Team Navy Prepares for 2013 Warrior Games

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