Photo By Seaman Curtis Lee | 150603-N-VY938-002 PORT HUENEME, Calif. (June 3, 2015) – Sancho Johnson and Chris...... read more read more
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PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Eleven Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 volunteered to assist wounded warriors enrolled in Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) - Safe Harbor during adaptive sports training at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Port Hueneme, May 29 - June 4. The wounded warrior athletes are preparing to compete at the sixth annual DoD Warrior Games this month in Quantico, Virginia.
NWW coordinates the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, their families and caregivers. The program provides individually tailored assistance to more than 3,500 recovering service members, and it is sponsoring Team Navy's participation in the games. The Seabee volunteers at the training camp helped make the wounded warriors' weeklong stay more comfortable.
According to Builder Constructionman Lane Wolfe from NMCB 3, the volunteers took turns driving the wounded warriors to their hotel, to get their food, and to all of their events on base. He was able to connect and get to know some of the wounded warriors in the process.
"It feels great to talk to them!" said Wolfe. "They talked about what they have been through in their careers which gave me an insight on what to look forward to when I deploy for the first time."
During this event, Senior Chief Equipment Operator Pamela Leith, NMCB 3's Echo company 1st platoon chief, was reunited with her brother, Steven Lee - a wounded warrior.
"I was very proud he was selected to be a part of the DoD Warrior Games representing NWW, and it's a wonderful sight to see your loved one once again enjoying life to its fullest," said Leith. "Being able to participate in the DoD Warrior Games has given him not only camaraderie of being around other service members, but also the exercise, support, sharing, and being a part of a team... The friends he has made in this organization are priceless and I'm so happy he's a part of it."
According to Steven Lee, retired Navy Aviation Mechanic 1st Class, his military career was cut short due to a spinal injury back in 2009. Since then, NWW would call every year to invite him to try adaptive sports. Last year, he decided to finally give it a shot.
"I never got involved at first until I participated in the trials last year at Norfolk, Virginia." Lee said. "I'm in a town where there isn't too many prior military so it feels good to come back and be around people who know what I've been through and speak the same terminology."
"I don't see my sister very much. When we were both active duty we would only see each other once every 4 to 5 years. Now that I'm retired and part of NWW, I get to see her more than I used to," said Lee.
The Naval Construction Force is a vital component of the U.S. Maritime Strategy. The force provides deployable battalions capable of providing disaster preparation and recovery support, humanitarian assistance and combat operations support.
For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 3, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb3/ .
For more information about NWW, visit http://safeharbor.navylive.dodlive.mil/, and to follow Team Navy during the DoD Warrior Games, visit www.facebook.com/navysafeharbor.
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.08.2015 00:31 |
| Story ID: | 165809 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 87 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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