The Department of Defense’s Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence counts 535,544 service members diagnosed with TBI since 2000, of which 77,892 of them moderate, severe or penetrating. To fill a gap in care for the most severely wounded, the Wounded Warriors Project launched its Independence Program (IP) in 2013. As WWP IP states, its mission is:

“Providing innovative, long-term support to the most catastrophically wounded veterans with a moderate to severe brain injury, spinal cord injury, or neurological condition that causes them to struggle with day-to-day living… that will help them live life to the fullest and as independently as possible. This one-of-a-kind program focuses on helping them set achievable goals, get more active in their community, and embrace the future on their terms….  [the] Independence Program starts with a comprehensive service assessment, during which your team of specialists will work with you, your family, and your caregivers to develop a plan of action…”

WWP is a nonprofit and its services are offered at no cost to the injured service member or their caregivers. Though not directly connected to the government, it has had numerous government associations through the years. Addressing the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs this March, WWP CEO Walter E. Piatt stated, “while we can never prevent traumatic things from happening, we can continue to work diligently to eliminate the disorder that can arise from those experiences.” As such, he further explained the Independence Program: “currently serving nearly 1,000 warriors… IP is a small but critical part of a larger ecosystem of care and support,” that delivered nearly 285,000 hours of care in fiscal 2025.