WWP PROBED FOR LAVISH SPENDING.

68jk09

68jk09

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Wounded Warrior Project probed for lavish spending while vets suffer


By Bruce Golding January 28, 2016 | 12:09am

The nation?s leading charity for injured war veterans is taking shots from battle-scarred soldiers who claim it?s a boondoggle that?s more focused on raising and squandering money than helping out ailing American heroes.

Dozens of ex-employees of the Wounded Warrior Project ? including many disabled vets ? have revealed lavish spending on luxury travel, fancy meals and swanky getaways that rivals the amount spent on its combat stress-recovery program.

One former staffer said the group?s ?extremely extravagant? outlays amount to ?what the military calls fraud, waste and abuse,? CBS News reported.

?A lot of the warriors I saw needed mental-health treatment. They don?t get that from Wounded Warrior Project,? an ex-worker told the network.


Retired Army Staff Sgt. Erick Millette ? who sustained a traumatic brain injury during the Iraq War and still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder ? said he quit working as a public speaker for the group in disgust over its practices.

?You?re using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money. So you can have these big parties,? he told CBS.

?I?m sorry, but I?ll be damned if you?re gonna take hard-working Americans? money and drink it and waste it.?

The Wounded Warrior Project was was founded in 2003 as a grassroots charity that distributed toiletries and other items to hospitalized Iraq War vets.


Actor Dean Norris attends a Wounded Warrior Project event in 2013.Photo: WireImage
Since then, it?s turned into a fund-raising behemoth, raking in more than $1 billion in total donations and eclipsing other veterans? charities in both size and stature.

It?s been aided in that effort by TV commercials featuring celebs such as Bruce Willis, country music singer Trace Adkins and actor Dean Norris, who played DEA agent Hank Schrader on ?Breaking Bad.?

Last year alone, Wounded Warrior Project collected more than $372 million, mostly in small sums donated by senior citizens, according to the New York Times.

But while the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust and the Fisher House Foundation spend 96 and 91 percent, respectively, on vets, the comparable number for Wounded Warrior is just 60 percent, according to CBS, citing research by the Charity Navigator watchdog group.

Meanwhile, Wounded Warrior has increased its spending on fund-raising efforts an average of 66 percent in recent years, with $34 million devoted to revenue-generation in 2014, the Times said.

Wounded Warrior?s spending on meetings and events also skyrocketed from $1.7 million in 2010 to more than $26 million in 2014, CBS reported.

One glaring example is the four-day, 2014 ?all hands? corporate retreat it held at the sprawling Broadmoor resort in Colorado Springs which CBS said cost about $3 million.


Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steven Nardizzi in 2013.Photo: WireImage


The event featured CEO Steven Nardizzi ? who was paid $473,000 that year ? rappelling off a 10-story bell tower to cheers from about 500 subordinates.

?He?s come in on a Segway, he?s come in on a horse,? a former worker said of other events.

Nardizzi, a lawyer who?s never served in the military, took over Wounded Warrior from founder John Melia, an ex-Marine who was injured in a 1992 helicopter crash.

Nardizzi defended his financial strategy to the Times, saying it had fueled the group?s growth and allowed it to provide services to an estimated 80,000 vets.

?I look at companies like Starbucks ? that?s the model,? he said.

?You?re looking at companies that are getting it right, treating their employees right, delivering great services and great products, then are growing the brand to support all that.?

In a statement Wednesday, Wounded Warrior also called itself ?a leader in non-profit transparency and the public reporting of the organization?s independent financial audits.?

?We are an open book. We owe that to those who support us and to those we serve ? wounded warriors,? spokesman Paul Loisel added.


 
There are many members on this site who have supported The Wounded Warriors Project in return for an opportunity of touring many of the FDNY Operations. I have been one of them. This has been done for several years now.

  There is a large parade in New York City during July in which many wounded warriors take part in. Where they are "Honored" for the day. I believe the tour usually ends in Staten Island at the quarters of Engine Co 160 and Rescue 5.

There are members here and throughout the FDNY that are very involved in doing their part in helping to honor these wounded warriors. They give many hours of their time for the organization.

  We have two or three individuals here who have been directly involved in helping a large group of us from many different parts, get together once a year. They set up various events for us within the FDNY. The members of the FDNY have always treated everyone of us GREAT. All because of these individuals. It is understood that in return, we have always offered our donation to The Wounded Warriors Project.

  We put our trust in organizations like this to help those who fought for Our Country. We assume our dollars will make things just a little better for them. It is our simple way of saying "Thank You". 

 
 
I am all for helping a Warrior but when the percentages of a donation that actually goes to a Warrior is so off kilter in favor of an executive (no matter how hard he may work) then i draw the line...... there are other organizations that provide a large amount more to the actual Warriors.....the WWP has been under scrutiny for a long time & i do not mean anyone who turns out to Honor or physically help Warriors at an event but rather those making the exorbitant $ that were donated.
 
