The Navy's sitting volleyball team (see below) battles the Army at the inaugural Warrior Games at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Here, Laura Martinez, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Force Master Chief, leads the cheer. Nearly 200 wounded, ill, or injured personnel from all service branches compete in archery, cycling, track and field, swimming, shooting, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair basketball. The games are a part of the U.S. Navy's efforts to encourage all to feel empowered to reach their full potential.
Cheering on the warriors Photographed by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class R. Jason Brunson
The definition of diversity as it applies to the U.S. Navy is "all the different characteristics and attributes of individual Sailors and civilians that enhance the mission and readiness of the Navy." Programs such as the Warrior Games help to honor diversity by celebrating the achievement and abilities of injured service members through athletic competition. You can read more about the games at www.defense.gov. And you can learn about the U.S. Navy's diversity resources, observances, and affinity groups, among many other topics, at www.bupers.navy.mil.
