About jvargas


Website:
jvargas has written 438 articles so far, you can find them below.


TGIT!—Thank Goodness it’s Thursday Meditation Hour

Filed under Behavioral Health, Community Support Network, Resources by on May 25, 2011 at 3:45 pm {one comment}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

Editor’s Note: Warriors at Ease is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

Thank Goodness it’s Thursday Meditation Hour is launching for Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) spouses and caregivers.

This teleconference meditation hour is a regularly scheduled event that assists spouses and caregivers to relieve stress and to find new coping skills. The teleconference call is scheduled for the last Thursday of every month and will be first held tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

Robin Carnes, founder of AW2 Community Support Network Member Warriors at Ease, will lead the meditation using iRest techniques. These easy-to-learn meditation techniques are taught by Carnes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and have proven to be successful. For example, after using these techniques, her students report the ability to sleep more soundly, a decrease in pain, and a general increase in peace of mind in daily life.

If you are an AW2 spouse or caregiver who would benefit from stress reduction, please email the AW2 Community Support Network to reserve your spot for tomorrow’s call at AW2communitysupportnetwork@conus.army.mil.

 

I’m not a Hero—I’m a Soldier

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 24, 2011 at 11:59 am {no comments}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom

On Saturday, AW2 Soldier CPT Ivan Castro appeared on MSNBC to discuss the Warrior Games and his commitment to long distance running. He competed for the Special Ops team on the ground this week at Warrior Games.

“I’m not a hero,” CPT Castro, who is blind, told the host, Dylan Ratigan. “I’m just a Soldier doing his job…I’m a leader and an officer, and a Soldier.”

When asked about what makes the Warrior Games special, he explained, “If you were to come out here, you’d see that these warriors never quit. We didn’t do it on the field of battle, and we won’t do it here. Regardless of whether we’re injured, we’re still human beings,” he added. “We can continue to serve and show the world what we’re made of. “

CPT Castro continues to serve on active duty at Fort Bragg. “I have a great command that supports me and is willing to employ me to fulfill my abilities,” said Castro.

Watch the full nine-minute interview online at MSNBC.com.

 

Equipment Malfunction is No Excuse

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 24, 2011 at 10:27 am {no comments}

By Sarah Greer, WTC Stratcom



YouTube DoDLive

Here at the Warrior Games, everyone is buzzing about cycling. Yes, we’re ecstatic about the Army team winning four medals—two golds, two silver. Yes, we’re buzzing about the three Army Ultimate Champion candidates who rode across the finish line together, as a team. But most of all, people are talking about one AW2 Veteran, Freddie de los Santos.

De los Santos didn’t win his race, but in my mind, and the minds of most of the people here, he represents the true spirit of the Warrior Games and the Army: completing the mission, against all odds.

De los Santos started out Friday like any other race—focused, committed, and ready to give his all. But shortly after the starting gun, he noticed something wasn’t right. And with 2km to go, he realized the chain on his recumbent bike was broken.

At this point, most people would have called it a day. They’d rationalize that they’d trained hard and done everything they could to prepare. It was an equipment failure, something they couldn’t do anything about.

Not de los Santos. This Special Ops competitor wouldn’t take no for an answer. Instead of giving up, he used the equipment he had—his hands. He hand-walked himself and the bike for the last two kilometers of his 10k race, refusing to forfeit.

And the crowd went wild—people walked out onto the track behind him, cheering him on, showing their support. De los Santos didn’t let an above-the-knee amputation stop him from living life to its fullest, and he wasn’t about to let a bike chain stop him from crossing the finish line at the Warrior Games.

Check out this compelling video captured by the USO staff onsite at the race.

 

 

Leading the Way

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Guest Blogger, Warrior Games by on May 21, 2011 at 5:03 pm {no comments}

By Tom Sileo, USO Director of Story Development

Editor’s Note: The USO is a participant in the AW2 Community Support Network.

If you take a stroll around the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, this week, the first thing you would notice is the sacrifice in your midst.

