(Photo by Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes)
A large color photo on the front page of the May 2 Stars and Stripes caught my attention and stirred my emotions.
The photo was of members of the Marines and Air Force sitting volleyball teams in action during the 2012 Warrior Games at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Except for the fact that the players sit while they play and the net is much lower than in a regular volleyball game, there appears to be no difference, especially when it comes to the spirit, competitiveness, skills and enthusiasm of these players.
(Photo by Tony Lazzaro)
Among the players in the various Warrior Games events are amputees, cancer survivors, partially paralyzed men and women and those recovering from traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress.
The 2012 Warrior Games, hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Paralympics Military Program, started on April 30, with over 200 wounded, injured and ill service members and veterans from the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Special Operations Command and from the British armed forces participating.
They will be competing for gold medals in cycling, swimming, track and field, archery, wheelchair basketball and, yes, sitting volleyball.
(Photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel Wetzel)
The Warrior Games were first convened in 2010 “through a joint endeavor between the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Department of Defense. Founders of the games created the competition to highlight the role of adaptive or disabled sports in the recovery of wounded, injured and ill soldiers.”
(Photo by Sgt. Mark Fayloga)
During the opening ceremonies this year, First Lady Michelle Obama commended the athletes as a source of inspiration for all Americans:
No matter how seriously you are injured, no matter what obstacles or setbacks you face, you just keep moving forward. You just keep pushing yourselves to succeed in ways that mystify and leave us in awe.
(Photo by Sgt. Michael S. Cifuentes)
I started this commentary by saying that the photo of these heroes and athletes “stirred my emotions.” I would not be totally honest if I denied that I felt some sympathy for these men and women who have given so much for us. But very quickly that sympathy turned to pride and — as the First Lady says — awe.
And, in fact, these soldiers don’t want our sympathy.
As the Warrior Transition Command head, brigadier general Darryl Williams, says about the Warrior Games:
[They are] not some sorry story that’s happening this week. This isn’t a bad-news story. … None of these soldiers, whether they have spinal cord injuries or amputations, want anybody feeling sorry for them. This is about them seizing the day and celebrating and being the best. They signed up to be Army soldiers, and they are still Army soldiers.
The Warrior Games end tomorrow, May 5.
When you look at the images of our troops participating in various sports, I know that you will share the awe, respect and gratitude for these magnificent men and women and the feeling of inspiration they are for all of us.
You can see many more photos of the Warrior Games here.
All photos courtesy U.S. Marine Corps
Edited to add photos bylines
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.