OCW sponsoring visit to Six Flags
(Photo by Jennifer Whitney)

OCW sponsoring visit to Six Flags

The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors (OCW) program will be the main sponsor for a special visit on Saturday to Six Flags San Antonio for wounded servicemembers and their families.

For the second year, OCW will cover the cost of admission to the park for about 1,000 servicemembers from nearby Brooke Army Medical Center. The group of wounded warriors will also receive a backpack, water bottle and T-shirt with the OCW logo. The overall total for trip, including admission costs and merchandise, will surpass $50,000 - OCW’s single largest contribution this year.

Department of Texas volunteers will be on hand to help the wounded warriors and distribute gifts. Members of nearby Post 10, Post 579 and Post 592 will also volunteer, says 20th District Vice Commander and Post 10 Commander Robert Masten.

During Past National Commander Jim Koutz’s fundraising drive, more than $1.1 million was donated to the OCW program, which has been used to provide recreational trips such as the Six Flags adventure as well as comfort and rehabilitative gear for troops recovering in military hospitals.

Such donations help lift the spirits of the injured warriors.

Robert E. Newman, who attended the event last year, said, "I am thankful for The American Legion to sponsor events like this for wounded warriors like myself. We really appreciate it."

The gratitude also extends to the family members and caregivers of the injured men and women.

"It’s nice to see an organization that comes out and gives back to not only the servicemember but to the families and also to those who support the servicemember," said wounded warrior Robert O’Hagan, who also attended last year’s event. "A lot of the organizations only concentrate on the wounded servicemember."