Photo By Lt. Col. Carol McClelland | Both players and fans of the enlisted team stand ready to show their enthusiasm as the...... read more read more
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By Maj. Carol McClelland
1st Theater Sustainment Command
CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – The healing ones showed up limping and injured while a couple of the healthy ones left cut and bruised, headed straight to the emergency room, but all agreed they had a good time - especially the enlisted members.
The 8th Human Resource Sustainment Center held an organizational day here, Labor Day, and they invited the "Wounded Warriors" from the Warrior Return Unit to be their honored guests.
About 15 recovering patients and staff attended an afternoon that included hula dancers, grilled hot dogs and an officer verses enlisted flag football game.
Navy Lt. Colleen Mahon, Division Officer, WRU said most patients have orthopedic injuries or are recovering from general surgery like an appendicitis or hernia repairs and some need internal medicine consultations. They usually have between 40 to 50 wounded warriors who stay an average of 8 to 10 days in their care. And she proudly stated their return to duty rate is about 78 percent with service members typically returning to Iraq, Afghanistan or back to their unit in Kuwait.
Army National Guard Sgt. Michael Blair, usually assigned to Task Force 151, was one of the patients that attended the festivities. He had a bandaged left knee that he said was injured practicing combat training with his command sergeant major – a guy that "looks like Shrek, except red, and weighs about 380 pounds." The Jasper, Indiana native said he's been here recuperating nearly a month and is about to return to his unit.
Marine Sgt. Eric Breese also had a left knee injury. Assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 in Iraq, the 28 year old helicopter mechanic said he's on his third deployment but anxious to return to his unit in a couple of weeks. The Roseville, Mich. native said he appreciated the invitation to attend the event and said he "became good friends with two Army guys" while recuperating.
Good natured ribbing and trash talk was at a premium before the football game when media-shy Lt. Col. John Sena, 8th HRSC Director was rumored to have said, "It's a shame the enlisted worked so hard to put this on because they're going to lose." But Army Sgt. Bobby "Booshey" Martinez's prediction of who would win came true; however it wasn't his forecasted score of 18 to zero.
"We're going to win of course because we're the backbone of the military. They don't have a spine, so we have to support them," he said. A few moments later he ran on the field too early only to quickly return to chants of "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby" and laughter. He redeemed himself later when he ripped the flag off an officer's waist and the crowd chanted his name once more.
The enlisted members sporting black tee-shirts won 33 to 14 against the gray shirt clad officers. By the time the game ended, several officers were injured and went to the ER with a cut top lip and cracked rib, according to Maj. Patrick Tiemann, team chief of plans and operations.
"It was more than just a football game. [Organizer] Sgt. 1st Class Geoffrey David put a lot of work into it," he said of his fellow plans and operations co-worker. "It was a well coordinated logistics effort that brought our unit closer together."
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.08.2008 10:29 |
| Story ID: | 23364 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 283 |
| Downloads: | 216 |
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