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About Us

The vision of the Bob Woodruff Foundation is to provide resources and support to injured service members, veterans and their families -- building a movement to empower communities nationwide to take action to successfully reintegrate our nation’s injured heroes—especially those who have sustained the Hidden Injuries of War—back into their communities so they may thrive physically, psychologically, socially and economically.

Our Mission is Threefold:

We invest in national and community-based programs that connect our troops to the help they need — from individual needs like job training, career placement, counseling, physical accommodations, to larger social issues like substance abuse and homelessness.
We educate the public about the needs of service members returning from war…and our nation’s greater need to ensure our heroes and families receive the support necessary to have successful futures.
We collaborate with key federal, state, and local experts to identify and solve issues related to the successful return of service members from combat to civilian life

Together with our partners and supporters in communities across the country, we are healing the physical and hidden wounds of war.

Our Cause

More than 2.3 million U.S. service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since September 11, 2001.

More than 47,000 service members have been physically wounded.

It is estimated that more than 320,000 have sustained traumatic brain injuries.

1 in 5 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from PTSD, TBI, and or Depression.

The Veterans Administration (VA) estimates that a veteran dies by suicide every 80 minutes.

BWF works to support all injured service members with a special emphasis on the Hidden Injuries of War - Traumatic Brain Injury and Combat Stress. While the wounds of these injuries may not always be visible, their impact is felt long after a service member returns and their treatment is often the most costly and difficult to attain.

The Hidden Injuries of War »

Traumatic Brain Injury

There's a good chance that service members who return with a visible wound is also being impacted by a hidden one. TBI severity depends on the nature of the injury, the strength of the force, area of the brain affected, physical and genetic variations, and more. It's a silent epidemic, hard to identify and diagnose and individualized with each victim. Mild TBI, a concussion or multiple concussions can lead to problems with balance and coordination, impaired memory, judgement, hearing, vision or speech. More symptoms range from fatigue, lack of focus, anxiety, depression, impulsivity.

PTS and Combat Stress-Related Symptoms

Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) is a reaction that can occur after a person has been through a traumatic event. Like TBI, effects of combat stress injuries are highly individualized. Symptoms can include depression, anxiety, misuse of alcohol and drugs, strains in family functioning, separation and divorce. Once called "battle fatigue" and "shell shock," these injuries are often stigmatized in the armed forces, which leads to delays in diagnosis and treatment. But stress injuries heal more quickly and completely if they are acknowledged and given appropriate care. Most are considered the body's normal reaction to abnormal circumstances.

Our Difference

We are ensuring that “Support Our Troops” is no longer a slogan. It’s an action. It is time to return the tremendous loyalty our brave men and women have shown to this country.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised over $14.5 million to support injured service members and their families.

To date, BWF has invested over $10 million on public awareness, education, and national and community programs which has impacted well over 1,000,000 service members, veterans, family members, and support personnel.

Through 137 grants to charitable organizations around the country, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has funded programs to reintegrate injured service members and assist their families with the transition.

Our History

The Bob Woodruff Foundation was co-founded by award-winning television reporter Bob Woodruff and his family after he sustained serious injuries while covering the Iraq war in 2006. The Woodruffs realized they were in a unique position to be a voice that could be heard throughout our nation — in civilian and military cultures and across political lines — on behalf of service members and their families.

In January of 2008, the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF) separated from the Brain Injury Association of America and became an independent 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization.