Photo By Leanne Thomas | Capt. Shirley Morales dives in right after words of wisdom from Staff Sgt. Dylan...... read more read more
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No one recovers and overcomes alone
By MaryTherese Griffin, Army Warrior Care and Transition
ARLINGTON, Va. - Staff Sgt. Dylan Peterson, an infantryman from Jonesboro, Tennessee is part of the cadre team at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, serving in a career broadening assignment. His role went from the battlefield of war to the battleground known as “recover and overcome.” His Soldiers there have been wounded, ill or injured, and are on the path to healing. “I have nine Soldiers I absolutely care and devote my time to, for their transitioning out, or return to duty, “said Peterson.
Some of those soldiers have begun competing in adaptive reconditioning sports events. Which took Peterson all the way to the 2019 Army Trials, held in El Paso, Texas and placed him in a coaching role. Not just for the games, but in life. “It's a care factor and it's a personal connection with my athletes…it’s important because I pull the absolute best out of them at all times and with everything,” he said.
Peterson knows the struggles having been seriously injured twice before in his Army career. The struggle is real but so is the recovery. “It's the mind frame that you have to keep driving, because no one else feels sorry for you. To rehab is to move and to move means healing and getting stronger,” he added. Getting stronger means physically and mentally.
Peterson recalls one particular moment with Capt. Shirley Morales before a swimming competition
“I told her she would not like herself if she quit or stopped swimming but I was that voice for her that whole time! She was my athlete I know how she ticks inside her mind.”- Morales jumped in and won silver for that heat, won numerous other medals at trials and is headed to Warrior Games in Tampa on Team Army,” Peterson said.
Whether it is a Soldier going to Warrior Games or a Soldier in Transition in the Warrior Transition Unit, he offers this solid advice, “Communicate because if you can’t do that then there is bound to be a problem. Utilize your cadre and fellow Soldiers as no one can recover and overcome alone.”
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2019 11:37 |
| Story ID: | 319265 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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