CHICAGO, ILLINOIS -- With the 2017 Department of Defense Warrior Games nearly two months away, U.S. Army Spc. and Team Army athlete Stephanie Morris joined athletes from Team Marine Corps, Team Navy and Team Special Operations Command in Chicago to participate in pre-event promotions. Spc. Morris is excited about the Warrior Games being held away from a military installation for the first time and the potential for it to put a spotlight on the wounded warrior population. "This year's Warrior Games being in Chicago provides an opportunity for people that may not be familiar with wounded warriors to come out and see what we can do," Morris said. "We got injured while serving our country, but we're not done. We're resilient and are overcoming our injuries and Warrior Games is a platform for people to see how far we've come and that we're not finished."

Morris, an Ohio native, has been to Chicago before, but has never seen some of its more iconic sites or the downtown area. This week she and the other athletes have seen it all as they participated in interviews and the production of a promotional video, shooting in locations across the Windy City. One of those locations was the legendary Soldier Field where the Warrior Games opening ceremony will take place. "Being at Soldier Field was amazing. All the history that's there and the fact that it's dedicated to Soldiers made it even more special."

Morris also did a short promotional video outside the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, a location she hopes to be at in July competing for gold in wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. "I want to win on the same floor as Michael Jordan," she laughed. "This has just been a great opportunity to see parts of Chicago I've never seen before and get to know athletes from some of the other teams."

After a week in Chicago promoting the Warrior Games, Morris will head back to Bethesda, Maryland and continue training for hand cycling, air rifle, seated discus and shotput, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

The 2017 DOD Warrior Games will take place this summer in Chicago June 30 -- July 8.