Page 18 - Thunderbolt Nov. 2 2016

18 November 2016 www.aerotechnews.com/lukeafb
Thunderbolt Story and photos by Senior Airman DEVANTE WILLIAMS
56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.
— Airmen from Luke Air Force Base assisted with the 2016 Department of Veterans Affairs National Veterans Sum- mer Sports Clinic Sept. 19 through 23 in San Diego.
More than 40 Airmen attended the clinic assisting disabled veterans. Sports activities, such as surfing, archery, sail-
ing, kayaking, cycling and rowing, proved rehabilitative for the particpants.
The veterans attending the event had a range of disabilities including amputated limbs, burns, neurological disorders, trau- matic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The event is a unique opportunity for veterans and active-duty servicemembers on medical hold to come into an environ- ment that allows them to do adaptive sports that help them re-transition into the lives they had before their injuries,” said Tristan Heaton, clinic director.
Veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan at- tended the clinic. The National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic brings veterans together for recreational opportunities that compliment rehabilitation, while improving physical, mental and emo- tional fitness.
Thunderbolts have been volunteering since 2010 to help make the clinic enjoy- able for the veterans.
“Luke Airmen are an amazing group of people who allow us to have volunteers at
all venues,” Heaton said. “Without their help, our program would be seriously limited in its overall effectiveness.”
The sports clinic is an incredible op-
portunity for injured combat veterans
and for Airmen at Luke Air Force Base to
serve, according to Senior Airman Koraye
Williams, 56th Comptroller Squadron
finance technician. Volunteers http://www.luke.af.mil A surf instructor shows veterans how to stand up on a surfboard Sept. 19 during the National Disabled Veterans Summer Sports Clinic held Sept. 19 through 23 at San Diego. The clinic gave veterans an opportunity to challenge themselves through education and recreational activities. More than 40 Luke Air Force Base Thun- derbolts attended the clinic to assist disabled veterans.
“This is my third time going and it’s an amazing every time,” he said. “It’s an un- believable feeling to help out the veterans. They have given so much to our country and deserve the time to heal.”
Photos by Senior Airman Devante Williams
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