TOURED THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AHEAD OF VETERANS DAY. THE EVENT IS PART OF THE SPACE CENTER’S EFFORTS TO GIVE BACK. AS WESH 2’S STEWART MOORE REPORTS, THE VETERANS SAY THEY HAD A BLAST. INSIDE THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING. VETERANS ARE SEEING THE INNER WORKINGS OF NASA. A VIEW OF THE NEW ARTEMIS TWO ROCKET STACK. THEN OUTSIDE TO WALK AROUND THE CRAWLER. THIS SPECIAL TOUR IS PUT ON BY THE WOUNDED WARRIORS PROJECT, A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS VETERANS INJURED IN BATTLE START TO TAKE STEPS CLOSER TO HEALING FROM SCARS OUTSIDE AND INSIDE. BACHO IS FROM FLORIDA. I HAD A GREAT TIME. THE MAJORITY OF THE GROUP HAD NEVER BEEN TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER OR SEEN A SPACE LAUNCH, SO I GOT SOME WEIRD JOY OUT OF JUST BEING HERE WITH THEM FOR THEIR FIRST TIME AROUND. ALL OF THIS. ASHLEY BECK HAD NOT SEEN THIS SIDE OF THE SPACE CENTER BEFORE. TODAY WAS AWESOME. I’M A HUGE NASA FAN, HAVE BEEN SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL. I THINK TODAY REALLY PUT TOGETHER A LOT OF MY LIFE WOUNDED WARRIORS. OUTREACH SPECIALIST ANDY COAKLEY SAYS GIVING VETERANS OPPORTUNITIES TO ENJOY THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE AND BE AROUND OTHER VETS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE TIMES MANY OF THESE VETERANS ARE FACING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, PHYSICAL AILMENTS SUCH AS BAD KNEES, BAD BACKS. AND THAT’S OKAY. YOU KNOW, WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT, WE REALLY MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT, AND WE’LL BE HERE FOR THEM WHEN THEY’RE READY. AND I HAD A LOT OF ISSUES, AND I THINK A LOT OF US SERVICE MEMBERS THAT HAVE TOUGH COMBAT DEPLOYMENTS, WE COME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WE DEAL WITH THINGS OUR OWN WAY, WHICH AREN’T THE RIGHT WAY. MOST OF THE TIME, AND A LOT OF US ARE TOO INDEPENDENT AND TOO STRONG TO ASK FOR HELP FROM THE OUTSIDE. A STRUGGLE EVERY DAY, BUT WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, WE KIND OF LEARN AND WE BUILD OFF OF EACH OTHER. ENGINES FULL POWER AND LIFT OFF. GO, FALCON! GO! STARLINK! THERE IT IS. AWESOME. THE DAY ENDS WITH THE FALCON NINE LAUNCH. PERHAPS A REMINDER OF WHAT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN A TEAM OF PEOPLE BEGIN TO WORK TOGETHER TO REACH THEIR GOALS. STEWART MOORE WESH TWO NEWS. THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX IS OFFERING VETERANS A DISCOUNT ON ADMISSION ALL THIS WEEK AND T
Veterans tour Kennedy Space Center with Wounded Warriors Project
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Updated: 7:19 PM CST Nov 11, 2024
Veterans toured the Kennedy Space Center this week, thanks to a special event organized by the Wounded Warriors Project."I had a great time. The majority of the group had never been to the Kennedy Space Center or seen a space launch. So I got some weird joy out of just being here with them for their first time around," said Army veteran Matt Batcho.Batcho, a Florida native, has seen rockets before, but for Ashley Beck, this was a new experience."Oh, today was awesome. I'm a huge NASA fan. Have been since I was a little girl. I think today really put together a lot of my life," Beck said.The Wounded Warriors Project, a nonprofit organization, helps veterans injured in battle take steps toward healing both physically and emotionally."A lot of the times, and these veterans are facing anxiety, depression, physical ailments such as bad knees, bad backs," says Andie Coakley, an outreach specialist with the organization. "And that's OK. You know, Wounded Warrior Project, we really meet them where they are at. And we'll be here for them when they're ready."Batcho said veterans face many challenges after returning from combat."I had a lot of issues, and, I think a lot of us service members that have tough combat deployments, we come back and, you know, we deal with things our own way, which aren't the right way most of the time," Batcho said. "A lot of us are too independent and too strong to ask for help from the outside."Beck also said veterans face struggles every day, but the support they receive from programs like this helps them learn and build off others. The day concluded with a Falcon 9 launch, serving as a reminder of what can be achieved when people work together toward a common goal. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex is offering veterans a discount on admission all this week. To all our veterans, we say thank you for your service.
MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — Veterans toured the Kennedy Space Center this week, thanks to a special event organized by the Wounded Warriors Project.
"I had a great time. The majority of the group had never been to the Kennedy Space Center or seen a space launch. So I got some weird joy out of just being here with them for their first time around," said Army veteran Matt Batcho.
Batcho, a Florida native, has seen rockets before, but for Ashley Beck, this was a new experience.
"Oh, today was awesome. I'm a huge NASA fan. Have been since I was a little girl. I think today really put together a lot of my life," Beck said.
The Wounded Warriors Project, a nonprofit organization, helps veterans injured in battle take steps toward healing both physically and emotionally.
"A lot of the times, and these veterans are facing anxiety, depression, physical ailments such as bad knees, bad backs," says Andie Coakley, an outreach specialist with the organization. "And that's OK. You know, Wounded Warrior Project, we really meet them where they are at. And we'll be here for them when they're ready."
Batcho said veterans face many challenges after returning from combat.
"I had a lot of issues, and, I think a lot of us service members that have tough combat deployments, we come back and, you know, we deal with things our own way, which aren't the right way most of the time," Batcho said. "A lot of us are too independent and too strong to ask for help from the outside."
Beck also said veterans face struggles every day, but the support they receive from programs like this helps them learn and build off others.
The day concluded with a Falcon 9 launch, serving as a reminder of what can be achieved when people work together toward a common goal.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex is offering veterans a discount on admission all this week. To all our veterans, we say thank you for your service.
