Photo By Master Sgt. Alexandra Hays | Col. Ted W. Hammond, the officer in charge at the main dental clinic here and memeber...... read more read more
by Spc. Alexandra Hemmerly-Brown
210th MPAD
LSA ANACONDA, Iraq – The desert may seem like an unlikely place to pursue water sports, but Anaconda is the current home of a nationally-ranked swimmer.
Col. Ted W. Hammond, of Fort Huachuca, Ariz., the officer in charge of the main dental clinic here and a member of the 502nd Dental Company, has shared lap lanes with Olympic contenders.
Hammond joined his first swim team at 8 years old, and went on to swim for his high school and college teams. A graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, Hammond said he almost didn't join the team there.
"It was hard for (the coach) to get me on the team," Hammond said.
When he was in high school, Hammond said he was used wherever the team needed him, so in college he was particular about the swimming events he competed in.
"I had one condition," Hammond said. "I would only swim in the 50-or 100-meter free-style events. Nothing beyond 100 meters."
After college, Hammond quit swimming for 25 years.
"I burned out on swimming in college," he said. "Morning workouts, afternoon workouts, then hard courses at school and maintaining good grades -- it just wears you out."
Hammond continued to pursue other types of fitness throughout his military career until he found himself stationed in Alaska.
"It was dark, cold, and there were icy roads," he said. "I couldn't run outside, but I had to do something."
Hammond said he went to the pool in Alaska, and met a group of masters swimmers there. United States Masters Swimmers is a national organization for adults for recreational swimming and international competitions.
He said the USMS group asked him to join their team, but he declined for the first few weeks, reluctant because of his memories of college swimming.
When the group talked him into joining, Hammond found that he liked USMS and began training rigorously and entering competitions. The 53-year old said he now usually ranks in the top 10 in the United States for his age group.
Since beginning his six-month deployment in the desert, Hammond said his workout routine hasn't changed much.
"Everywhere I go, there are people to work out with," Hammond said. "It's hard to work out alone. If you have someone else, you help each other."
He said he usually works out four days during the work week, getting up at 4:15 a.m. to hit the pool, and goes for longer swims on the weekends.
Hammond missed the international swimming competition in August this year due to his deployment, but usually enters two or three major competitions each year, he said.
Hammond said he plans on continuing swimming competitions when he returns to the U.S. in October, and hopes to place well.
At home Hammond trains with a woman who plans to swim the English Channel and has already swam from the Channel Islands to the coast of California, a 20-mile swim.
"I couldn't do that," he said. "I'm not a distance swimmer, and I don't like swimming in open water, especially at night."
He said Lt. Col. Dianne Pannes, commander of the 502nd Dental Company gave him the duty station of Anaconda when he was previously assigned to Camp Liberty. He's grateful his duty station changed because there is an indoor pool here, where he can continue his hobby and lifestyle.
"I will continue swimming until I die," Hammond said.
Hammond said his fondest memory of his deployment is simply the chance to teach and encourage developing swimmers.
"The best thing is that I was able to impact many swimmers here, and turn them into good ones," he said. "The joy comes from motivating others."
| Date Taken: | 09.03.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2006 09:27 |
| Story ID: | 7736 |
| Location: | BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 171 |
| Downloads: | 53 |
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