Navy

Feb 22, 2011

Warrior Games 2011 Team Training Camps And Selection Process Almost Complete

Al , , , , , Service Dogs, Veterans

Great picture of my friend Canine Companions for Independence graduate and former Marine Lance Weir with his service dog Auggie at the inaugural Marine Corps Trials at Camp Pendleton this week in preparation for this year’s Warrior Games:


Here’s the corresponding article:  “Wounded Marines compete for chance at ‘Warrior Games’”

Air Force had its training camp week before last in San Antonio and will announce its team soon: “Athletes Vie For Spot On Air Force Warrior Games Team”

I have a number of good AF friends who were at that camp and who I’m looking forward to seeing back here competing again this year. Unfortunately, my friend CCI grad Jason Morgan, who I’ve written so much about here, wasn’t able to go this year due to some serious health issues he’s recovering from.

Army just announced its team: “Army Announces 2011 Army Warrior Games Team”

And Navy just announced their team, too: “Wounded Warrior team selected”

As I’ve said many times, the inaugural Warrior Games last May were tremendous, and things are definitely shaping up for an even better and more competitive event here in Colorado Springs this year.

Sep 21, 2010

Warrior Games Coming Back To Colorado Springs In 2011

Al , , , , , Service Dogs

Warrior Games Coming Back To Colorado Springs In 2011

I’ve gushed over the inaugural Warrior Games held here at the Olympic Training Center and Air Force Academy back in May enough you already know how much I thought of them. (If you don’t, check here.)

So, I was more than a little pleased to see the official announcement yesterday that they are coming back again next May: “Officials Announce Warrior Games 2011“.  I’d definitely suggest watching the video – it’s 30 minutes, but gives you a really good feel for how things were this year plus the plan for next year.

BTW, Stacy Pearsall, who is in both the article and video, took the great picture of Jason Morgan and Napal in this post.

I’ve seen a lotta people who weren’t here for this year’s Games already talking about coming to them next year – all I can say is, if you’re even thinking about it, do it.  Granted, there’s only ever one “first”, but if it’s anything like that (and based on that video, no reason it shouldn’t be – could very well be even better), you definitely wanna be here.

May 20, 2010

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others

Al , , Veterans

In case it’s not real obvious which one (or you’re just a wiseguy):  one of us hasn’t been to space – me.

It was my great privilege and honor to spend a large portion of Monday and Tuesday this week with three astronauts from Space Shuttle mission STS-131 who just returned from space April 20th – Commander Navy Capt Alan Poindexter, Pilot Air Force Col Jim Dutton, and Mission Specialist Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger.

The occasion was a visit here to Colorado Springs including Challenger Middle School, Challenger Learning Center, Mountain View Elementary School, and the US Air Force Academy that was organized by my close friend Art Romero and which he very graciously allowed me to be a part of.

I’ve known Jim since he was a cadet at USAFA and I was on the staff over 20 years ago, Dex and Dottie I only met this week, but I’ll tell you this about all three of them. I honestly think you couldn’t meet three more impressive and truly just plain nice people on the planet (or I guess off the planet, too – that just rolled right off my tongue that way, I swear).  Although Dottie really has the edge there (sorry, guys) – I’d been told more than once before I met her that everybody just loves her, and now I understand why.

Beyond that, it was another tremendous experience and one of those once-in-a-lifetime things you feel very, very lucky to have been involved with.  That really doesn’t even begin to cover it, but it’s about all I know to say.

And just like I mentioned a few days ago when talking about Rocky Bleier, same thing applies here, too.  If you know me, you know at some point we’ll be talking about service dogs, especially for veterans, and Canine Companions for Independence, and you can bet that happened with my three astronaut friends as well.

Thanks again to everybody who made this possible, starting with Art.