Sgt. 1st Class David Hong personifies the Warrior Games spirit of recovery and determination. His journey to the games started at the Soldier Recovery Unit, or SRU, at Fort Carson, Colorado. It ultimately led him to the 2025 Army Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he competed in the men’s road cycling competition. Hong said the road to the games was paved with support from his community, including a team of doctors, coaches, advocates and loved ones, as well as a firm grounding in his spiritual resilience.
“Our Family quote is, ‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.’ Ephesians 6:10. It was faith in the Lord that helped me mentally, physically and spiritually,” he said.
During the Army Trials, over 60 wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans competed in various sports and activities. The event assessed and qualified athletes for this summer’s Warrior Games competition.
Hong served 16 years of active duty as a Senior Religious Affairs Noncommissioned Officer, with deployments to Afghanistan (2019) and tours in Korea (2011, 2020). He arrived at Fort Carson’s Soldier Recovery Unit in September 2023 to receive support after a cancer diagnosis and orthopedic injuries to both knees. In recent years, he has undergone nine major surgeries and 23 chemotherapy treatments. He said his time at the unit has been a battle to fight cancer, to take care of his special-needs daughter and to prepare for his transition out of the Army.
“The team of the SRU, Evans Hospital, my Family, nurse case manager and coaches have provided all the care to help my Family and I get through this,” he said.
The Army Recovery Care Program uses SRUs to manage recovery and advanced-care needs for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers. SRUs offer adaptive reconditioning programs that help strengthen Soldiers’ bodies and minds. The programs provide a wide variety of activities that can supplement a Soldier’s recovery and improve their well-being. Adaptive sports—sports modified for people with physical disabilities—can further enhance the rehabilitation process.
“The adaptive sports have truly helped me become positive, motivated, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually strong,” Hong said.
By participating in them, he has built resilience to cope with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea and severe neuropathy. “It helped me become part of something greater than myself. It truly helped me become motivated to keep fighting all my illnesses through my (behavioral health) issues and also cancer,” he said.
The 2025 DOD Warrior Games, hosted by U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, were held July 18–26 at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Hong competed in track and field, cycling and rowing. He will now undergo further surgery to treat his cancer. Through modified equipment and special classification systems, any athlete can compete at the Warrior Games, regardless of their injury or illness. The games are more than just a competition; they aim to inspire recovery while encouraging athletes to grow and build strength in their bodies and minds.
“I am honored to serve my country not only as a Soldier but as an athlete. It has created a drive for me to be part of this great community that will care for me and my Family after my military career,” Hong said.
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