AW2 Veterans Make A Big Impression At Paralympic Games

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Soldier Story by on March 16, 2010 at 2:10 pm {no comments}

By COL Jim Rice, AW2 Director

AW2 Veteran Andy Soule won America’s first medal of the 2010 Paralympic Games and America’s first Paralympic biathlon medal. He earned the bronze in men’s sitting 2.4km pursuit biathlon (Photo courtesy of Joe Kusumoto Photography).

"It felt just incredible," said Andy Soule in an interview immediately after the race. "I've had World Cup wins and World Cup podiums before, but there's nothing quite like this, in this atmosphere, in front of a crowd here with everyone watching." (Photo courtesy of Joe Kusumoto Photography)

I’m not surprised at all to see AW2 Veterans already emerging as stars of the 2010 Paralympic Games. While all AW2 Veterans are resilient, it’s wonderful to see these two incredible Veterans achieving greatness.

On Friday, AW2 Veteran Heath Calhoun carried the U.S. flag in the opening ceremony, an incredible honor for any athlete, and especially for a Veteran who has already sacrificed so much for our country. Heath lost both legs above the knee while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and he will compete in Alpine Skiing later this week.

“It’s an incredible honor to be able to carry the American flag – it’s something that I believe in,” said Heath in a video on the U.S. Paralympics Web site. “If I win a medal and they raise the American flag, I will be crying. The national anthem means a lot to me – I was injured for what that flag stands for.”

If that weren’t enough, AW2 Veteran Andy Soule made history on Saturday by winning America’s first medal of the 2010 Paralympic Games and America’s first Paralympic biathlon medal. He earned the bronze in men’s sitting 2.4km pursuit biathlon, and said it was a “dream come true.” Andy is also a double amputee who served in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Congratulations to Andy for your medal and to Heath for carrying the U.S. flag, and good luck to you both and to all the athletes as you compete throughout the rest of the week.

AW2 Soldier Takes Command

Filed under Soldier Story by on March 12, 2010 at 2:00 pm {no comments}
CPT Ray O'Donnell speaks during the change in command ceremony.

CPT Ray O'Donnell speaks during the change in command ceremony.

Recently, AW2 Soldier CPT Ray O’Donnell took command of Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 25th Infantry Division. HHC 2/25 SBCT is a company that makes up the brigade staff and the Soldiers that support the staff. O’Donnell was severely injured in western Afghanistan when he was ejected from a Humvee that fell into a gulch and crashed into trees in 2007. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and severe damage to his face, femur, hip, nerves, pelvis, and spinal cord. He still has severe paralysis in his lower left leg and wears a prosthetic-like brace that allows him to run. I was able to track down O’Donnell while he was in training at Fort Irwin, CA.

What does it mean to you to be an AW2 Soldier?

I view myself as a Soldier just like the Soldiers to my left and right.

The 25th Infantry Division has a storied U.S. Army history and has rightfully earned its nickname, “Tropic Lightning.” What does it mean to you to be taking command of the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of such a storied Infantry Division?

I am humbled to have been entrusted with the awesome responsibility of command.

Of the many movies that have depicted the 25th Infantry Division in some way, which is your favorite?

“From Here to Eternity” is a neat look at soldiering in Hawaii in the days leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many of the buildings in that movie still stand today in Schofield Barracks.

What advice do you have for other AW2 Soldiers who want to continue with their service in the Army?

If you want to stay in the Army, make your intentions clear with your PEBLO and case manager and educate yourself through your AW2 Advocate about COAD/COAR. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. The Army can find ways to employ you if you want to continue serving. Maintain expectation management because you may not be able to do the same job you had before you were injured, but there are jobs where you can contribute if you are flexible and want to serve. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

I’ve read articles about your participation in triathlons. Can you tell me about why you compete?

I spent 28 months in recovery and had to learn to walk again. I wanted to prove to myself that I could enjoy the same activities as I did before and also continue to serve and contribute in the Army. I was in a race against myself. The biathlon and triathlon were measuring tools for me and showed that I could continue to wear the uniform.

Did the training and competing in these events help prepare you for transitioning back to active duty in the Army?

The training was one in the same. The physical therapists at Tripler Army Medical Center helped me prepare for these events—which was also getting my body ready for my return to duty.

Is there anything else you would like to share with AW2 Soldiers, Veterans, or their Families?

If there’s a will, there’s a way. Always get a second opinion on everything and don’t let anyone just tell you “no.”

Wounded Warriors Conquer Mountain at Liberty Mountain

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Resources by on March 11, 2010 at 10:38 pm {no comments}

By Tom Hall, AW2 Guest Blogger

Adaptive ski instructers Beth Troutman, Manny Pina and Jim Zsiga.

Adaptive ski instructers Beth Troutman, Manny Pina, and Jim Zsiga.

Some of the best snow conditions in recent memory greeted a very special group of skiers during the weekend of February 27-28, at Liberty Mountain in southern Pennsylvania. The Fourth Annual Wounded Warriors weekend saw 15 Soldiers from Fort Belvoir, Fort Meade, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center enjoy two days of skiing and snowboarding with their families.

