Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) and Iolani High School hosted the Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) Team Trails from Feb. 21 to March 4 in adaptive sports and competitions.

NWW gives the opportunity for Sailors and Coast Guardsmen who are seriously wounded, ill and injured to compete in a variety of adaptive sports that provide reconditioning including archery, cycling, track and field, indoor rowing, powerlifting, shooting, swimming, wheelchair rugby, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball.

According to the NWW website, the adaptive sports and recreation program promotes the mental and physical well-being of wounded, ill, and injured service members as part of a larger continuum of care that service members receive through Navy Wounded Warrior.

The top athletes from these trails will be selected for a spot on Team Navy to advance and compete against all branches of the military at the Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games at in Orlando, Florida from June 21-30.

Formed in 2010, the DoD Warrior Games introduce wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans to Paralympic-style sports that showcases the resilient spirit of the athletes and compete in adaptive sports as part of their recovery journeys. 2024 will be the 14th anniversary of the games, as it highlights members representing the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and U.S. Special Operations Command.

“The Warrior Games celebrates the exceptional triumph over adversity that many of the athletes have been facing. After getting their diagnoses, many of these service members are told, ‘You can’t do that anymore,’ which is demoralizing, stated Lt. Cmdr. Teckolar Seals, the Navy Wounded Warrior program manager. “Through the adaptive sports program, they are told, ‘You still can but with some adjustments.’ Adaptive sports rebuild their self-esteem, which ripples into other parts of the service members’ personal and professional lives. They are steadfast and tenacious in a way that should inspire us all to keep going when faced with a challenge that seems unsurmountable.”

NWW organizes the non-medical care of Sailors and Coast Guardsmen and makes available the resources and support to families and caregivers along their path to recovery and gives them an opportunity to meet other wounded warriors who face similar challenges. Wounded warriors enrolled in NWW are encouraged to include adaptive sports in their recovery plans to build strength and endurance in order to build self-esteem, lower stress levels, and prevent secondary medical conditions from developing.

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen may self-refer to the NWW program or be referred by a family member, their command leadership, or their medical team. Contact the NWW call center at 1-855-NAVY-WWP/855-628-9997 or email [email protected] for more information. You can also follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/navywoundedwarrior.