Soldier showcases resilient spirit at Army Trials

By Annette Coward, Warrior Transition CommandMarch 10, 2016

Army Trials at Fort Bliss
U.S. Army Maj. Pierre Larkin, Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Belvoir, Va., prepares to shoot during a wheel chair basketball assessment exercise at the Joshua W. Soto Physical Fitness Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, March 6. More than 100 wounded, i... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BLISS, Texas -- Maj. Pierre Larkin has dedicated more than 30 years to the military, serving in multiple branches including the Army.

Scheduled for retirement in mid-March, he's currently hoping to represent his country again by earning a spot on Team Army for the 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games.

His first step to obtaining this goal requires participating in Army Trials. The event is being held at Fort Bliss, March 6-10 with more than 100 Army Athletes competing in archery, basketball, cycling, track and field, swimming, shooting, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

Larkin has his eyes set on multiple sports including cycling, air rifle, shotput, archery and wheelchair basketball.

The Chicago, Illinois native says he first developed a love for these sports while recovering at the Warrior Transition Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. During a deployment to Iraq in 2005, Larkin witnessed the loss of several Soldiers in a blast caused by an improvised explosive device. He says it changed his life forever.

"I was just talking to the Soldiers about their safety the day it happened," Larkin said. "There was a great deal of sadness of course, anxiety, fear, we lost so many comrades. It changes you," he added.

Larkin channeled his sadness into his recovery.

"The WTB has been incredible in providing venues for recovery. The behavioral specialists I dealt with were amazing. This is exactly what the Army needs to help soldiers recover," Larkin said.

He credits adaptive sports for aiding in his continuous recovery.

"That program is beyond amazing. It's a lifesaving experience. It introduced me to several other sports I might not have tried. I love hunting now, golf, shotput and discus. I'm even thinking about snowboarding," he laughed.

"Those sports will help you with concentration and focus. The only person in your head you have to beat is you," he added.

"Adaptive sports help you continue that competitive spirit and camaraderie we soldiers are born with and continue with in boot camp," he continued.

During Army Trials, coaches are assessing participants on skill levels, team participation and technique. Larkin's current focus is a team victory on the wheelchair basketball court, a sport he calls one of his newest "sport endeavors."

"This is an amazing cardio workout, high energy level, arm strength and endurance and a lot of push comes from the guys on the team," Larkin explained. "You have to treat that chair as if it were your legs. It's quite an interesting dynamic. Communication is key just like anything else you participate in."

But for Larkin, participating at Army Trials is bigger than scoring points on the court.

"I think of my beautiful daughter Miya and how much she means to me and that I'm still here to see her grow up," Larkin said. "I also think about the guys we lost when I think life is really bad. The loss really puts things in perspective. I am here and very blessed."

Team Army will compete at the Department of Defense Warrior Games, June 14-22, at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.