Returning home from deployment is difficult for all soldiers, but is especially hard for those who have been seriously injured. In an effort to ease the transition, a group of military advocates recently began work on a retreat that will help wounded warriors recover, Military Times reports.
Dubbed Boulder Crest Retreat, the 37-acre center will be located in Bluemont, Virginia, and will feature a number of amenities to make the recovery process a bit easier. The retreat is set to open in May 2013 and will have everything from a central clubhouse to family cabins and trails. The idea is to provide a therapeutic setting so soldiers and their families can get a break from the military lifestyle.
"While they are in top facilities, at the end of the day, they are still living in military apartments and medical clinics. This will give them the chance to get out of the city," Ken Falke, a retired Navy explosive ordnance disposal master chief, told the publication.
The need for similar centers has become increasingly important over the last decade. Since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, more than 15,300 soldiers have been wounded.