Photo By Airman 1st Class Tekorey Watkins | Anthony Pone, a U.S. Army veteran, throws a discus during Paralympic training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, May 27, 2026. The Paralympic training event promoted resilience, recovery and adaptive competition while strengthening the support network available to recovering service members and veterans. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tekorey Watkins) see less
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Luke AFB hosts Paralympics Team USA veteran Airmen, Sailors, Marines, Soldiers
Paralympic athletes participated in the Desert Challenge Track and Field Training Camp hosted at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Athletes also got a first-hand look at the 56th Fighter Wing’s mission, capabilities, and spirit of service.
Athletes utilized facilities across Luke AFB to train, toured mission areas, and met Airmen responsible for training the world’s greatest fighter pilots and combat-ready Airmen. The visit highlighted shared values of discipline, determination and teamwork found in both military service and elite athletics.
“Luke is proud to continue supporting these athletes and providing a place for them to train and prepare for competition,” said Jemia Fournier-Allen, 56th FSS sports specialist. “The focus and determination these athletes demonstrate mirrors the warrior mindset we strive to instill in our Airmen every day.”
The training camp brought together athletes, coaches and staff from across the United States and around the world to prepare for the Desert Challenge Games, one of the nation’s premier Paralympic sports competitions.
Alberto Ontiveros Sr., an Air Force veteran, found renewed purpose through Paralympic competition after being medically separated from military service.
“The hardest thing I’ve had to do in my life was transitioning from active military service to being medically separated,” Ontiveros said. “I was lost and didn’t have a purpose.”
Ontiveros also said Paralympic sports helped him rediscover the drive and camaraderie that once defined his military career. Now competing as an athlete in shot put and discus, he trains alongside fellow veterans while preparing for high-level competition.
The opportunity to interact with these Paralympic athletes, all of whom were former service members participating in the training camp, served as a reminder for many Airmen that adaptability and mental resilience remain essential both in uniform and beyond. Setbacks and obstacles do not define a person’s ability to achieve greatness is a shared value of these athletes and Luke AFB.
The 56th FSS’s Bryant Fitness Center has hosted 10 Paralympic training camps for developing athletes since 2011 after being selected by the U.S. Paralympic division.
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