West Columbia man caps
15-year journey with
Client Achievement Award
A West Columbia soldier’s life looked pretty bleak in 1989 after he sustained a spinal cord injury and a traumatic brain injury in a vehicle accident.
It’s been a long journey back, but Ben Elstad’s courage and perseverance have brought him to a job he’s excelling at and recognition as the recipient of S.C. Vocational Rehabilitation Association’s 2005 Client Achievement Award.
Elstad, now 36, was injured while he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. His injuries left him with quadriplegia with some use of his upper body.
He came to SCVRD in 1990, but due to his limited work history and the severity of his disability, his vocational potential was uncertain. He focused on building his endurance at the Muscular Development Center and an occupational therapist helped him cope with the daily living limitations of his disability.
Elstad actively participated in his evaluation process and eventually completed CADD training at the Information Technology Training Center. However, dependence on others for daily living activities prohibited job placement at that time.
Over the next several years, he received counseling and other services from SCVRD along with medical follow-up and services from the Veterans Administration.
In 2001, he returned to SCVRD’s Evaluation Center to update his computer skills.
When he was vocationally ready, VR staff members found an employer that needed a customer service representative with tech support experience and Elstad applied. Although company policy dictated that all entry-level employees work the night shift, it made an exception for Elstad because of his exemplary work while in training.
Elstad’s success is a testament to his willingness and motivation to change his life direction. He has overcome significant physical challenges and is now successfully employed.