Written by Maria Yager
Blanchfield Army Community Hospital Public Affairs
Fort Campbell, KY – Two Soldiers assigned to the Fort Campbell Warrior Transition Battalion were selected to compete in the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games, June 1st–9th, 2018 at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“It’s very exciting to have two of our Soldiers competing in the Warrior Games this year. Our adaptive reconditioning team works with all our wounded, ill and injured Soldiers to help them maximize their full potential in physical activities to reach optimal health and wellness,” said Lt. Col. Shawn Butler, Fort Campbell WTB commander.
“I see the effort our Soldiers put forth every day and I’m very proud. The Warrior Games serve as a powerful recovery tool that helps build confidence and resiliency. We are glad our Soldiers have this opportunity,” Butler stated.
The WTB supports wounded, ill and injured Soldiers who require six months or more of complex medical care.
The Warrior Games were established in 2010 as a way to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill and injured service members and to expose them to adaptive sports.
Fort Campbell WTB Soldiers Sgt. John Weasner and Maj. Adam Ziegler successfully competed in several Army trials before they were selected to participate in this year’s Warrior Games.
“I started researching and began asking about Army Trials. I almost didn’t make the deadline to get my packet in, but the powers that be pushed my packet through and the rest as they say, is history,” said Weasner, during the Warrior Game Army Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas earlier this year. Weasner will compete for the Army team in cycling, field, power lifting, shooting and track.
This year marks the second time Ziegler will participate in the Warrior Games. The major will compete for the Special Operations Command team in cycling, shooting, sitting volleyball and wheel chair basketball.
Interested Soldiers at the WTB can compete in a series of local and regional trials to earn a chance to compete in the Warrior Games.
Adaptive sports and adaptive reconditioning activities are used in the Army’s 13 WTBs and Warrior Transition Units to help Soldiers improve motor skills and focus, reduce the risk of secondary injuries, relieve stress, increase independence, and build a supportive social network.
Soldiers at the WTB participate in 150 minutes of physical activity and two adaptive reconditioning activities each week. A physical therapist from the battalion evaluates each Soldier based on their wounds, injury or illness and identifies physical activities the Soldier may participate in that facilitate both physical and mental recovery.
The adaptive reconditioning team offers Soldiers a full spectrum of traditional and adaptive physical activities to participate in, including many of the events offered at the Warrior Games.
The Warrior Games feature 11 adaptive sports including archery, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing, powerlifting and time trial cycling.
Those interested may watch the games online. The games will be live streamed on the internet at www.DoDWarriorGames.com
To learn more about the Fort Campbell WTB visit http://blanchfield.amedd.army.mil/wtu/SitePages/wtu.aspx
