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The All-Marine Warrior Games Team earned bragging rights as the overall winners of the inaugural Warrior Games at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, May 10-14, 2010.
The 50-person team, along with coaches and cadre, can take pride in the winnings of the 4-day inter-service rivalry that was designed for wounded, ill and injured service members who competed in wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, swimming, track and field events.
About 20 Marines from the Individual Ready Reserves were assigned as cadre to assist the athletes with transportation, daily training exercises and overall logistics coordination during the two-week training camp prior to the games.
Mobilization Command advertised the cadre jobs on the website in early Spring and selected the best candidates for the event. The Marines were issued orders for 28 days of Reserve Counterpart Training, which fulfilled their requirements for completion of annual training and earned them enough participation points for a satisfactory year.
Most of the Marines have participated in RCT exercises before and have stayed in the IRR because it offers flexibility and chance to participate in events such as the Warrior Games.
However, most say they weren't really sure what to expect when they got to Colorado Springs and began receiving the wounded warriors who were arriving from all parts of the country.
"It took about 30 seconds for us to get over it and we quickly realized that they're still Marines," said Lance Cpl. Luis Lara. Referring to the athletes' injuries and combat wounds, Lara explained that seeing the athletes' drive and determination to train hard and compete with enthusiasm showed him and the entire cadre staff that an injury or disability doesn't mean it's the end of the road.
In fact, the Warrior Games was only the beginning of the road for those who have just started to recover their pride in being a Marine and drive to rebuild their lives. Losing a limb or suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder proved to not be a hindrance during the Warrior Games because the events were designed to level the playing field and allow everyone to compete with more or less the same injuries.
Lara, a 25-year-old native from Tampa, Fla., volunteered for the assignment and says it was one the best experiences of his life. Lara owns two hair salons in the Tampa area and wanted to be a part of something meaningful.
The competition was fierce in the sitting volleyball event as the Marines split the first two games with the Army, but won a close match in the third game, 15-9. The stands were filled with cadre staff, friends and family members who rallied the entire sports complex. The excited of the close competition brought everyone to their feet in the final points of the match.
MOBCOM Marines attended every event to cheer on the athletes, which made a big difference in their performance resulting in more gold medal winners. The other services didn't have a two-week training camp and nor did they have a very large cheering section.
Head coach Maj. Susie Stark, assigned to the Wounded Warrior Regiment in Quantico, Va., planned the two-week training camp but knew she was going to need additional personnel to assist with loading bicycles in and out the vehicles and ensuring athletes could get to practices on time. "It was a perfect fit to ask IRR Marines to participate and assist us with this event," said Stark, who trained as an Olympic tri-athlete. "We couldn't have done it without the MOBCOM Marines."
MOBCOM continues to offer unique opportunities you won't find while on active duty. Find out what jobs are available at http://mobcom.mfr.usmc.mil/IRRJobs/IRR_Jobs_Opportunities_Home.html.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2010 14:16 |
| Story ID: | 50255 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US |
| Web Views: | 225 |
| Downloads: | 181 |
This work, IRR Marines Bring Winning Spirit to Inaugural Warrior Games, by LCDR Amy Forsythe, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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