Photo By EJ Hersom | Army’s Sam Goldenstein, left, and Katie Kuiper race in the 400-meter dash during the...... read more read more
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By Annette Coward
Warrior Transition Command
MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, Va. - If you ask U.S. Army Veteran Sgt. 1st Class Katie Kuiper what her motto for life is, her response is simple. “Don't quit life and don’t give up, “she said. It’s a motto Kuiper says she developed very early on in life.
Kuiper was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas with one simple mission. “I knew I wanted to do something for my country and something different,” she said. “I really didn't know anyone who was in the Army, but I knew I was going to do this without question.”
Kuiper began serving her country in 2003 when she enlisted in the Army as an intelligence analyst. She deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, serving as a watch analyst with Joint Task Force-South.
In 2010, Kuiper was assigned to Headquarters, Southern Command in Miami, supporting operations throughout South America, the Caribbean and Central America.
In 2013, her life changed after sustaining injuries. With a deep breath, Kuiper reflected on Her time spent enlisted and her retirement.
“I would do it again, I love Team Army, I love the military and I knew I was going to do it to the best of my abilities,” she stated.
Kuiper credits the Warrior Transition Command as her primary and constant source of inspiration. “In the beginning it was just me and now I see other people attending all those doctor appointments. You need something in between to go to, to aspire to” she said. “It was the reason my healing went so well, it's instrumental to my well-being,” She added with a smile.
As the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games approached, Kuiper said she quickly realized the importance of the Adaptive Reconditioning Program. “I can’t explain the love and camaraderie, it's all friendly competition,” she said, “It's what life is, whether you come in first, second -- it doesn't matter, just don't quit life, don't give up,” she said.
When asked about the future, Kuiper responded with a smile. “I'm not sure, I'm going to just take it one day at time.”
Kuiper won gold medals in the 200- 400- and 1500-meter races in the track and field completion at Marine Corp Base Quantico during the DOD Warrior Games.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2015 15:27 |
| Story ID: | 168428 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,073 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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