OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- The 55th Wing is scheduled to host an Air Force Wounded Warrior caregiver support, adaptive and rehabilitative sports, recovering airman mentorship program and employment and career readiness event July 23 – 27, 2018 at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
These CARE events provide wounded, ill and injured recovering service members, veterans and their caregivers with focused and personalized training in caregiver support, recovering Airman mentorship and employment and career readiness classes.
All with base access are welcome to attend the events to include the opening and closing ceremonies and speaking events. The opening ceremony is planned for 8 a.m. July 23 at the Offutt Field House.
Event organizers have set up archery, air pistol and rifle shooting, cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball, and track and field competition including shot-put, discus and running events for the athletes.
The Wounded Warriors will have the opportunity to compete in adaptive and rehabilitative sports, share their stories through speaking events and engage in music, art and comedy programs.
“CARE events are opportunities for Warriors to own their recoveries and heal as a Warrior family,” said Tony Jasso, Air Force Personal Center AFW2 action officer at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. “Each CARE event challenges Warriors physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually. Each AFW2 staff member pours many hours of hard work into each CARE event as this job is a matter of the heart, not just a job.”
Throughout the week Wounded Warriors will be sharing their experiences and how they overcame the various challenges they have encountered. The speeches will be given in the 557th Weather Wing auditorium and other select locations throughout the base. These warrior speeches are open to all with base access.
“During the 2017 Air Force Wounded Warrior CARE event at Offutt I was able to attend one of the Warrior Speaks events,” said Senior Master Sgt. Joseph Cook, James M. McCoy Airman Leadership School commandant. “When the warrior stepped out onto the stage to tell their story I was shocked. It was a good friend and colleague of mine whom I had been stationed with at MacDill AFB for nearly six years. In all that time working alongside [him], I never knew his story until the day he shared it with everyone at Offutt.”
Warrior CARE events are not only intended to help the Wounded Warriors participating in these diverse events but also on the support staff aiding them through the challenges these warriors may experience now and later on in life.
“Witnessing warriors begin, continue, or complete their recovery means we as staff have a chance to grow because we helped our warriors through their recovery process,” said Roger Placido, AFPC outreach, marketing, and communication specialist at Randolph AFB. “I feel pride, ownership, and victorious when I see a warrior succeed.”