It’s hard to describe the emotion that overtakes every bone in your body when your eyes meet those of a fellow American who has sustained visible or invisible wounds while protecting our freedom. These men and women have already fought so hard for our nation, yet show the same courageous spirit while competing against one another in seven different sports.

The second thing you might notice, perhaps, is the presence of the USO at this joint U.S. Department of Defense / U.S. Olympic Committee event. While one might initially wonder what role the USO plays here, one might be wise to let Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Director COL Greg Gadson explain the meaning of the USO logo and the friendly face that always accompanies it.

“What really impresses me about the USO and their support of the men and women of the wounded warrior programs and events that go on throughout the country is that they’re always in the background,” Gadson said Thursday. “That says a lot, I think, about their organization.”

What Gadson thinks says a lot, as very few Americans have sacrificed more to give us all the right to think freely. In 2007, both of Col. Gadson’s legs were amputated above the knee after being struck by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. Instead of retreating, he charged forward, devoting himself to fellow wounded warriors facing similar challenges, no matter how daunting. For the colonel, the Warrior Games is an annual culmination of the noble efforts of so many, as well as a part of his own healing process.

“To me, this event recognizes, on many different levels, the accomplishments of people who have really suffered severe and traumatic injuries, but now they can see promise in their life–they’re full of vitality and going for their dreams,” he said. “It’s about living life and being productive.”

As an adaptive, cutting-edge organization with an illustrious history behind it, the USO has made supporting wounded warriors, their Families, and their caregivers a top priority. The USO leadership team, which includes Susan Thomas, Vice President of USO Wounded Warriors, recognized the need for partnering with other fine organizations to ensure that the needs of the wounded are in the forefront of America’s post-9/11 consciousness.

“Once they’re back here from deployments, the journey’s that much longer,” said Thomas, whose husband deployed to Iraq twice as a U.S. Marine officer. “Given the landscape of the current conflicts, we had to expand our reach through our best in class partners.

“We’re not looking to reinvent the wheel,” she continued. “We want to coordinate, collaborate, and communicate.”
Gadson made clear that the USO’s willingness to adapt means a great deal to the military, and particularly to the wounded, ill, and injured.

“They have a brand and a kind of universal recognition to them,” the colonel said of the USO. “There’s been kind of an evolution, I think, an evolution for America and how we support our servicemembers.”

There is a reason USO employees and volunteers are assisting the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Olympic Committee with Warrior Games 2011. It’s because, as Thomas noted, the event represents recovery through physical health and recreation, which leads to stronger military Families. It’s also because, as Gadson noted, it’s simply what the USO does.

“The war-wounded have made tremendous sacrifices,” he said. “The fact that the USO is now involved in that at many different levels really shows their commitment to our servicemembers and how they really continue to lead the way.”

When it comes to leading the way, few do it better than COL Greg Gadson who, through courage and foresight, turned a terrible day on the battlefield into the cause of his life. In his eyes, you see pride as he wheels himself around the U.S. Olympic Training Center, watching his brothers and sisters in arms making progress before everyone else’s.

The USO is at Warrior Games 2011 to help. Thank you to COL Gadson and his team of AW2 patriots for showing us the way.

You Can Get There From Here

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 21, 2011 at 2:00 am {no comments}

By Retired SGM Vondell Brown, AW2 Advocate Support Branch

Warrior Games wheelchair basketball player SGT Kinga Kiss-Johnson prepares to take a shot.

SGT Kinga Kiss-Johnson wrote these words in magic marker on the belt of her wheelchair: “You can get there from here.” She explains that it was a big change from standing to sitting playing basketball; “life doesn’t stop” is what she sums that statement up with. Every time Kiss-Johnson sits in that chair, she sees and holds those words close to her as she straps herself in. Then it’s game on from there.

Kiss-Johnson is “KJ” on the Warrior Games Army wheelchair basketball team. She is very well loved. In fact, when the team won against the Marines the other day, SPC Juan Soto looked around and took count. He said, “Stop…where is “KJ”? Wait for ‘KJ’.” The team is not a team without “KJ” and her service dog, Balto. And soon, she and Balto completed the photo, with her dog lying down next to her.

