The Defense Department’s 2015 Warrior Games concluded yesterday at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
The Annual Warrior Games — an “Olympic-style spectacle” — where our warrior-athletes compete in a wide variety of games of skill “not too different from the ‘arts of war,’” have been made “a priority in the years since American forces became engaged in and bore the costs of two long 21st-century wars.”
“Archery and shooting, cycling and swimming, track and field, volleyball and basketball events display the strength, stamina, balance, spatial awareness, muscular control and sheer will that power top professional athletes as well as successful service members.”
Related to the Military Adaptive Sports Program (MASP), it helps “service members — primarily those who served and were wounded, injured or became ill during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — in regaining ‘quality of life.’”:
According to its official website, the program, known as MASP, is designed to engage wounded, ill and injured service members early in individualized physical and cognitive activities outside of traditional therapy settings. The program’s stated goal is “to inspire recovery and physical fitness and encourage new opportunities for growth and achievement.
A total of 250 warrior-athletes from the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and the United Kingdom (which sponsors the “Invictus Games”) competed for medals in eight sporting events, June 19-28.
Because of travel and other commitments, I have not been covering these events as in past years.
There are so many inspiring images of these warriors competing that it has been difficult to select a representative number of them.
Even the limited number of selected photos — all taken by the various military Services — would be too many to be posted in one single article. This is the first “showcase” of two.
While some photos indicate winners in some of the events, they are All Winners.
Enjoy and be inspired.
All captions are by the Services.
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Smith puts all his energy into his second throw of the day during the men’s shot put competition at the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 23, 2015.
Military athletes participating in the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games pose for a photo with U.S. representatives during a tour of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 24.
Marine Corps veteran Ray Hennagir prepares to shoot the ball during the wheelchair basketball championship game on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 23, 2015. Hennagir is a member of the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games All-Marine Team
United Kingdom’s Gareth Golightly races a wheelchair during the track competition on the final day of the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 28, 2015
Marine Corps Cpl. Marcus Chischilly dives into the water during the swimming finals at the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center in Manassas, Va., June 27, 2015, as part of the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games.
U.S. Navy veteran Petty Officer 3rd Class Redmond Ramos pushes off strong to run in the men’s 200-meter dash. (U.S. Navy photo by Ensign Joe Scannell)
Medically retired Army Staff Sgt. Randi Gavell serves during the volleyball match for the gold medal against the Air Force during the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 28, 2015. The Army team earned the gold medal in a three-game match. DoD photo by Shannon Collins
Medically retired Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Sarah Rudder runs the 100-meter sprint during the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 23, 2015. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Terry W. Miller Jr.
Lead photo: U.S. and British athletes compete in the 100-meter sprint at the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., June 23, 2015.
Reference: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=129178
