Photo By Vernishia Vaughn | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Mercedes Rangel competes during the sitting volleyball event at...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas – March 13, 2026 – Staff Sgt. Mercedes Rangel, a 68J, Medical Logistics Specialist, built her Army career on exceeding the standard. With two years in a Soldier Recovery Unit focused on rehabilitation following an injury, she’s competing in the 2026 Army Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas, once again.
Not only is the Dallas, Texas native competing as an athlete, she’s competing as continued proof of the Army Recovery Care Program’s mission and the Warrior Ethos that defines Soldiers in recovery.
“I have to remember that I’m a Soldier first and foremost,” Rangel said. “We’re trained to adapt and it’s what I did and I’m here.”
The Army Trials is the Army’s premier adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and qualifying veterans. The event uses sport for rehabilitation, unity, health, and fitness. It underscores the Army’s commitment to readiness, the Warrior Ethos, and helping Soldiers overcome injury or illness. The top 40 competitors advance to Team Army at the 2026 Warrior Games.
Reprioritizing the Mission
For 15 years, physical fitness defined Rangel. When injury disrupted her abilities, the challenge became both physical and mental.
“When you’re used to exceeding the standard, and suddenly you can’t perform the way you used to, you start questioning everything,” she said. “That mental fight becomes harder than the physical one.”
Through the ARCP’s Soldier-centric approach, Rangel reframed her recovery with a mission-first mindset. A mindset in line with the Warrior Ethos.
“I’m remembering that I am the mission and so is my recovery,” she said. “Even on the days I wasn’t motivated (to carry out the mission), I remembered the steps and put one foot in front of the other.”
ARCP encourages wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers to exercise discipline in recovery, never quit, and return to duty or transition to productive civilian life. For Rangel, her discipline stemmed from the training she relied on her entire career.
“We know the mindset because we’ve been trained,” she said. “Even when it’s hard, we have the resilience and the resources to keep going.”
Supported by Family and Leadership
Rangel credits her family, the SRU, and her leadership for supporting her throughout her recovery.
“My leadership was there,” she said. “My husband, my children and my extended family stepped in. They all reminded me that what I was capable of wasn’t gone. I just needed time.”
The ARCP emphasizes Soldiers and families as the Army’s top priority. That support network, Rangel said, made the difference during her hardest moments.
“To keep going, along with the support I was receiving, I’d pray and I’d breathe,” said Rangel. “I had to keep reminding myself, I wasn’t alone in this fight.”
Strength Reclaimed
Beyond her goal of returning to duty, Rangel regained her physical identity. She became a spin instructor and bodybuilding competitor, crediting the Army’s planning and risk assessment principles.
“In the Army, we’re taught to plan backwards,” she said. “You don’t wait until the last minute. You give yourself time by planning out your steps and execute them one day at a time. That's what I’m doing.”
She admitted that pushing herself carried risk, but believed staying stagnant was riskier.
“The risk of staying stuck was higher,” she said. “So, I mitigated the risk. I planned. I listened to my body, and I used the resources available to me.”
Her journey mirrors ARCP’s adaptive reconditioning program, which uses sports to build strength, confidence, and readiness.
“Participating in my personal athletic endeavors and adaptive reconditioning through my SRU, it’s helped me realize I can still get back into the fight,” Rangel said. “It’s about having patience and giving yourself grace while trying to hold yourself accountable to your goals.”
Leadership Deepened Through Adversity
Rangel said going through her own recovery has strengthened her leadership, not limited it.
“If anything, it reinforced it,” she said. “It gave me empathy and compassion on a deeper level.”
She also said, she believes that leadership is rooted in influence and respect.
“You can bark orders all day, but respect carries you through the finish line,” she said. “A lot of times, if you’ve never been in that dark tunnel, it can be hard to lead someone through it.”
Her transparency with her Soldiers has become part of her leadership philosophy.
"There’s no gatekeeping," she said. "If I’ve been through something that can help another Soldier, I’ll share it."
Never Leaving a Comrade Behind
Selfless service has always been Rangel’s favorite Army value. But during her personal recovery, it became a lifeline and her motivation is clear.
“I’m motivated to get back into the fight because I know there are Soldiers I can help,” she said. “I’ve got to go get them.”
Her message to her comrades with visible or invisible wounds is direct and aligned with the Warrior Ethos.
“No matter your trauma, your illness or injury, you’re a Soldier,” she said. “Send up that flare and let us come for you.”
As the Army Trials continue at Fort Bliss, stories like Rangel’s highlight the strength and determination of Soldiers in recovery and the transformative power of adaptive sports.
Through ARCP and the Army Trials, the Army reaffirms its commitment to readiness, resilience and taking care of its own, ensuring no Soldier is alone.
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 rehabilitation, unity, health and fitness. The Army Trials underscores the Army’s commitment to readiness, the warrior ethos, and empowering soldiers to overcome their injury or illness. The top 40 competitors will be selected to represent Team Army at the 2026 Warrior Games.
| Date Taken: | 03.13.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2026 15:11 |
| Story ID: | 559826 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Back at Army Trials: Soldier in Recovery Competes Again, Living the Warrior Ethos, by Vernishia Vaughn, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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