HEIDELBERG, Germany -- The community is invited to come out and watch Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe Soldiers as they compete in the Warrior Games Commander's Cup competition Dec. 7.
The games will feature wounded, ill and injured Soldiers from across Germany and Italy in the adaptive sports of wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball at Heidelberg's Patton Barracks Gym. The opening ceremonies will take place at 8 a.m., with the Commander's Cup presentation scheduled for noon.
Adaptive sports are part of the reconditioning program used to help WTB-E Soldiers get back into condition, said Rehabilitation Therapy Technician Ryan Paddock. Paddock works with Soldiers from the WTB-E's A Company in the Kaiserslautern area and is coordinating the upcoming Commander's Cup event.
"This reinforces the fact that they're not broken, that they can still participate actively," Paddock said.
Each company -- including D Company in Vilseck, which also includes WTB-E Soldiers from Vincenza, Italy, and defending Commander's Cup champions C Company in Schweinfurt -- has hosted preliminary events leading up to the Dec. 7 finals.
In addition to wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball, the preliminary events included a marathon relay, cycling and archery, with each company amassing points based on their finishes in the events.
Paddock said he expects about 30 WTB-E Soldiers to compete at the Patton Barracks finals, but more than 100 of their comrades should also be there to help cheer them on.
"This is all friendly competition," said Staff Sgt. Khristopher Pelley, WTB-E operations noncommissioned officer and one of the event organizers. "This is a community event and we'd like to invite everybody to come out and watch."
The Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe provides mission command and administrative support to Soldiers requiring complex care; coordinates and synchronizes care, treatment and services; and promotes readiness for the Soldier and their family to transition back to the force or to civilian life.
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