Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, will host the first-ever Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and other locations on the island of Oahu, Nov. 12 to 16.
Nearly 50 seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen from across the country will compete for a place on the 2013 Warrior Games Navy-Coast Guard team.
The trials will kick off on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Throughout the week, wounded warriors will compete head-to-head in archery, cycling, track and field, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming and wheelchair basketball.
Participants in the trials include active-duty and retired service members with upper-body, lower-body and spinal cord injuries; serious illnesses; traumatic brain injuries; visual impairment; and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for our wounded warriors, who are eager to demonstrate their abilities – rather than disabilities – in a new competitive arena,” said Haney. “November marks Warrior Care Month, and this year’s theme is ‘Success through Transition.’ I can think of no better time to celebrate the accomplishments of these service members, who have not let illness or injury slow them down.”
Ultimately, 35 athletes will be selected for the Navy-Coast Guard team that will compete at the 2013 Warrior Games, an annual competition among wounded warriors from all branches of military service. The final Navy-Coast Guard team roster will be announced aboard the USS Missouri Nov. 16 at 3:30 p.m. The team is sponsored by Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor, the Navy’s organization for coordinating the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, and their families.
A schedule of Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials practice sessions and events is available at http://www.cpf.navy.mil/pacific-trials/2012/. Athlete biographies, news and imagery of the competitions will be posted to the website as they become available.
Related articles
- Q&A: Adm. Cecil Haney, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander (utsandiego.com)
- New York-based Coast Guardsmen lend helping hand to Hurricane Sandy victims (uscgnews.com)
- Coast Guard helps America remember ‘service and sacrifice’ (uscgnews.com)
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