View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2011/08/16/211277.htm
A team of 12 U.S. service members who were severely injured in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will compete in Oregon’s iconic 2011 Hood to Coast Relay race. “Team Warfighter Sports” is the only team of wounded military to participate in Hood to Coast, thanks to a sponsorship by Standard Insurance Company in partnership with Disabled Sports USA.
The veterans who will race have experienced loss of limb, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and other disabling injuries. Yet on August 26, 2011, armed with the latest technology and the support of their teammates, these undaunted warriors will challenge more than 1,200 other non-disabled teams in the competition of their lifetimes—the grueling 197-mile Hood to Coast relay race.
“These brave men and women’s dedication to living life to the fullest despite their disabilities is truly inspirational,” said Greg Ness, President and CEO of Standard, which is based in Portland, Ore. “Supporting partners that provide rehabilitation and opportunity for wounded warriors is an extension of The Standard’s values, and we’re excited to sponsor this incredible team.”
Disabled Sports USA’s Warfighter Sports program is a schedule of challenge events that help military members with permanent disabilities train for and challenge themselves in extreme and endurance sports.
“We’re excited to partner with The Standard and provide this team the opportunity to participate in this one-of-a-kind event,” said Kirk Bauer, executive director of Disabled Sports USA and a disabled Vietnam veteran who summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in 2010 with two amputee wounded warriors as part of Warfighter Sports. “After serving thousands of severely injured service members from Iraq and Afghanistan through rehabilitation sports programs for the past seven years, our disabled veterans are now yearning for an opportunity to test their skills to the extreme, as did in the military. Our Warfighter Sports program provides this—helping them to not just survive their injuries, but to thrive and achieve personal and professional success.”
Source: Standard Insurance Company.