It is remarkable that “KJ” plays basketball at all after sustaining her injuries. Kiss-Johnson was medically retired out of the Fort Gordon Warrior Transition Battalion (WTB) in November 2010, receiving 100% permanent disability ratingfor combat-related injuries, including TBI, PTSD, left and right hip injuries, and spinal cord injury. It has taken years for her to recover and is an ongoing process. A true inspiration.

Sports are in her blood—she has played basketball since she was a kid. She’s a natural athlete. Standing over 6 feet tall, she takes on any competitor on the court. I remember playing against her in at one of their practices and she telling me as I tried to enter into the paint, “this is my house, get out.” And that is exactly what I did.

I asked “KJ” about her prediction for the Army wheelchair basketball team at this year’s Warrior Games. She said, “Gold. We are here for no other reason.” And from the way they beat the Marines and Navy, I totally agree.

 

Finals are Only the Beginning

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 20, 2011 at 3:00 am {no comments}

By SSG Emily Anderson, WTC Stratcom

BG Darryl Williams stands with SPC Andy Kingsley, his family, and several members of the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, NC.

The tears rolled freely from her eyes onto the ground with a splash similar to the splashes of her nephew leaving the diving board to slice into the cool, crystal clear water at the Aquatics Center pool. Sandi Thomas was proud to say SPC Andy Kingsley was her nephew.

The Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Solider, a field artilleryman with the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC, was severely injured when he and his 13-Soldier artillery unit were attacked by a bombardment of mortars at a location about 50 miles from the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

When the mortars started, he rushed to a nearby shelter. Looking back, seeing the other members of his squad trailing, he stepped back out of the bunker to direct them inside. As the last Soldier entered the bunker, a mortar round exploded, launching Kingsley through the air.

Kingsley, a devoted high school wrestling and football athlete, did not let losing his right leg above the knee and suffering several other injuries, derail his opportunity to play and compete in sports. The Warrior Games gives him a chance to show not only himself, but everyone else, that if you try hard enough–you have no limits.

SPC Andy Kingsley after he finished one of his swimming races during the 2011 Warrior Games.

“When I was injured, I thought normal life was out of the question for me, and now look at me,” he said.

The three days a week swimming and strength training Kingsley did at the Warrior Transition Unit before the games helped him during his 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter backstroke, and 100-meter freestyle swimming events at the 2011 Warrior Games.

During the swimming preliminaries, he qualified in all three events and is heading to the finals proving that his hard work, training, and dedication paid off.

Along with the support from his Family, Kingsley also has the support from his previous unit. More than 20 Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division showed up to cheer him on during his competition.

Kingsley plans to return to Massachusetts and pursue a degree in zoology where he would like to work  training service dogs and other service animals for wounded warriors.

He also plans to start a youth organization to provide children positive time-tested ways to have fun while avoiding unnecessary conflict. This organization will incorporate the seven Army’s core values which he feels are essential in guiding children to be better citizens and keeping them mentally focused and physically healthy.

For now, he focused on the goal at hand. As the whistle blew, Kingsley’s aunt and grandmother Annie’s eyes froze on Kingsley. The hand-drawn sign stating ”Go for the gold Kingfish” was raised high in the air, moving from side to side. They knew Kingsley was in his element as he swam to the finish line.

 

It was Like Watching the Super Bowl

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 19, 2011 at 3:39 am {no comments}

By Patricia Sands, WTC Stratcom

The Army Warrior Games wheelchair basketball team celebrates after their win over the Marines on Tuesday.

I don’t know if anyone has told you, but there was a bit of rivalry between the Army and the Marines over the wheelchair basketball finals at last year’s Warrior Games. This is an understatement for sure. In fact, after shadowing the team this week, I realized that last night’s game was almost as important as winning the finals.

