259 participants.  Finally, PVA also financially sponsors several National Governing Bodies of Disabled Sport, including organizations that conduct program opportunities for wheelchair basketball, quad rugby, wheelchair bowling, wheelchair softball and wheelchair billiards to strengthen existing infrastructure for wheelchair sports and recreation participation.

In the past five years, PVA has conducted significant outreach at Department of Defense (DOD) and VA hospitals to make its sports and recreation programs available to recently injured Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans.  In fact, PVA was recognized last year by the staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for our important work with the men and women being treated at that facility.  In addition, earlier this year PVA edited a chapter entitled “Sports and Recreation Opportunities for the Combat Amputee” to be included in the soon to be released DOD medical handbook Care of the Combat Amputee.

PVA became aware of the VA-United States Olympic Committee (USOC) Military Paralympic Program by its association with VA, as co-presenter of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.  The NVWG, established in 1981 by VA, is a week-long, multi-sport event designed to introduce the newly injured veteran to a variety of wheelchair sports and recreation activities in hopes that this participation will lead to a healthy lifestyle.  PVA’s involvement began in 1985 due to its unique expertise in sports and recreation programs for our members and other severely disabled veterans.  We have contributed countless financial and personnel resources throughout the years to these types of programs.  Moreover, approximately 80 percent of the 550 total average participants at the Games each year are PVA members.  As a result, PVA has a vested interest and commitment to the Games, and is quite curious as to this new relationship that the VA has developed with the USOC.  It is true, however, that a handful of PVA members have been identified and selected for future elite competition participation as a result of this new program. 

The mission of PVA’s sports and recreation program is to expand the quantity and quality of sports and recreation opportunities, especially those that promote lifetime fitness and a healthy lifestyle, for PVA members and other people with disabilities.  Although elite competition has its place in a comprehensive sports and recreation program, PVA’s primary goal for its sports and recreation program is all about health care and rehabilitation first, something that we do not believe is the ultimate focus of elite athletics.     

We believe that only time will tell the true effect of this VA-USOC arrangement.  We do, however, have a couple of concerns or questions regarding the VA-USOC Military Paralympic Program.  First, will direct health care dollars be diverted to fund this program?  Funding for this program should be done separately from direct health care funding. 

Second, we are also concerned about the impact that this arrangement will have on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between VA and PVA to support sports and recreation opportunities for severely disabled veterans.  Likewise, the agreement between VA and the USOC could impact the partnerships that the Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars have with the VA as co-presenters of the Winter Sports Clinic and Golden Age Games, respectively.  We would certainly hope that there is no intent on VA’s part to eventually terminate these long-standing agreements with the veterans’ service organization community. 

With these thoughts in mind, we would like to offer some comments on a couple of pieces of legislation that have been introduced that concern sports and recreation.  First, PVA generally supports the creation of an Office of National Disabled Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events and a director position to oversee this Office as outlined by H.R. 1370, the “Disabled Veterans Sports and Special Events Promotion Act of 2007.”  PVA has a special interest in this Office as the chief presenter, along with the VA, of the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.  PVA supported similar legislation during the 109th Congress. 

However, we would like to recommend that the Office be removed from the VA Office of Public Affairs and be consolidated under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).  The ultimate purpose of the Wheelchair Games, Winter Sports Clinic, Golden Age Games and Creative Arts Festival is to provide the best rehabilitative therapy possible to maximize independence and enhance the quality of life for severely disabled veterans.  Given that rehabilitation is part of the mission of VHA, we believe that it should be the controlling authority. 

PVA also believes that a separate line-item appropriation should be included in the VA budget to support these events.  This would remove some of the burden that the VA carries when trying to raise funds to support these programs and allow it to focus on the actual purpose of these events—rehabilitation.  PVA, veterans’ service organizations, and other co-presenters of these events, could then continue to raise additional funds to support the events. 

PVA also generally supports H.R. 4255, the “United States Olympic Committee Paralympic Program Act of 2007.”  However as recommended above, we believe separate funding should be provided outside of the direct health care dollars appropriated to the VA.  Moreover, we remain concerned about the long-term impact that this association between the VA and the USOC could have on the programs that the veterans service organizations have developed with VA that serve a similar purpose.  Ultimately, the concepts outlined in this legislation are what need to be reinforced—that sports and recreation programs are about improved health and rehabilitation, not elite competition.

As far as expanding veteran participation in the various sports and recreation programs administered by the VA, we would like to offer a few recommendations.  These ideas are at least partially based on our observations and experiences with severely injured active duty service members at Walter Reed.  First, it is critically important to remove barriers to participation.  In order to further facilitate seamless transition, newly injured veterans should be provided timely access to education and training regarding sports and recreation opportunities.  Furthermore, the VA and DOD should facilitate outreach efforts of legitimate organizations promoting sports and recreation opportunities by improving their access to newly injured veterans.

Interestingly, PVA found in a sports and recreation survey that we conducted in 2002 that employment, whether full-time or part-time, is a barrier to sports and recreation activities due to a lack of time to participate.  Furthermore, inadequate training, lack of local programs, high equipment and licensing fees, and a shortage of accessible local facilities are critical barriers to participation.

We also believe that the VA, in coordination with DOD, the veterans’ service organizations, and possibly the USOC, should develop and implement a broad-based, comprehensive program that appeals to all veterans, especially our newly injured veterans who are more inclined to participate in non-traditional activities.  Furthermore, the VA should develop and implement a standardized curriculum for recreation therapy to support VA national programs and special events.  We do not believe that VA recreation therapy programs are consistent across the board.  This emphasis will provide the training and awareness on the local levels to support these programs and maximize their benefits.

PVA appreciates the focus being placed on these important programs.  With disabled servicemen and women exiting the military everyday, especially from Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, these programs will provide a beacon of hope to those men and women who will continue to face challenges every day of their lives.  We look forward to working with this Subcommittee to ensure that a wide range of sports and recreation activities are available to the men and women who have served and sacrificed. 

I would like to thank you again for the opportunity to testify.  I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have.