Ted and Sarah Wade of Chapel Hill just received a shoutout from former Sen. Bob Dole during his speech this afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington.

Dole, co-chairman of the President's Commission on Care for Wounded Veterans, talked about the improvements the commission has been lobbying for in the past year, Barb Barrett reports.

Army veteran Ted Wade was injured in Iraq, receiving a severe traumatic brain injury and losing a hand. His wife, Sarah, has been an active advocate for him, consistently appearing on Capitol Hill lobbying for veteran reforms.

Dole, whose wife Elizabeth is a senator from North Carolina, recognized the couple in the audience at the press club, where they stood and received applause.

Dole also praised the work of Ted Wade’s care coordinator.

"These are the kind of people we need taking care of Ted," Dole said.

The News & Observer featured Ted and Sarah Wade in a story last September.

A Chapel Hill couple met with President Bush to talk about health care for veterans.

Also in the meeting were Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, former Sen. Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala.

Ret. Sgt. Ted Wade and his wife, Sarah, joined about a dozen other veterans' advocates in the meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Barb Barrett reports.

Ted Wade lost his right arm and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury in 2004 while serving in Iraq.

His wife, Sarah, has been working on Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of her husband and other veterans. She has supported legislation to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act for the families of injured veterans and testified in a hearing last month that she lost her job at a Chapel Hill restaurant because, she was told, she had too much going on in her life.

More after the jump. 

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