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UNION CITY, Ga.**– May 19, 2026 –** Retired Sgt. 1st Class Valerie Watkins knows what it feels like to compete on one of the biggest stages for wounded, ill and injured service members.
This year, she returns to the 2026 Warrior Games with a different perspective.
The version of Watkins preparing to represent Team Army isn’t the same athlete who first competed in 2025. Her mindset has evolved through continued recovery, continued participation in adaptive sports and the lessons learned along the way.
“Competing in the 2025 Warrior Games meant everything to me, my turning point came during that time,” Watkins said. “It showed me that even after everything, there’s still more I can become.”
Watkins earned her second consecutive selection to Team Army following the 2026 Army Trials, the Army’s premier adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and veterans.
Her return reflects years of perseverance, service and personal growth.
Watkins spent nearly 15 years in the National Guard, including a deployment supporting operations in Kuwait and Iraq in 2017 and 2018 as a CH-47 Chinook door gunner. Before joining the military, she served as a peace officer in Arlington, Texas.
She credits her deployment experiences with shaping her understanding of the Warrior Ethos and what it truly means to never quit or accept defeat.
“There were moments in my life I wanted to quit out of fear, but I didn’t,” Watkins said. “I kept going because I didn’t want fear to define me.”
After leaving military service and continuing her recovery journey, Watkins said she was forced to reevaluate how she viewed herself. The experience also deepened her understanding of service and the importance of encouraging and supporting others through difficult moments.
“I’ve always known the mission was bigger than me,” she said. “The mission is selfless service.”
As she prepares to represent Team Army once again, Watkins said her return isn’t about proving she can still compete. It’s about honoring the journey that brought her here and reminding other wounded, ill and injured Soldiers that recovery is not the end of their story.
“We all need someone to remind us to keep going,” said the Detroit native. “That’s really why I’m here.”
While training at the Army Team Sports Camp May 4–8 ahead of the Warrior Games, scheduled for June 13–20 in San Antonio, Watkins said her focus extends beyond personal performance. For her, it’s the camaraderie among teammates and the opportunity to encourage others that have become just as important as the competition itself.
“If I’m not competing, I’m cheering,” Watkins said. “That’s what ‘leave no Soldier behind’ looks like in real time.”
For Watkins, the unity built within Team Army and the Warrior Games community has helped redefine what strength looks like. She said it’s built through support, connection and encouragement shared along the journey.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.28.2026 08:51 |
| Story ID: | 565014 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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