Noteboom The Law Firm

Warfighter Challenge Hosts Extreme Events for Disabled Veterans

August 16, 2010 - Putting amputees on top of Mount Kilimanjaro, a 19,340 foot tall mountain and the highest peak in Africa, takes some planning. Getting the amputees up the peak, however, is on them - especially when they are veterans participating in the Warfighter Sports Challenge.

The Warfighter Sports Challenge includes 7 extreme events and is designed for permanently disabled veterans. Disabled Sports USA is a nonprofit and runs the challenge as part of their "sports-as-therapy" program, which they offer to both soldiers and civilians. The events include:

• A 26-mile desert run;
• A 100-mile bike ride;
• Mountain climbing; and
• A 90-mile team event, which includes kayaking, downhill skiing, and mountain biking.

The Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project pays for all its equipment, travel, and other associated fees 100% through donations. The program started in 2003 and is limited to those soldiers and veterans who: 

• Lost limbs or eyesight; or
• Have suffered serious brain and/or spinal cord injuries.

The Warfighter Challenge is in its first year and is designed to rebuild confidence in soldiers and veterans following a disabling injury. The Kilimanjaro climb is done with a guide, and the people that have faced it speak of the incredible motivation it gives them. Blind veterans running the 26-mile desert run hold a shoelace attached to a guide who describes the terrain.

Participating in sports programs has been shown to build confidence in soldiers. More than 3,000 soldiers have been involved in the Wounded Warriors Disabled Sports Project. As word spreads of the events, however, the numbers will undoubtedly continue to grow.