OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea – After surviving a six-story fall that left him with severe injuries, Vincent was left with an uncertain future wondering if his military service was over and if he could ever live a normal life again.
Ten years later, after a long road of recovery and determination, Vincent has become one of the world’s top adaptive athletes, earning back-to-back podium finishes at the 2024 and 2025 CrossFit Games.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Vincent Cavazos, 51st Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of force protection, who competes in the lower-extremity adaptive division, said he never expected to return to competitive athletics after the 2014 assault that left him with two broken legs, spinal damage, a traumatic brain injury and months of rehabilitation.
“I had to learn to walk, talk and eat again,” he said, recalling the long recovery and years of occupational, cognitive and physical therapy. “I never thought I’d get back to this level. I just wanted to be better than I was that day.”
His road to the CrossFit Games began years later, when he was classified as an adaptive athlete and entered the global CrossFit Open. Early attempts fell short—including one season cut short by a torn quad—but he eventually qualified for the Games in 2024, finishing second in his division.
This year’s competition, he said, proved even tougher. After the first day, he sat near the bottom of the standings. But he rallied, winning key events—including a lifting workout he dominated by 50 pounds—and pushed through a painful knee injury suffered during a surprise single-leg squat movement late in the competition.
“I didn’t want to let my coach down. I didn’t want to let my unit down,” he said. “So I told myself: leave it all out there.”
He finished second overall for the second straight year.
Cavazos credits his leadership at Osan for enabling him to train and compete while supporting one of the Air Force’s highest-tempo missions.
His commander approved his request to compete “without hesitation,” he said, even though the base’s security forces mission is among the most demanding in the service.
Even as he trained for elite-level athletic competition, he prioritized the mission. Upon arriving at Osan, he began rucking daily—not for the Games, but to set the tone for his Airmen.
“If we ever have to respond to something like an active shooter, I don’t want the cold or the fatigue to be what slows me down,” he said. “You prepare now so you can protect your people later.”
He routinely brought swing-shift and night-shift Airmen with him on late-night rucks, demonstrating that fitness and readiness weren’t personal pursuits—they were responsibilities of military leadership.
While he enjoys competition, he said his greatest sense of success comes from mentoring younger Airmen and showing them resilience through action.
He regularly leads group workouts, encourages Airmen to push past their perceived limits, and shares his story when asked—something he once found difficult.
“The Games are an accomplishment, and I’m proud of them,” he said. “But that’s not my definition of success. True success is how much you impact others along the way.”