Category E: Employees Promoting Programs for Disabled Veterans and People with Disabilities

Tristen V. Wendland
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
VA Regional Office
Denver, Colorado

Ms. Wendland recently accepted the responsibility of coordinating and managing the “Coming Home to Work” (CHTW) program. This initiative provides early outreach and job experience to severely wounded Iraqi/Afghanistan service members who are pending medical discharge from active duty.

Ms. Wendland provided briefings to all service members awaiting discharge in the Medical Hold Unit on Fort Carson. In addition, she contacted numerous Federal, state, and local government agencies so that non-paid work experience opportunities can be developed for these service members.

She has conducted assessments for over 200 service members and has placed many into non-paid work experience opportunities. These jobs provide service members with valuable work experience that will carry over into the private/public sector upon discharge.

Ms. Wendland was also instrumental in developing three job fairs for service members about to be discharged from Fort Carson. These three fairs have accommodated over 600 service members and have resulted in numerous Federal and private sector jobs for disabled veterans.

Ms. Wendland continues to provide excellent and timely services to her regular caseload of disabled veterans. Ms. Wendland’s enthusiasm and willingness to provide equal opportunity for severely wounded Fort Carson soldiers is exemplary and vital to VA’s mission.

Tristen Wendland with Gordon Mansfield and Paul Hutter