Photo By Marcy Sanchez | U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Julio Rodriguez, a native of Worcester, Mass., listens in at...... read more read more
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By Marcy Sanchez
William Beaumont Army Medical Center Public Affairs
FORT BLISS, Texas - Soldiers and veterans training for the 2016 U.S. Army Trials participated in a career day as part of the Warrior Transition Command’s training week at the Centennial Banquet and Conference Center, Fort Bliss, Texas, March 2, 2016.
The athletes took part in multiple workshops focused on entrepreneurship, employment preparedness, college preparedness, resilience training and resume review. This is the second year the Army Trials has hosted a career day for Soldiers and veterans, emphasizing the importance of continuing education/ career development using resources available to them.
“It’s their opportunity to refine their plans for their personal careers and education,” said Col. Amy Brinson, G-1 human resources adviser, Warrior Transition Command, based out of Alexandria, Virginia. “We want to make sure they keep [their futures] in mind and use the athletics in the Army Trials and the skills they’re learning from the Army Trials to apply to their careers.”
More than 100 wounded, ill and injured active duty Soldiers and Veterans from across the country gathered at Fort Bliss, Texas for the Army Trials. Competitors include active-duty Soldiers, retirees and veterans.
“I already had a plan with what I was going to do, but these guys helped me refine that plan and helped me get the motivation I needed,” said retired Army Staff Sgt. Timothy Payne. “I didn’t know what to expect and it turned out to be a really big help.”
After attending last year’s career day, Payne, a former infantryman and native of Williamsville, New York, published a book detailing his brush with death in Afghanistan. On July 3, 2011, Payne stepped on a 30-pound improvised explosive device which detonated, nearly killing Payne and taking both of his legs.
“The career day was a huge help last year, I got really motivated hearing the entrepreneurs talk,” said Payne. “It was really inspiring sharing different transition ideas among Soldiers.”
Other Soldiers wishing to stay green received training catered to their goals.
“I’m in the resiliency workshop right now,” said Sgt. David Jones, who is appearing in the Army Trials for the second time and competing in swimming, track and field and archery events this year. “The resiliency training helps you because you can feed off each other and help each other figure out what needs to be done.”
Jones, who is continuing his career in the Army as an electronic warfare specialist, suffered multiple lower extremity injuries and a shoulder injury while serving as an infantryman.
They get to explore the goals they have set for themselves, said Brinson. The career day strengthens the current goals by introducing resources they may not have realized were available, she added.
“I think it’s a good thing to have as part of the training,” said Jones, a native of Middlebury, Vermont. “I have a lot of friends who don’t know what they’re doing when they get out, this helps them focus.”
“Within our Warrior Transition Units we have transition coordinators which are the best resources to assist with transition support and help identify goals as well as work with them to pursue those goals,” said Brinson. “Today we’ve got trainers here to help them do that introspection and figure out what’s important to them and help them take their next steps.”
During the career day, Jones, who is interested in starting a business as a gunsmith, attended two entrepreneurship workshops to help focus his goals in opening his own business.
Spc. Stephanie Morris, assigned to Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, said the career day offers insight into careers of interest and how to get there.
“Some people already have an idea of what they are going to do,” said Morris, a native of Toledo, Ohio. “It is very helpful and insightful for those that don’t know what they want to do. For some people the Army is all they know.”
Morris, who is competing in shooting, seated shot put and discus, hand cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball, deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013. Morris, a motor transportation operator, suffers from multiple fractures after her unit was subject to indirect fire in 2013.
Although Morris wants to make a career out of her enlistment, she plans to change her military occupational specialty to something in the healthcare field.
The 2016 U.S. Army Trials took place on Fort Bliss, Texas, March 6-10. Soldiers competed for the opportunity to represent Team Army at the 2016 DoD Warrior Games, 14-22 June, at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York.
Army Trials showcased the resilient spirit of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans. Participants include athletes with upper-body, lower-body and spinal cord injuries; amputations; serious illnesses; traumatic brain injuries (TBI); visual impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder.
| Date Taken: | 03.02.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2016 22:36 |
| Story ID: | 192206 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | MIDDLEBURY, VT, US |
| Hometown: | TOLEDO, OH, US |
| Hometown: | WILLIAMSVILLE, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 131 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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