The weekend’s events also included sponsored dinners in Gettysburg on Friday and Saturday evenings, thanks to generous contributions from The Quality Inn and the Best Western Gettysburg Hotel.

However, the highlight of the weekend was almost certainly the surprise visit by First Lady Michelle Obama, who was coincidentally skiing at Liberty Mountain on Sunday. During lunch, the First Lady, for whom advocacy of military families is a signature cause, came through and shook hands with Warriors and instructors alike, and thanked the Soldiers for their service and sacrifice.

The skiers and snowboarders who signed up for the event through their Warrior Transition Units had the opportunity to receive lessons from the instructional staff at Blue Ridge Adaptive Snow Sports (BRASS), a nonprofit organization that links up ski and snowboard instructors from Liberty Mountain with skiers for specialized instruction geared towards individual disabilities.

First-year instructor Bruce Bennett noted the irony in the Warriors calling the instructors ‘heroes,’ while his student for the weekend was able to ski without physical support following a traumatic brain injury that has resulted in three years of physical therapy and requiring a cane to walk.

The Warriors’ disabilities ranged from extensive shrapnel wounds and a shattered humorous to amputated legs and traumatic brain injuries, but that stopped no one from enjoying the great snow conditions and warm weather. Depending on the nature of the injury, BRASS is equipped with specialized equipment that improve the Warriors’ experience.

The biggest goal of the weekend is to provide an opportunity to be outside and break the routine of physical therapy, while still getting valuable exercise. Many of the Warriors skied and snowboarded prior to their injuries. This program allows them to return to an activity they loved while giving them the tools to adapt to their new physical condition.

Instructor Beth Troutman’s student, who had only skied once before her injury, was so excited that she showed up one hour early. She enjoyed the experience so much that she now hopes to become an instructor herself.

One of the best examples for them to emulate, is one of the BRASS instructors, Manny Pina, who lost a leg in a motor vehicle accident after returning from Iraq. Since then, he has learned to ski without his prosthetic—what is called ‘three-tracking’—and has been instructing other adaptive skiers for the past two years. During the weekend he skied a double-black diamond (skier lingo for the most difficult terrain) for the first time, while one of the Warriors with whom he was skiing made her first trip down an intermediate level trail for the first time since her injury, which had left her knees extremely weak.

Instructor Cheryl Monroe noticed that while everyone was nervous at the outset on Saturday morning, she saw changes in everyone’s confidence by the afternoon and following day, reflecting the sense of accomplishment that came from conquering individual fears and the physical challenge presented by the mountain.

Although the program for Wounded Warriors has focused on one weekend per season for the last four years, organizers are hopeful that this winter’s record attendance will lead to more regular participation in the future. Fort Meade Warrior Transition Unit Coordinator Sandra Santos called this a worthwhile goal, as her desire consistent among all the coordinators, was that she could bring the Fort Meade Warriors more often throughout the season.

Adaptive Program Supervisor Leslie White also felt that the very successful weekend made her look forward to a more sustained program for the next season by working directly with the Warrior Transition units.

The author is a volunteer adaptive ski instructor and an active duty lieutenant colonel in the Army.

Athletic Inspiration – AW2 Veterans in Paralympics

Filed under General, Staff Story by on March 11, 2010 at 10:00 am {no comments}

By Emily Oehler, WTC Stratcom

Although I don’t typically watch a lot of sports, I always follow the Olympics. As a non-athlete (see my blog on running the Army 10 Miler), watching athletes of this caliber in action is amazing, unbelievable and beautiful. During the Winter Games, I was captivated by the women’s downhill skiing and men’s snowboarding.

Watching these athletes, hearing their stories and being a part of their triumphs awoke my lazy inner-athlete. Yes, after a four-month hiatus, it was time start running again. I got new shoes (hey, even the Olympians have great uniforms!) and hit the pavement.

To keep up my momentum, I will look to new Olympic athletes for inspiration — those at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C., March 12-21, 2010. The U.S. Team, made up of athletes from 20 U.S. states, will compete in five sports (alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country skiing, sled hockey and wheelchair curling). A projected 600 elite athletes with a physical disability from more than 40 countries are expected to compete at the Games.

Among the 50 athletes, five are U.S. military veterans:

  • Heath Calhoun (Grundy, Va.), alpine skiing – a double above the knee amputee, AW2 Veteran (Iraq War Veteran)
  • Chris Devlin-Young (Campton, N.H.), alpine skiing – retired U.S. Coast Guard
  • Sean Halsted (Spokane, Wash.), cross country skiing – retired U.S. Air Force
  • Patrick McDonald (Orangevale, Calif.), wheelchair curling – retired U.S. Army
  • Andy Soule (Pearland, Texas), cross country skiing & biathlon – a double leg amputee, AW2 Veteran (Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom)

I look forward to watching these wounded warriors in action and using their stories to keep me inspired during my daily runs. Hope you’ll cheer them on with me!

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