Chief:

You and I often disagree on things political, but  in this case, I am 100% with you.  It is inexcusable for any charity to spend only 60% of its income on those it was established to help.  This CEO should be fired immediately, and the organization's policies and procedures given a thorough review by qualified people . . . to include some of the folks they're supposed to be helping.  Until that happens, they won't see a dime from me.
 
If you really want your eyes opened, look into the kind of money that some United Way and American Red Cross executives are paid.

"Charity" indeed.  ::)
 
This is something that is of particular concern for myself and many members of this site. Not because we ARE Wounded Warriors, but because over the years many of us have supported this program in appreciation for the treatment we were given by many members of the FDNY.

  The members who took part in many of our so called Get Together's once a year have made generous contributions to this program. They have all done this in good faith. We have also met some great people who have been directly involved with this program. Good people who are really all about helping the Wounded Warriors of this country.

  As I understand it, each summer there is a huge parade where the Wounded Warriors are honored. I believe it travels from Brooklyn into Staten Island and ends at the quarters of Engine 160 and Rescue 5. Many members of the NYPD are also involved. I commend those who have put so much effort into trying to help our Wounded Warriors. They are the people who do the work behind the scenes and aren't making huge sums of money for their efforts.

  Is the CEO of this program a Wounded Warrior himself ? If so, then he is taking money right out of the hands of his brother and sister Wounded Warriors who need it. If he is NOT a Wounded Warrior himself then I am sure that one of those who fought for our country could certainly do the job as well and maybe be happy with a fraction of that half million dollar salary.

 
 
jks19714 said:
If you really want your eyes opened, look into the kind of money that some United Way and American Red Cross executives are paid.

"Charity" indeed.  ::)
Click to expand...

Kinda' Mis-directing things, don't ya Think ? I Volunteer at the Local United Way, it is Our Policy that at least %80 of Budget is
to Provide Direct Service to Those in Need. A Small portion of our Administrative Overhead goes to the National United Way Org.

So, unless you've got some Experience and/or Knowledge of how Charity Organizations Operate maybe you shouldn't tie reliable, established Charities in with an Outfit that is being 'Outed' by it's Own Members. This Story about a Non-combat Vet throwing a $3 Million Dollar 'Racket' at a Colorado Springs Retreat has Nothing at All to do with U.Way or Red Cross. Jest Sayin'  ;)  BTW: Disabled American Vets (DAV) is a very helpful Charity.
 
This is not related to any previous posts just a general statement...There are many WWP events in NY each year like in Breezy Point on the water in the Summer or on the ski slopes upstate in the Winter but most if not all of the people helping out are doing it for nothing more than helping the Vets ...no $ involved
 
I am all for helping our Wounded Warriors 250% but i personally do not (anymore) offer personal funding to ANY questionable organization & there are a few (some large ones who i won't delve into on this thread) under scrutiny for awhile now besides this one ....i am all for turning out to help any hands on event if physically capable w/anybody who needs help but not $ to enhance executives salaries.....i am a Vet & as i said i want to help all Vets but the horizon has become very cloudy & the Government should be the BIG player in this to have the Wounded Warriors backs.... aside from that on the home front my favorite one (along w/the Siller Foundation & the FDNY Firefighter Family Transport & Tunnel 2 Towers ) is the Ellsasser Fund which helps NON LOD Widows & Families who quickly could become the Forgotten ....some of the larger questionable ones keep sending return address labels (some misspelled )... calendars ...pens...note pads etc etc but even though legally you are not responsible to offer monetary compensation for these unsolicited items i do not open the envelope or keep the item but re address them back to sender as not accepted....now on the subject i do wholeheartedly use the NY FFs Burn Center Mass Cards (more often then i wish i had too)& send them what i feel is a good donation w/each card but thats all i give to them because i feel (& not questioning any of their salaries if any) that they are somewhat of a larger well funded organization .

 
68jk09 said:
I am all for helping our Wounded Warriors 250% but i personally do not (anymore) offer personal funding to ANY questionable organization & there are a few (some large ones who i won't delve into on this thread) under scrutiny for awhile now besides this one ....i am all for turning out to help any hands on event if physically capable w/anybody who needs help but not $ to enhance executives salaries.....i am a Vet & as i said i want to help all Vets but the horizon has become very cloudy & the Government should be the BIG player in this to have the Wounded Warriors backs.... aside from that on the home front my favorite one (along w/the Siller Foundation & the FDNY Firefighter Family Transport ) is the Ellsasser Fund which helps NON LOD Widows & Families who quickly could become the Forgotten ....some of the larger questionable ones keep sending return address labels (some misspelled )... calendars ...pens...note pads etc etc but even though legally you are not responsible to offer monetary compensation for these unsolicited items i do not open the envelope or keep the item but re address them back to sender as not accepted....now on the subject i do wholeheartedly use the NY FFs Burn Center Mass Cards (more often then i wish i had too)& send them what i feel is a good donation w/each card but thats all i give to them because i feel (& not questioning any of their salaries if any) that they are somewhat of a larger well funded organization .
Click to expand...


I am also a Vet (1962-1966) and agree that our Government should be the BIG player in helping our Wounded Warriors. They should not have to be caught up in a bureaucratic quagmire.
 
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