COL Greg Gadson, the Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Director, knew the importance of this game and talked to the team the morning before Tuesday’s game. He spoke to them as he did to the New York Giants before their 2008 Super Bowl win. He is an inspiration in word and deed. He not only talked the talk, he walked the walk. After talking to the team, he strapped himself into a wheelchair, moved among the ranks, and played with the team during their practice. As a double amputee himself, he told me, “They are tough and play a rough game. I took a few spills.”

Later that day, Gadson again showed his support as he took an anchor position at the end of the court. He held his position the entire game. I was with him and countless people told him he had a spot in the VIP room. However, he said he was staying courtside—right there at the battlefield.

Gadson is an ultimate competitor and if you have ever seen him, he embodies the entire U.S. Army persona in a single Soldier. I can only imagine the intimidation factor the Marines felt as they whizzed by his powerful presence at the end of their side of the court. Yet, he didn’t say a word to anyone. He knew these players had their marching orders from their coaches. That said, the coaches and the team had a tough first half. It went back and forth a bit more than I liked. The tension was very high.

I can tell you of an endearing moment that I witnessed during the game. There was a missed basket. SGT Delvin Maston, one of the Army wheelchair basketball players, gritted his teeth as he rolled by Gadson. In a split second, Gadson locked eyes with the young SGT, nodded, and Maston returned the nod.  It was clear what Gadson was communicating—“Shake it off. Reset. Get going. It’s ok. Try again. I am with you.” The silence between them was very full.

Army Warrior Games wheelchair basketball player SGT Delvin Maston looks to make a pass during the team’s game against the Marines.

The coaches and the players learned their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses to maximize their positions. It was a brilliant game of high energy and strategy. Coach Garner said it was a speed game and that the Army team had to adjust many times. Their adjustments worked and the tables turned. The Army team won the game and the crowds went crazy. They rushed the players and ran onto the court to join in the celebration of their victory. With the mission complete, Gadson left the battlefield.

Gadson shows support like he did that night and more 24/7 as he directs AW2. He oversees more than 170 AW2 Advocates in the field who assist severely wounded, ill, and injured Army Soldiers, Veterans, and their Families as they recover and succeed in all phases of their lives. These AW2 Advocates provide personalized assistance for the most severely wounded, ill, and injured.

To learn more about the AW2 program please visit the AW2 website. If you are part of an organization that supports severely wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans, learn more about how you can continue supporting through the AW2 Community Support Network. Get involved.

 

SGT Regan Won’t Be Stopped By a Coma, Traumatic Brain Injury, or Gunshot Wound

Filed under Warrior Games by on May 18, 2011 at 2:31 pm {one comment}

By Vondell Brown, AW2 Advocate Support Branch

Retired SGT David Regan running.

Retired SGT David Regan competed in the 2011 Warrior Games to illustrate that his training means more than competition, it defines his life.

The stride that you see is just a glimpse of AW2 Veteran retired SGT David Regan as he prepared to compete for the gold in the 200-meter and 800-meter run yesterday at the 2011 Warrior Games.

“I came to the Warrior Games last year at the direction of the leadership of my unit and ended up with the bronze medal in the 400-meter run,” said Regan of Portland, OR, who was injured in January 2009 during a route clearing mission outside Sadr City, Iraq.

Regan who was shot twice in his leg, sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, and spent over four months in a coma, still has the intestinal fortitude, personal courage, and espirit-de-corp to compete in this year’s Warrior Games. Regan remembers his first dealings with the public since his accident. He was asked by Impact A Hero, a nonprofit organization, to throw the first pitch at the Cincinnati Red Socks spring training game. Regan explained, “This was the turnaround point in my therapy to recovery.”

I had the privilege of watching Regan train this week at the McKibben Fitness Center, Fort Carson, CO. Regan has a rigorous training program consisting of eating a small healthy breakfast, consisting of lots of fruit and juices, followed by two and a half hours of cardio training and ending with two hours of weight training in the evening.

Regan wants to pursue a degree in physical therapy so that he can give back to wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and Veterans by helping them recover from their injuries. He received a scholarship from AW2 Community Support Member Sentinels of Freedom, and will be attending Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN.

