APPLAUD OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
Colorado Springs is providing the scenic backdrop for Paralympic-style games known as the 4th Annual International Warrior Games. These are not your ordinary games. Close to 260 wounded war veterans (who are also athletes) compete in wheelchair basketball, sitting-volleyball, shooting, archery, cycling, track & field and swimming. Simply watching their prowess without letting any kind of disability stand in their way is motivating and inspiring of itself.
In fact, being a combat helicopter pilot himself, Prince Harry of Britain is so impressed with the games that he personally came to the United States to help launch the games on Saturday, May 11, 2013 and has plans to try and hold this type of competition in Britain in the near future hoping it will bring a very warm reception. Prior to the games, he visited with members of the British Warrior Games team and felt right at home as he joked with them and praised their determination and skills. He even took part in a round of sitting-volleyball with the troops as they competed against the United States. Prince Harry began his visit here in the United States on Friday as he visited the Arlington National Cemetery and then went to greet wounded veterans at Walter Reed military medical center.
These amazing games began as an event that only American armed forces took part in but then last year the British troops competed as well. It has expanded this year to include participants from Canada and Australia and hopefully future years will draw even more global participation.
The games kicked off on Saturday, May 11, 2013, with not only Prince Harry lifting the torch to ignite the Olympic-style cauldron, but also famous gold medal Olympic swimming champion, Missy Franklin, who was celebrating her birthday, and Lt. Bradley Snyder, an American naval officer that was blinded in Afghanistan. The entire ceremony was very touching indeed.
This is the type of recognition that our wounded veterans deserve. Each has their own harrowing story to tell and this competition is a rewarding diversion. They serve our country with passionate beliefs of loyalty and protect us from harm, never fearing for their own lives. The warrior games continue into Thursday, May 16, 2013, with loads of exciting and fierce competition coming our way.
Most of our veterans have proven to be outstanding individuals, both men and women serving our country. Through terror and calamity, these veterans have been through tumultuous times and know how to handle almost any kind of situation. When so many victims recently lost limbs in the Boston Marathon bombing, many can tell you that our veterans have given them the hope and the promise to go on and never give up. Patients met with amputee veterans. After being mentally and physically exhausted, and a good number ready to give up, it was reassuring to know that medical technology has the means to bring lives back to some normalcy again. Veterans have come in with amputations and as they walk through the halls of the hospitals, they let these victims know that life does go on but you must will yourself to have that determination and drive.
A group of soldiers from the Semper Fi Fund, a veterans group for injured military personnel, came to Boston,to meet with a dozen patients and their families at four of the hospitals treating some of the victims. Their goal was to communicate the importance of getting active as quickly as possible and putting together a set of goals that are attainable. The group has even set up a Boston Marathon Fund to assist the victims of the bombing.
Between the Warrior Games and their motivational visits to those in need, we are proud to see that our wounded veterans are a large part of the reason that America is such a wonderful place to live.
PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images, A/P, Semper Fi Fund via Bloomberg and Dodlive.mil
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