Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Jerimiah Richardson | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr. throws the winning standing Shot Put...... read more read more
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The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-like competition featuring men and women who have faced life-threatening and life-changing injuries while in military service to their countries.
“The competition has been fierce with performances of the highest international standard across a number of events,” said Britain's Prince Henry of Wales, commonly referred to as Prince Harry, who was the catalyst for the Invictus Games foundation.
Fourteen nations participated in the games with over 500 military competitors who took part in ten categories of sport at Walt Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. USSOCOM service members competed in swimming, seated volleyball, wheelchair rugby, track and field events, para-cycling, archery, and rowing.
The word "Invictus" means "unconquered" and it embodies the warrior spirit of USSOCOM members who have suffered injury while in the line of duty. For many of them, just having the opportunity to compete is a fulfillment of the long arduous road through rehabilitation to recovery.
"I lost a lot of friends after the war who were members of my group that shouldn't be gone. They made it through (the war) only to not be able to deal with the tediousness of recovery", said U.S. Army Veteran Sgt. 1st Class Josh Lindstrom.
When dealing with the long road to recovery, paralympic competitions like the Invictus Games show how the power of sport can change mindsets.
"Sometimes they felt like the clouds were never going to part, but if they'd learn that they could just come out and play in the rain and shoot some arrows or participate in some other (sport) it could do so much for them", said Lindstrom.
For some injured service members, it gives a new focus.
"It gives you a sense of purpose, an objective and a mission that we at USSOCOM are used to. With the adaptive sports they give me something back in life to look forward to," said U.S. Army Veteran Sgt. 1st Class Sualauvi Tuimalealiifano.
Over the 4 days of games, USSOCOM service members made friends with their peers from around the world and were pushed to their limits in competition. USSOCOM did very well against that competition pulling in a total of 16 medals with 7 Bronze, 4 Silver and 5 Gold. But, as Prince Harry said, "This was never about the medals".
The Invictus Games highlighted the extreme debt owed to those who pay the price for serving their country and showed how inspiration can change any man or woman no matter their ailment. As Vice President Joe Biden said to the competitors, "You are defined by your courage and redeemed by your loyalty. You are the captain of your country's soul."
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2016 12:48 |
| Story ID: | 198033 |
| Location: | ORLANDO, FL, US |
| Hometown: | MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, FL, US |
| Hometown: | ORLANDO, FL, US |
| Hometown: | TAMPA, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 299 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USSOCOM wins at Invictus Games 2016, by SFC Jerimiah Richardson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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