WASHINGTON -- In less than a month, the fourth annual Warrior Games will kick off in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The 35 members of Team Navy will participate in the Opening Ceremonies, May 11, which mark the start of the five-day competition at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
"This is one of the strongest, most diverse teams we've ever assembled, and it is led by an all-star coaching staff," said Navy Capt. Steve Hall, director of Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) - Safe Harbor. "These wounded warriors have sharpened their skills and formed tight bonds during months of training."
More than 200 wounded servicemembers from the U.S. and the U.K. will participate in the Warrior Games, which are presented by Deloitte and hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The teams include Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, Special Operations and the U.K. Armed Forces.
The athletes competing at the Warrior Games are servicemembers - both active-duty and retired - with upper- and lower-body injuries, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairments, serious illnesses and post-traumatic stress. They are competing in archery, cycling, seated volleyball, shooting, swimming, track and field, and wheelchair basketball.
"The Warrior Games gave me back a competitive spirit, and training has really helped keep me in shape and helped with my day-to-day routine," said retired Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class John Kremer, who will compete in seated volleyball, shooting, swimming and wheelchair basketball at the 2013 Warrior Games. "Bringing people together with the same injuries helps you emotionally and physically."
NWW is sponsoring and facilitating Team Navy's participation in the Warrior Games. The team was selected at the first-ever Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials in Honolulu, Hawaii in November 2012. Since then, NWW has provided various training opportunities for team members, including a seated volleyball and wheelchair basketball camp at Penn State University and a shooting camp at the Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Ala. this month.
The accomplished wounded warrior athletes representing Team Navy are listed below.
Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Angelo Anderson
Retired Navy Lieutenant Rick Bennett
Retired Navy Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class Marlon Bevans
Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class Chris Blount
Navy Commander George Borovina
Retired Navy Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Jim Castaneda
Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Zachery Crites
Retired Navy Aviation Electrician's Mate Steven Davis
Navy Machinist's Mate 1st Class Michael Dayton
Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Joe Derbak
Retired Navy Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Nathan DeWalt
Navy Chief Career Counselor Ching Dressel
Navy Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class John Dusseau
Retired Navy Lieutenant John Edmonston
Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jacob Emmott
Retired Navy Operations Specialist 2nd Class Joseph Frank
Retired Master-at-Arms Seaman Steven Hancock
Retired Navy Aviation Structural Mechanic 1st Class Andrew Johnson
Retired Coast Guard Lieutenant Sancho Johnson
Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Timothy Kraynack
Retired Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician 1st Class John Kremer
Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sonny Lemerande
Retired Navy Aviation Boatswain's Mate, Handler, 2nd Class Steve Miller
Retired Navy Lieutenant Joan Mulligan
Retired Navy Builder Constructionman Roy "Dan" Peters
Retired Navy Aviation Technician 3rd Class Kathleen Ray
Navy Yeoman 1st Class Javier Rodriguez Santiago
Retired Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Max Rohn
Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Laura Root
Retired Navy Electrician's Mate 2nd Class Joshua Rosenberg
Retired Navy Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Henry Sawyer
Navy Mineman 2nd Class Linda Simpson
Navy Chief Gunner's Mate Jeannette Tarqueno
Retired Navy Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Stanley Valbrun
Retired Navy Chief Gunner's Mate Hector Varela
