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Community Corner

Bob Silah Provides Help and Hope to Injured Soldiers

Operation Helping Hand was founded for families with loved ones in the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital with no place to turn.

Since the inception of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, more than 1 million soldiers have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Of those, 21,000 have been wounded in combat, and about 46 percent have been medically evacuated, according to the Journal of Rehabilitative Research and Development.

Many of the injuries ultimately require a stay at the world-renowned James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, and months, if not years, of rehabilitation. During this difficult recovery process, family members are encouraged to stay with their soldiers, providing a much-needed support system.

The situation begs the questions: Who supports the families?

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The average age of a wounded soldier is between 19 and 20 years old. Often, the families are frightened, uncertain new wives and young children with no support network in the area and nowhere to turn for assistance.

Enter retired retired Naval Capt. Bob Silah.

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In May 2004, Silah learned that families of active duty wounded soldiers at the Veteran’s Hospital were in dire need of help. Some had been resorting to sleeping in their cars because they didn’t have money for accommodations, and there was no place to ask for help.

“I started to assist the patients and the families of combat wounded being treated at the VA Hospital,” explained Silah. “Dr. Steve Scott is my friend, and my main contact at the hospital. Without his help, I couldn’t have started this. Most of these kids are under 22. We have a lot of amputees and blast injuries.”

Silah did presentations throughout Tampa Bay, discussed the needs
with the board of the Military Officer’s Association, Tampa chapter and the
Military Affairs Council of the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. The chamber sent out a mass email, and Operation Helping Hand received a number of generous contributions.

“That got us up and running,” said Silah. “The presentations I gave led to some grants and some large corporate donations. We have been very blessed with the contributions and donations that came in.

"It’s an easy sell, telling people that the combat-wounded are arriving in Tampa and their families are being neglected. We’ve been doing this for eight years, and can take care of any problem that they have.”

Upon arrival, the soldier and his family is greeted with a welcome kit valued at $900, containing multiple gift cards and a map of the area.  

Kathy Shepard, program support assistant, said Veteran’s Hospital has overseen over 300 requests since she took over the role of Operation Helping Hand liaison in 2009. About 400 more fulfilled requests preceded her arrival.

“Bob gets family members bedside to wounded loved ones here,” said Shepard. “From airline tickets, reimbursement for travel, and people that aren’t driving here need to get around – their family may be here for months to years. He helps them with rental cars, their flights (Angel Flights) back and forth to their homes to take care of other family members.”

Corporate sponsors regularly donate proceeds of golf tournaments and other special charity events to Silah’s nonprofit.

In addition, businesses and individuals sponsor a monthly catered dinner to honor the patients and their families that draws about 300 people. It's held on the third Thursday of the month, Silah said.

“At these dinners, we give out gift bags and flowers to every patient and their families," Silah said.

Flower bouquets are donated by Island Flowers, owned by Mario Gutierrez, who served with Silah in Central Command.

“Every month, he gives us whatever number of bouquets we need,” said Silah. “At every dinner, there is a point in the program where the emcee acknowledges all the patients and everyone stands and applauds.”

Silah and his staff of 20 volunteers do this work out of love. No salary is
taken from the monies received. All money goes directly to helping the
patients.

Earlier this year, Silah was honored by the Tampa Bay Lightning as a community hero, and Operation Helping Hand received a $50,000 donation.

“It’s wonderful what Operation Helping Hand has done for our patients. I know they have donated an excess of a few million dollars over the years,” said Shepard. “How effective they’ve been in the lives of the families and the patients here - what they have done for them is great."

Shepard said Silah's work has been an asset to the community.

"I can only imagine how awful it is for a family member to get that notice that their loved one has been injured, and the panic and the not knowing of what to do next," she said. "Knowing that they’ve got Bob to reach out to has been a blessing for the families, and the patients themselves, knowing that someone is there to help their family out when they don’t know where to turn.”

Beyond assisting the patients and families with their immediate needs, Operation Helping Hands has been able to purchase furniture for the Veteran's Hospital Fisher House, computers, and a golf cart for the hospital.

Silah is also appreciative of his connections in the area of sports and entertainment. Patients and families have been able to visit Busch Gardens without cost, with a guide, and Silah seasonally rents Tampa
Bay Devil Rays suites with a full catered buffet at a discounted rate.

Silah also understands the importance of providing a stress-free day full of pampering for the wives and mothers of the wounded. He provided spa treatments for Valentine’s Day and will again get gift cards to Mystic Hair for upcoming Mother’s Day.

When asked how to classify greatness in relation to his work, Silah responded that greatness involved being self-less.

"(It's) giving of yourself and volunteering," he said. "It’s kind of an unwritten code with us - especially retired military - that if we can help, we will. By meeting their (the wounded soldiers') needs, I think that’s part of greatness."

To learn more about Operation Helping Hand, visit www.operationhelpinghandtampa.com.

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