Bobby Green: The next chapter
By Annette P. Gomes, Warrior Care and Transition
ARLINGTON, Va. - Scrolling through U.S. Army retired Staff Sgt. Bobby Green's Facebook page is a lesson in inspiration for others and himself.
The avid athlete and former semi-pro football player is always looking for the next challenge.
After competing in the 2015 and 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games as well as the 2016 and 2017 Invictus Games, Green began to think about his future after his competition days were over.
"I knew I wouldn't be able to compete in adaptive sports forever, so I need to set myself up for success in the future. I can start now during the off season and pay it forward to other wounded warriors and civilians alike," Green said.
The retired Staff Sgt. recently passed his Level 1 Track and Field Coach Certification Test, the first test of many to come. Aside from running local sitting volleyball clinics and coaching semi-pro and youth football teams in San Antonio, Green has also dedicated himself to helping children in his community.
"This was very important to me, because I have never been a person that wants to settle, I want to achieve everything that I possibly can. I love a challenge and whenever I set one and accomplish it, I want to set another one and go for it," Green said. "I do not do this for myself, I also do it for my kids and try to set the best example that I can for them. Since I've attained my latest certification, I have received calls and messages to help kids from local schools during the offseason and get them ready for the track and field season coming up," Green added.
While Green enjoys coaching kids at the local schools, his ultimate goal is to coach wounded warrior athletes at the annual Department of Defense Warrior Games competition.
"Some of us might have the same injuries, illnesses etc., or we might not, but what remains the same is the fact that we are all in a situation that we never thought we would be in and we have to overcome it," Green said. "We are already in that small percentage that decided to join the military to begin with and now we have something else in common, you develop a bond that will be there forever. Although the challenges might be different, we can use our challenges and circumstances to help others. We become, 'Together by chance, United by choice,'" said Green.
Green says there's a deeper motive behind his passion for giving back.
"I compete, give back and live my life for those that can't. There was a time in my life that I wanted to end it all and I know that it would devastate my kids, loved ones and the memory of those that have passed already. I know that they would want me to continue living life to the fullest and succeed; not see me become another statistic (one of the 22 Soldiers that take their lives every day). The light bulb moment for me is being around other warriors and seeing them overcome the same dark state that I was in; this is what I am striving to do. You just push forward, "he concluded.
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