The Wounded Warrior Project’s stated mission is “To foster the most successful, well-adjusted generation of wounded service members in our nation's history.” But a series of reports allege that Wounded Warrior’s true goals are to foster a successful image and well-compensated employees.
According to new investigations from The New York Times and CBS News, former employees accuse the company of spending lavishly on perks for employees, including travel, conferences, hotels, and dinners.
"You're using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money. So you can have these big parties," Army Staff Sergeant Erick Millette, a former WWP public speaker, told CBS News. "Going to a nice fancy restaurant is not team building. Staying at a lavish hotel at the beach here in Jacksonville, and requiring staff that lives in the area to stay at the hotel is not team building.”
These are not the first reports to take issue with WWP. The Daily Beast’s Tim Mak has been reporting on the group for years. Mak reported on concerns that WWP was ineffective and that it was something of a bully within the circle of veterans’-charity groups. But WWP also earns a solid rating from Charity Navigator, which ranks charities on metrics include transparency and effectiveness.