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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Fort Bragg Army Community Service Exceptional Family Program Family Support hosted the Connected Champions event September 19 at Woodland Park, bringing Families, community partners and volunteers together for a day of inclusion, unity and fun, Through a variety of field-day activities, children of all abilities had opportunities to participate, connect and feel engaged in their community. (U.S. Army Photo by Audra Satterlee, Fort Bragg Army Community Service Specialist)
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Written by Casey Clark, Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program Manager
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — Those navigating the op tempo of military life typically develop exceptional resilience as a life skill very quickly, but it’s not an easy journey.
Military Families with special medical or intellectual needs experience daily pressures that, when compounded with the unique challenges of military life, can sometimes feel overwhelming and isolating, especially when their traditional support systems can reside hundreds to thousands of miles away. The Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program Family Support team is here to support all military Families with special needs.
This month, EFMP Family Support set out with a bold mission: to revive the spirit of the Special Olympics at Fort Bragg, but with a powerful twist. Instead of creating a special event just for our Families with special needs, EFMP hosted Connected Champions, a day of sports designed for all military children, embracing the idea that we are at our strongest when we stand together as one team.
During the event, the competitive spirit was electric. The fields came alive with laughter, cheers and the sweet sound of togetherness. The field-day style sporting events were carefully selected to ensure that every child, regardless of skill level, could participate and shine.
To ensure every child had the support they needed, EFMP partnered with ACS Installation Volunteer Services to pair special needs participants with dedicated "buddies." The response from the Fort Bragg community was overwhelming, bringing numerous partner agencies and volunteer “buddies” to the field to support our athletes as the ultimate cheerleaders.
During this event, the stigma of disability vanished, transforming a day of sports into an unforgettable celebration of inclusion. There were no labels, only athletes, Families and those supporting the inclusion. While the kids chased soccer balls and golf birdies, parents did something equally vital: they found their tribe. They met with agency resources who offer support and peers who truly understand the unique challenges of military special-needs parenting, forging life-long friendships and building a local safety net.
ACS hopes to make Connected Champions an annual tradition moving forward because at Fort Bragg, we don't just endure the struggle, we conquer it together.
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