Traveling wounded warrior band empowers Soldiers through music at Fort Campbell Soldier and Family Assistance Center

Written by Megan Broadnax
APSU Intern

Fort Campbell, KY – The Warrior Spirit Band, a group of four musicians who have been wounded in combat, recently performed at the Fort Campbell Soldier and Family Assistance Center within the Warrior Transition Battalion Complex.

As a combat wounded warrior band visiting Warrior Transition Units across the United States, they work to fulfill a specific mission.

Retired Staff Sgt. Paul Delacerda, Warrior Spirit Band founder and drummer, proudly spoke about his band saying, “Our mission is to empower wounded warriors through our music and also offer them an opportunity to discuss certain things that they may want to talk about.”

Delacerda also added that seeing a wounded warrior play a guitar with a prosthetic limb is what inspired him to start the Warrior Spirit Band.

In addition to performing for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, the group helps connect service members with outreach programs and resources for veterans while raising awareness of the struggles fellow warriors experience when transitioning out of the military and acclimating to civilian life.

“I’m really trying to focus on connecting with each individual in the WTU… to talk to them on a more personal level,” said Delacerda.

Sgt. 1st class Leonard Wrath said, “It was a way to take a break from the daily grind, relax and enjoy a good band. It showed the Soldier’s that you can continue to follow your dreams even if you are wounded, ill, or injured.”

“If you don’t follow your passion, then what is there to follow? I was told this by a very good leader I worked for in the military, he said that every success comes with a little failure and once you learn how to fall, you’ll learn how to get back up,” said Delacerda. “I want to make sure that these guys do the same thing.”