Photo By Spc. Aysia Hightree | U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jodi Pyle-Vandersys aims her arrow at a target during the...... read more read more
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UNION CITY, Ga., February 26, 2026– After 33 years of service, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Jodi Pyle-VanderSys continues to define resilience not just by endurance, but by the willingness to pause, heal, and move forward with renewed purpose.
As she prepares to compete at the 2026 Army Trials, at Fort Bliss, Texas, Pyle-VanderSys reflects on one of the most difficult parts of recovery: letting go of the belief that she had failed.
“The hardest part was feeling like I hadn’t finished my job,” she said. “I was injured in the middle of doing something, and it felt like I let people down.”
Through her time in the Soldier Recovery Unit at Fort Carson, Colorado, she learned that stepping back was not weakness, but part of healing. In collaboration with the SRUs, the Army Recovery Care Program provides a dedicated location and environment for Soldiers to heal alongside fellow Soldiers facing similar challenges.
As a self-proclaimed “fixer,” Pyle-VanderSys, says being in that environment forced her to release the “push through” mentality, and dedicate her time in the SRU on her recovery.
“As a leader, you just push through,” said the Colorado Springs, Colorado, native. “The SRU helped me understand that it was okay to just focus on recovery instead of always trying to fix everything.”
The Army Trials, scheduled for Feb. 25 - March 6, 2026, at Fort Bliss, Texas, will bring together approximately 80 wounded, ill, and injured active-duty Soldiers and qualifying veterans from across the country. Competitors will vie for the opportunity to represent Team Army at the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, Texas.
For Pyle-VanderSys, adaptive sports reshaped how she views herself as both a Soldier and a leader.
“For years, I thought if you couldn’t do things the way you were supposed to, your worth wasn’t there,” she said. “Adaptive sports showed me it’s okay to do things differently. There are alternatives.”
Her military career may be nearing its final chapter as she undergoes a medical evaluation board, but her sense of purpose remains firm.
“I’m not done,” she said.
After advancing to the 2025 Warrior Games as a member of Team Army, Pyle-VanderSys returns to the Army Trials this year with experience, perspective, and renewed determination. She will compete in precision air rifle and air pistol, archery, cycling, and wheelchair racing.
Having already represented Team Army in last year’s Warrior Games, she understands both the competitive intensity and the camaraderie that define the program.
She approaches competition the same way she approached leadership throughout her 33-year career.
“The competition isn’t about seeing someone fail so you can win,” she said. “It’s about uplifting your teammates.”
Returning to Army Trials is not about proving she belongs. It is about continuing the work. Continuing the recovery. Continuing to lead.
If selected again as one of the top 40 competitors to represent Team Army at the 2026 Warrior Games, she sees it as a team accomplishment, not an individual one.
“We may be bent, but we are not broken,” she said. “And even if we are broken, we are not disposable.”
Her message to Soldiers navigating medical challenges remains clear.
“You’re not alone,” she said. “It’s never shameful to ask for help.”
As Army Trials highlight the resilience of wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers, Pyle-VanderSys believes recovery does not diminish strength. It refines it. Through adaptive sports and the support of the Army Recovery Care Program, she has learned that adversity can sharpen resolve and deepen purpose.
For her, returning to Army Trials is not simply about competing again. It is about demonstrating that strength can endure, evolve, and carry forward into whatever comes next.
About Army Trials:
The Army Trials is the Army’s premier adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and qualifying veterans. The event showcases sport as a platform for recovery, support, and lifelong health and wellness. Army Trials underscores the Army’s commitment to readiness, resilience, and empowering Soldiers to thrive beyond their wound, injury, or illness. The top 40 competitors will be selected to represent Team Army at the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, Texas, June 13 - 20.
| Date Taken: | 02.25.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.26.2026 19:17 |
| Story ID: | 558874 |
| Location: | UNION CITY, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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