Players and staff from the Princeton University basketball team pose for a group picture with members of the Tripler Army Medical Center Physical and Occupational Therapy clinics Dec. 7. The team and staff took some time to visit the hospital befor...

Maj. Jose Durbin, Chief of the Tripler Army Medical Center Physical Therapy service, discusses common injury's and therapy techniques with players from the Princeton University basketball team during their visit Dec. 7. The team and staff took some ...

Maj. Jason Judkins, Assistant Chief of the Occupational Therapy Clinic at Tripler Army Medical Center, performs assisted stretching techniques on 1st Lt. David Espinoza, a member of Charlie Company, 65th Brigade Engineer Battalion for Princeton baske...

HONOLULU -- The Princeton University basketball team and staff took some time to visit Tripler Army Medical Center, also known as TAMC, Dec. 5 before playing in the 2016 Pearl Harbor Invitational.

The team took a brief tour of the hospital and then met with patients and staff members of the TAMC Physical and Occupational Health clinics.

"We welcome these opportunities to meet and talk with those outside the military to share how we take care of our service members and their families," said Maj. Jose Durbin, Chief of the TAMC Physical Therapy service. "To interact with athletes is especially rewarding as we share so much in common."

The team was in Hawaii as a player in the invitational that was held in the historic Bloch arena on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Dec. 6 and 7 as part of the 75th commemoration of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"It was great talking to some of these Soldiers," said Princeton University forward, Jackson Forbes. "The Soldiers are very humble. They give a lot and they ask for very little. It's inspiring"

The Princeton team went on to lose their first game of the invitational, but won the second against the University of Hawaii. However, for many of the players and staff, that won't be the only memory they are taking away from this trip.

"It has been really great being able to do these tours with the military," said Chris Mongilia, Director of Basketball Operations for Princeton University. "Seeing the discipline and dedication each Service Member displays and how they become brothers and sisters and a family together has been really good for us as a team."

"Military and athletes alike understand what it means to sacrifice and hold you accountable to the greater good of an organization or team," said Durbin. I hope the players were able to get a small glimpse of how we go about caring for our patients and returning them to full function, while promoting overall health and wellness."