FORT BRAGG, N.C. - A blur of black and gold could be seen dashing and gliding on the wooden court. Roaring cheers from spectators could be heard throughout every square foot of the gymnasium.
Those on the court were Soldiers with the Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion, who competed in the Commander's Cup Challenge here, Jan 25.
The battalion serves as a community of recovery for service members transitioning to the civilian sector or back to duty. Even through all the rigorous adversity the service members face, the spirit of competition and resiliency was on full display for the Soldiers with the WTB.
The Commander's Cup Challenge consisted of basketball, adaptive wheelchair basketball and a variety of team-building events and exercises.
"The Commander's Cup serves two purposes" said Lt. Col. Steven G. Robins, Fort Bragg WTB commander. "It keeps Soldiers who are wounded, ill and injured competitive and active with some sort of camaraderie. It helps bring their spirit back."
Participation in the challenge provided Soldiers facing barriers an opportunity to build confidence.
"Morale was high," said Capt. Ashley Wilkins, Alpha Company commander, with the Fort Bragg WTB. "Soldiers here really enjoy having something to look forward too, working through physical ailments, and focusing on what they can do, not what they can't do."
The U.S. Army's Warrior Care and Transition Program--of which the WTB is a major element--treats wounded, ill and injured soldiers through a comprehensive, Soldier-centric process of medical care, rehabilitation, professional development and achievement of personal goals, according to the U.S. Army Warrior Care and Transition web site at www.wct.army.mil
"Some Soldiers out there may not know a lot about the resources that we can provide for them," Wilkins said. "We can bring together a team to support their complex need for care as they transition."
As the challenge came to an end, Robins, the battalion's commander, gave insight on how service members in the WTB can achieve short-term and long-term goals in each of the six domains of the Army Comprehensive Transition Plan.
"While we take care of Soldiers individually here," Robins said, "the true purpose at this moment in time is to enable the readiness of the units. We are able to do this, in order to allow them to do what they're supposed to do: be ready to fight tonight."
For more information on the Fort Bragg Warrior Transitioin Battalion, go to www.wamc.amedd.army.mil/WTB
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