JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program will host a Warrior CARE Event Jan. 8-12 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph where more than 150 wounded, ill or injured service men and women from across the nation are expected to participate.
CARE is an acronym for caregiver support, adaptive sports and resiliency programs, recovering Airman mentorship and employment and career readiness.
CARE events provide recovering service members, veterans and their caregivers personalized service through caregiver support training, adaptive and rehabilitative sports events, Recovering Airman Mentorship Program training, employment and career guidance, music and art therapy as well as other training and therapy opportunities.
“These events help our wounded warriors build confidence and learn life improvement skills as they continue along the road to recovery,” said Marsha Gonzales, Warrior Care Support Branch chief at the Air Force’s Personnel Center. “Many of the participants have overcome tremendous adversity just to be here. Hosting this event gives us the opportunity to honor and support their sacrifices. We’re proud to be a part of it. ”
The most physical component of the event will be the adaptive and rehabilitative sports portion, which helps wounded warriors by promoting mental and physical wellness and teamwork. Wounded warriors will train and compete in wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, swimming, air pistol and rifle shooting, archery, cycling and track-and-field competitions including shot-put, discus and running events. This CARE event is the last introductory sporting event before the 2018 Air Force Trials, which selects the Air Force team for the 2018 Department of Defense Warrior Games.
Opening ceremonies will be held at the Rambler Fitness Center on Randolph Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. The CARE event ends Jan. 12 at the Rambler Fitness Center with sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball scrimmages between wounded warriors from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Army. The closing ceremonies are at 4 p.m. following the scrimmages and will include a Rock to Recovery musical performance.
The AFW2 Program hosts six CARE events a year in six different U.S. regions. The program also hosts the Air Force Wounded Warrior Trials and supports the Department of Defense Warrior Games and supplies athletes for the Invictus Games, an annual international competition created by the United Kingdom’s Prince Harry in 2014. Visit www.woundedwarrior.af.mil for more information. People can also follow the AFW2 Program on Facebook www.facebook.com/airforcewoundedwarrior and Twitter www.twitter.com/afw2.
The AFW2 Program is administered by AFPC and includes non-medical care managers and other professionals who work with wounded warriors, their families and caregivers to help guide them through various day-to-day challenges. The care managers coordinate with recovery care coordinators who are strategically placed at bases throughout the Air Force.
For more information about Air Force personnel programs, go to myPers. Eligible individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions.