Photo By Staff Sgt. Jason Edwards | U.S. Army and Australian Defence Force athletes listen to the opening remarks by Maj....... read more read more
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By John M. Rosenberg
Warrior Transition Command
FORT BLISS, Texas — On a splendid Feb. 27 evening in the high desert of far western Texas over 100 wounded, ill and injured Army athletes gathered for opening ceremonies amid the prickly pear and mesquite scrubland of Fort Bliss. They were there to compete in the third annual U.S. Army Trials, with hopes of securing one of 45 coveted slots, across seven adaptive sports, at the 2016 Warrior Games to be held this June at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.
At 1.2 million acres located on the outskirts of El Paso, and spread across two states, Fort Bliss is the second largest installation within the U.S. Army. In command is Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty who served five combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait before taking charge at Bliss. Ahead of his opening remarks, Twitty’s wife, Karen, an accomplished singer, author and educator, took to the podium in singing the national anthem.
As he had done while staging the Army Trials at Fort Bliss in 2015, Twitty welcomed those in attendance, expressing his deepest honor at once again being able to host our nation’s wounded, ill and injured Soldier athletes. “The strength of our Army is our Soldiers,” said Twitty. “The resiliency, the courage that they exhibit … it really showcases what the Army is all about.”
What followed at the flagpole- lined courtyard outside of the Fort Bliss Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) was a 30-minute gathering of athletes, many of whom were competing at Army Trials for their first time.
The evening’s most lasting impression occurred as the athletes made their elegant procession into the courtyard, emerging through the rear doors of the WTB in twos, shoulder to shoulder, wheel to wheel and, in the case of the visually impaired, clutching the harness of their Golden Retriever and Yellow Labrador service dogs, whose tranquil and composed manner furthered the overall majesty of the occasion.
The athletes came from far-flung cities, towns, and WTBs across America, including four representatives from Australia. Many hailed from other localities across the vast Lone Star State. Wherever their point of origin, each evidenced tremendous dignity at the opening ceremonies, all the while conveying the warrior spirit.
Fundamental to adaptive sports is its principle of focusing on what an athlete can, as opposed to cannot achieve. Adaptive sport athletes are matchless in demonstrating what is possible and what it means in refusing to take no for an answer.
Adaptive sports are also about teamwork and camaraderie. On an individual level Army Trial athletes are as fiercely competitive as anyone, yet they remain unwavering in their support for their fellow athletes. Because of this, adaptive sports are everything that sports stands for, and more.
Deputy to the Commander Tom Webb, of the Warrior Transition Command, congratulated the athletes on their selection and thanked Maj. Gen. Twitty for requesting the return of Army Trials to Fort Bliss. Webb then asked of the athletes to do three specific things during their nearly two weeks at trials, the first of which is to enjoy themselves.
Secondly, Webb encouraged everyone to do their very best and to take full advantage of the world-class coaches assembled on their behalf by the WTC. “Dial yourself in,” said Webb, “You literally have the best coaches in the world at your disposal.”
Lastly, Webb summoned the athletes to “pay it forward,” helping to advance adaptive sports, citing the example of women’s soccer, which grew from an inconsequential activity only a couple of decades ago, into the leading global sporting event that it is today.
Hours before opening ceremonies, during athlete in-processing, Sgt. 1st Class Michael Smith of Dallas, Texas, a highly prominent and vocal figure within adaptive sports, implored his fellow Army Trials participants to under no circumstances ever refuse an opportunity.
“This is your pipeline to where you want to be,” urged Smith. “Never turn down anything. The sky is your only limit!”
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2016 18:43 |
| Story ID: | 190363 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 166 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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