Although Regan is greatly inspired by his fellow warriors, he said nothing inspires him more than his two-year-old daughter, Taylor. “I had to compete to show my daughter and my fellow warriors that quitting is not an option.”

Yesterday, I witnessed Regan give his best. With each stride, he took an additional step forward in his journey to challenge himself athletically and in his life. Although, Regan did not place, he gained something greater than a medal. He gained proof that he can apply himself. He gained proof that he can demonstrate to his daughter Taylor, that crossing the finish line in life is all that matters.

AW2 Soldier’s Life After Injury

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 18, 2011 at 12:01 am {no comments}

By SSG Emily Anderson, WTC Stratcom

SSG Marcia Morris-Roberts, an Army Warrior Games swimmer mentally prepares to compete in the 50-meter freestyle swimming event.

As I sit at the pool, listening to the chatter and the cheers of the athletes who are competing in the 2011 Warrior Games swimming events, I start to think if I were in their situation, would I have the courage to do what they are doing? Would I be able to embrace what has happened to me and show that it is not stopping me from accomplishing new goals? Would I be able to inspire and motivate another person by just talking about my injuries and explaining how this has not crushed my spirit, but only made me stronger?

The swimming competitors are coming together to train and hone in and sharpen their skills. While they practice diving into the pool, racing against each other, and working on their swimming techniques, the phrase “There is no such thing as handicapped, we are handi-capable,” is showcased throughout the training sessions. One AW2 Soldier in particular, SSG Marcia Morris-Roberts, uses this as her own personal motto.

Morris-Roberts, who will be competing in the 50-meter freestyle swim event, had a difficult year. In February 2010, when leaving for Smyrna, TN to receive additional training as a supply specialist, the military specialty she had been working in for the past two of her sixteen year career, she had no way of knowing what was in store for her.

While attending her training course, Morris-Roberts began to develop mysterious symptoms. “I was so cold and my fingers and toes were turning purple and causing a terrible pain,” Morris-Roberts said. “At first I thought it was just a symptom of me having lupus. I thought it would get better if I better managed taking my medicine, but it only got worse.”

After the month-long training course was over, Morris-Roberts made the trip back to her home in Georgia. When she went into work the next day, she was still in pain.

“It felt like a pit bull had bit my foot. I finally decided to go to the doctor, to figure out what was going on,” she said. “I knew if I went during my training course the doctors would admit me to the hospital because of my lupus. I would have failed the course because you can’t miss more than eight hours. ”

After several visits with physicians, she learned that it wasn’t her lupus, it was frost-bite and she was suffering the onset of gangrene. Eventually, she had to have her left leg, one toe from her right foot, and her third finger on her right hand amputated.

“The amputation was ultimately my decision,” she said. “I didn’t want them to keep cutting section by section, so I just told them to take the leg.”

Morris-Roberts has not let what happened in the past year keep her from having a positive outlook and looking for the silver lining.

“I appreciate the opportunity to participate and share with others,” Morris-Roberts said. “Even though we are physically challenged, we are still human and can do anything.”

“My goal is to become a motivational speaker. I’ve always wanted to wear a smile on my face,” she added. “Through hard work and perseverance, I want to motivate people.”

“It’s just amazing the things you see people work their way through,” she said. “I really want to assist Soldiers with injuries more serious than mine and help them find their way with the support of their Families.”

Growing up, she was a cheerleader, played softball and basketball. She was also an avid cyclist, and rollerbladed regularly. She also said participating and competing in sports helps her to feel normal. She continues to work out several times a week and maintains a very active lifestyle.

“Adaptive sports are a great tool for the physically challenged and what better way to show our therapists the hard work has paid off,” Morris-Roberts said. “The team building and camaraderie keeps everyone motivated.”

“I’m participating in Warrior Games to challenge and motivate myself and show other amputees that they can do the same and more,” Morris-Roberts explained. “I am inspired to compete in the Warrior Games as a personal challenge.”

Morris-Roberts’ ultimate goals are to continue serving in the Army as a model Soldier and have a positive impact by inspiring others.

