Camden County Honors Its Veterans Dealing With Brain Injuries
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden County, NJ was paying tribute today to veterans who have suffered brain injuries.
At a ceremony in Cherry Hill, nine veterans received medals from the Camden County Veterans Affairs office.
Five of the vets are being treated for brain injuries, including Army vet Robert Fitzgerald (seated at far left), who said he appreciated the honor.
"It was long overdue, not just for me but for other veterans," he said.
Marc Gramatges of Cherry Hill, an Air Force vet and an honoree, is an intern at Bancroft Neurohealth, where the ceremony was held. He says those in the military face a unique risk for brain injuries.
"I know a lot of vets who suffered them that had nothing to do with actual combat zones," he tells KYW Newsradio, "whether it was during training exercises, during regular field operations, helicopter accidents. A lot of unique circumstances just in the nature of the training and the job."
Bancroft is in a VA-funded pilot program for brain injuries.
Reported by Mike DeNardo, KYW Newsradio 1060
Read the KYW Newsradio Regional Affairs Council series on brain injuries among returning war veterans, "Coming Home: Are WE Ready?"
