Tricare officials recognize Warrior Care Month Published Nov. 3, 2008 FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) -- November is Warrior Care Month, and Tricare officials seek to educate wounded, ill and injured service members about their benefits. "It is our goal to share with all service members as much information about their benefits as possible," said Army Maj. Gen. Elder Granger, deputy director of the Tricare Management Activity. "Currently, we are trying to educate our beneficiaries about what we are doing for severely wounded, ill and injured service members. "Recently, I met a young husband and wife in Colorado. The Keils are a great family with an amazing recovery story. The young man, an Army staff sergeant, was shot through the neck while establishing a patrol base in Iraq. I feel honored to have met them," said General Granger. "He just happened to be in town, heard about me and wanted to stop by," said retired Staff Sgt. Matthew Keil. "General Granger said to us, 'If there's anything that Tricare can do for you ... I'll make sure it gets done.'" "I was much honored to meet a hero like Matt," General Granger said. "He's a fine example of what we do for our service members and families in the Tricare network. These men and women give so much for us, to protect us. It continues to be our goal to provide the best care possible." Wounded, ill and injured service members have many benefits available to them. The National Defense Authorization Act includes several sections that discuss new or developing benefits designed to address specific needs of service members who may have been severely wounded, ill or injured as a result of supporting contingency operations. Some of these benefits are retroactive. "Wounded, ill or injured service members must pay attention to their benefits as they process out of the military," reminds General Granger. "Service members have given so much, the last thing we want to see happen is for benefits to be a challenge or for service members to lose benefits because of lack of information." Because his disability is so recent, Sergeant Keil is not yet enrolled in Medicare. In early 2009 he will receive information concerning Medicare enrollment. At that time, he will have to enroll in Medicare Part B in order to keep his Tricare benefits. A local Tricare benefits counselor is working with the Keils to help answer all their questions. For more information about other Tricare benefits log on to http://www.tricare.mil. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page