FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote "Nothing external to you has any power over you." It's a lesson in personal growth that Capt. Joe Colón Jr., parachute rigger out of Fort Bragg and archery finalist in the June 19-29 Warrior Games, learned bit by bit over the course of transitioning after a jump injury.
For Colón, however, the wound was sustained not through a hard landing in the drop zone, but from an ill timed jump during a pick-up basketball game. Occurring just days before his Army Reserve unit was set to deploy to Djibouti Colón instead found himself bound for the Warrior Transition Unit (WTU) facility at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
Sidelined by his fibular fracture and ligament damage the Puerto Rico native fell into a state of depression. Colón also felt deeply ashamed being around other Soldiers in the WTU whom he said had "legitimate" war wounds. That guilt soon became all-consuming.
Though his reserve team remained supportive of Colón he couldn't help but feel as if he had let them down.
At Fort Eustis Colón was approached by Sammy Nates, WTU adaptive sports coordinator, who asked what sports he would be interested in pursuing. With a bulky cast upon his left leg Colón was presented with the idea of participating in air rifle or pistol competition. After giving them both a try the sports coordinator then asked Colón about archery.
As it happens the only time Colón had ever in his life fired a bow and arrow was as a Boy Scout growing up in Lebanon, New Hampshire. The second place finish that he enjoyed in an archery competition is fondly remembered by him years later and, when Colón's cast was finally removed, he decided to give the compound bow a try.
One week after acquiring his new bow Colón had it specially designed to his physical specifications. "The thing about a compound bow is that it's a very intimate piece of equipment," said Colón. "Everything about it, including the draw, is tailored to the individual shooter."
Despite his only having taken up archery this year Colón finds himself competing for a medal in the 2015 Warrior Games. In addition to rediscovering his talent for propelling arrows with finesse and accuracy Colón credits Sports Coordinator Nates, Jessie White, archery coach, and the staff of the WTU for his rapid success. "The WTU does an amazing job with tailoring the care that we receive," said Colón. "They get us moving as quickly as possible. It certainly worked in my case."
Colón appreciates the irony of archery, a martial art, instilling within him a sense of order and personal peace. According to Colón his time and energies are now taken up with a set of processes, enabling him to regain a sense of control over his life.
"The beautiful thing about these processes is that it actually translates very well to my other transition goals. When I return to the civilian world I realize that there exists a very methodical way in which I can go about my work." With plans of entering into business the 36-year-old Colón says that as long as he respects those steps, "success will come."
At the WTU Colón made a host of transition goals. Foremost among them is never falling back into a state of depression and opening himself up to new opportunities. In order to go about setting these goals he had to swallow his pride and permit others to instruct him as to the approach that he was taking.
It also meant letting down his guard and showing his vulnerabilities. Sometimes in life, said Colón, it's all a matter of "getting out of your own way."
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