Returning from a mission early one morning in Iraq, Ryan Kules's; vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED), killing his driver and gunner instantly. Ryan lost an arm and a leg in the explosion and suffered a broken arm and leg and a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Fortunately, he doesn't remember the explosion. He was comatose for the next few weeks and remembers only waking in the hospital. After a long healing process, Ryan transitioned out of the Army. Successful employment in the civilian world was not far behind.

While attending a water sports event in Albany, N.Y., he met an executive from the Wounded Warrior Project, which resulted in Ryan's becoming the project manager of the Warriors to Work (WtoW) program. The WtoW program helps those men and women in the armed forces who have been severely injured during the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world return to the workforce.

Today, Ryan runs the WtoW program from home and travels to trade shows, job fairs and meetings across the country. He works with transitioning service members recovering from severe injuries connecting them with the support and resources they need to build a career in the civilian workforce, whether it's drafting a resume, working on interviewing skills, or lending a hand in identifying jobs that fit a participant's strengths.

Recognizing that individuals with TBI can face difficulties in the workplace, Ryan worked closely with his employer to create an accommodating work environment that would help him thrive in his new civilian position. A flexible work schedule is one example. "It makes me more successful to work from home," says Ryan. "I'm lucky that WWP understands that there are solutions to some of the limitations."

As a recovered veteran with TBI, Ryan knows that it takes time to get used to one's body and mind after a severe injury. He says that people with TBI and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can experience many different levels of disability with these injuries, from having difficulty speaking, to being able to eat independently, to having altered cognitive abilities.

Speaking from his own experience, Ryan has some advice to offer other wounded and injured warriors about finding and securing a civilian career. "Start down the road to make the transition," he says. "Even if you think you may not be able to work, you can."