Operation Mend

Established in 2007 and now part of "Joining Forces," the White House's nationwide effort to galvanize resources to support military families, Operation Mend is a pioneering program that combines the best of the military's resources with the skills of the UCLA Health System for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to healing U.S. military personnel injured and disfigured in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the original goal of Operation Mend was to give returning service members with severe facial injuries access to the Army's best burn center and the nation's best plastic and reconstructive surgeons, the program has since expanded to optimize the healing of body, mind and spirit.

In addition to plastic and reconstructive surgery, Operation Mend provides mental health support for wounded warriors and their families, orthopaedic reconstruction for severely damaged limbs, urology treatment, otolaryngology care, examination and treatment of reproductive issues, repair of airways, and the design of prosthetic ears.