FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Army Spc. Laurel Cox often describes herself as a free spirit, but a few minutes with her, and her self-description seems anything but that.
The 24-year-old grew up 100 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. in Stanardsville, Va.
When she wasn't tending to dairy cows on her family's 400-acre farm, Cox was participating in 4-H, where she earned a 4-H All Star, which is considered the highest honor in the organization. In addition to these activities, Cox played softball and lead the pep squad as a cheerleader at William Monroe High School.
"I go hard core, I don't do anything small," said Cox.
Emblazoned upon her right arm is a special tattoo that reads "Before you ask which way to go, remember where you've been."
Cox says she focuses on the words everyday and claims it serves as a testament to the way in which she lives each and every day of her life.
The Virginia native credits her older brother Chris for instilling within her an insatiable desire for living life to the fullest.
"My brother set the stage for my life. He inspired me. He's my everything, and he is my best friend. I wanted to do everything he did," stated Cox.
In January of 2012, Cox did that, following in her older brother's footsteps by joining the U.S. Army. She completed basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. followed by Advanced Individual Training as a 14E Patriot Fire Control Enhanced Operator/Maintainer at Fort Sill, Okla.
Later that year Cox's life changed dramatically. While stationed at Camp Carroll, South Korea for approximately 16 months, she sustained several injuries after a fall. This, on top of having been the victim of a physical assault, left her with PTSD.
"You wouldn't recognize me after my injuries, I completely shut down" said Cox.
During the winter of 2013, Cox was sent to the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) at Fort Belvoir, Va. where she became active in archery, air rifle, shot put, and discus activities.
It's the units support along with her family's strength she credits for giving her the will to move forward.
"When I'm around civilians, it's so different," Cox said. "There's something missing. Then I get around my comrades and they bring me back to where I left off. It's hard to explain." Cox added.
She says participating in adaptive sports has been a way to cope with day to day frustrations and a way to release her anger associated with PTSD.
Brightly decked out in her trademark pink archery attire Cox says there's a reason for the softer look as she looks forward to competition.
"Pink is my favorite color, it's a stress reliever, it has a calming effect and these warrior games are my motivation to get out of bed. I'm 24-years-old, and am far too young to slow down," said Cox.
For Cox, the Warrior Games are more than just a competition.
"The Command does a good job of making sure something good comes out of all this. It's giving me back something I had before the injuries," she added. "It's completely positive reinforcement, the camaraderie here is awesome, this is my second family, the recovery process is slow and I take it day to day, but it's a plus for soldiers" she concluded.
Cox plans on returning to her roots and putting her agricultural background to use once the games are history.
"My family has a traveling petting zoo and I really want to work with indoor gardening. "It's very therapeutic. " she said.
This is Cox's first competition at the Warrior Games.
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