“I love the military and take my career seriously. I plan to get better, stay focused, participate in team building events, and be a beacon to light the paths of other Soldiers,” she said. “I’ll be that light that inspires others to be better than they were.”

Editor’s Note: SSG Marcia Morris-Roberts also competed in the shot put sitting field event on Tuesday and earned a silver medal.

 

Swimming Training Boosts Competitor’s Rehabilitation

Filed under Adaptive Sports, Warrior Games by on May 13, 2011 at 3:53 pm {one comment}

By SSG Emily Anderson, WTC Stratcom

SSG Stefanie Mason, right, and her fraternal twin sister, Jennifer Mason after swimming practice at the Schlessman Natatorium on the Colorado College campus in Colorado Springs, CO.

SSG Stefanie Mason, an AW2 Soldier, will never forget the date April 20, 2010. This was the day her whole life changed.

While deployed to Kabul with the 354th Civil Brigade as a civil affairs specialist, SSG Mason was involved in a vehicular accident. The vehicle was going 50 mph when it hit a cement wall head-on.

SSG Mason, who was in the passenger seat and wearing her seatbelt, went head first into the windshield. She was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury and sustained nine head fractures, a torn muscle behind her eye that still causes double vision, and a shattered tibia. She now has two plates in her right leg.

However, these injuries have not stopped SSG Mason. Thirteen months later, she is walking, something her doctors told her she would not be able to do, and vigorously training to compete in the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter backstroke swimming events in the 2011 Warrior Games.

“The Warrior Games is very exciting and wonderful experience. It’s a privilege to be here, because not many people get to experience this,” SSG Mason said. “I’m honored to be nominated to represent the Army and look forward to competing in the games.”

“I’ve always been competitive, and before the accident, I was a great runner. I actually ran the Army 10-Miler,” she added. “The Warrior Games has given me a chance to compete competitively again.”

During training week, SSG Mason, along with the other Army swimming competitors, are practicing their freestyle and backstroke styles and learning new techniques to use during the competition.

“It is physically demanding and I’m being pushed to my limits, but I’m hoping to do well in the Warrior Games and be a great inspiration,” SSG Mason said. “The games help us to look further and to achieve something.”

Before training week, SSG Mason was swimming several times a week including one-on-one swimming sessions with the Warrior Games Army swimming coach.

“I gained about 20 pounds while I was injured, so I wanted to see if I could get back into swimming to get in shape since I couldn’t run anymore,” said SSG Mason, who was on the swim team in high school. “The Warrior Games swimming coach saw me swimming and told me about the Warrior Games. I thought it sounded nice, so I tried out and made the Army’s team.”

According to Jennifer Mason, Stefanie’s fraternal twin sister and non-medical caregiver, the Warrior Games has been very beneficial for her

SSG Stefanie Mason, a Warrior Games Army swimmer, practicing her backstroke during a training session on Tuesday.

sister.

“I think her training for the Warrior Games has helped her get better. It’s great to see her silly, happy-go-lucky personality again,” Jennifer said. “I think her recovery would have taken a lot longer if she didn’t have this to work toward.”

“Growing up we have always been heavily involved in sports,” Jennifer added. “She knows she has an obstacle to overcome, but she doesn’t think of it that way. She is setting her mind toward something, and focusing non-stop. Stefanie has worked very hard to get where she is today. I’m very proud of her. It’s inspiring to see her and the other Soldiers competing.”

SSG Mason credits swimming for motivating her to push through her injuries. It continues to be an inspiration.

“Swimming has been great for me. It has helped me get better physically and mentally because it challenges me,” SSG Mason said. “It teaches me to be tough regardless of disability and makes me focus on my abilities.”

SSG Mason continues to take it one day at a time. She is determined to do her best and make the most of competing in the Warrior Games.

Page 6 of 44« First...«3456789»102030...Last »
RSS feed

Write a blog for WTC

Warriors in Transition can submit a blog by e-mailing WarriorCareCommunications [at] conus.army.mil.