1 00:00:00,230 --> 00:00:02,670 This is the first call the first call 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,160 for event 21 a OK . Walk it down guys . 3 00:00:10,270 --> 00:00:12,440 I was medically retired 13 years ago 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,350 from the United States Navy after 5 00:00:14,350 --> 00:00:16,461 serving 20 years in the United States 6 00:00:16,461 --> 00:00:18,239 Navy band in Washington D . C . 7 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:20,350 Weighing up , split the shoulders and 8 00:00:20,350 --> 00:00:23,520 split . I remember you know , being 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:25,520 really sad and going , oh what am I 10 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:29,220 gonna do ? Fast 11 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:31,109 forward ? I'm the adaptive sports 12 00:00:31,109 --> 00:00:33,164 coordinator at walter reed under the 13 00:00:33,164 --> 00:00:35,331 military adaptive sports program . D . 14 00:00:35,331 --> 00:00:37,442 H . A . So we're drinking water so we 15 00:00:37,442 --> 00:00:39,331 stay hydrated because we're gonna 16 00:00:39,331 --> 00:00:41,670 launch in about 15 minutes . So it's a 17 00:00:41,670 --> 00:00:43,640 windy course . It's beautiful and 18 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:45,807 they'll be both passing each other and 19 00:00:45,807 --> 00:00:47,862 doing our stuff . So we want to keep 20 00:00:47,862 --> 00:00:50,084 our eyes in the boat right ? We want to 21 00:00:50,084 --> 00:00:49,670 stay focused on growing together . 22 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,902 We're moving together as a team right ? 23 00:00:51,902 --> 00:00:54,290 Growing in the eight today . Uh I guess 24 00:00:54,290 --> 00:00:56,490 we got our race in a little over an 25 00:00:56,490 --> 00:00:58,490 hour . This is our last race of the 26 00:00:58,490 --> 00:01:00,546 season . Looking forward to having a 27 00:01:00,546 --> 00:01:02,712 good race out here . I found rowing as 28 00:01:02,712 --> 00:01:04,879 a sport to help me with non impact and 29 00:01:04,879 --> 00:01:06,823 something that was very similar to 30 00:01:06,823 --> 00:01:09,101 being in the military because his team , 31 00:01:09,101 --> 00:01:11,101 the crew is an incredibly difficult 32 00:01:11,101 --> 00:01:12,990 sport . You have to be in perfect 33 00:01:12,990 --> 00:01:15,212 synchronicity with your teammates . You 34 00:01:15,212 --> 00:01:17,434 have to have incredibly strong legs and 35 00:01:17,434 --> 00:01:19,546 arms and you go in there and you work 36 00:01:19,546 --> 00:01:21,768 hard and you get off and you go , oh my 37 00:01:21,768 --> 00:01:23,990 goodness , that was a lot . But I had a 38 00:01:23,990 --> 00:01:26,101 fun time doing it . This is Jeff . He 39 00:01:26,101 --> 00:01:28,323 is one of our bed leaders . He's a army 40 00:01:28,323 --> 00:01:29,990 veteran , what it really is a 41 00:01:29,990 --> 00:01:31,768 phenomenal sport for developing 42 00:01:31,768 --> 00:01:33,879 teamwork and overall individual depth 43 00:01:33,879 --> 00:01:36,101 of character . This is a place not only 44 00:01:36,101 --> 00:01:38,323 for recovery for when you're out on the 45 00:01:38,323 --> 00:01:40,490 water , but also creating community no 46 00:01:40,490 --> 00:01:42,657 matter where you go , it's very hard . 47 00:01:42,657 --> 00:01:44,879 A lot of times veterans to integrate in 48 00:01:44,879 --> 00:01:48,390 into community , you sticking me 49 00:01:48,390 --> 00:01:49,810 up , 50 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,680 get on there , help me help me , 51 00:01:57,250 --> 00:02:00,170 help me all veteran up realizing that 52 00:02:00,170 --> 00:02:02,392 there's other people dealing with other 53 00:02:02,392 --> 00:02:04,559 situations but they're still making it 54 00:02:04,559 --> 00:02:06,614 happen . That was kind of , that was 55 00:02:06,614 --> 00:02:08,837 eye opening for me because it helps you 56 00:02:08,837 --> 00:02:10,948 transition to being able to work with 57 00:02:10,948 --> 00:02:12,837 others at the same time have that 58 00:02:12,837 --> 00:02:15,059 underlying work ethic as a veteran , as 59 00:02:15,059 --> 00:02:17,226 a service member and this , this helps 60 00:02:17,226 --> 00:02:19,392 equip life skills , social skills in a 61 00:02:19,392 --> 00:02:21,392 lot of ways you might not initially 62 00:02:21,392 --> 00:02:23,503 think get out and enjoy the beauty of 63 00:02:23,503 --> 00:02:25,559 nature , the beauty of team spirit , 64 00:02:25,559 --> 00:02:27,781 the confidence that comes with it as an 65 00:02:27,781 --> 00:02:29,781 individual , all of which is voting 66 00:02:29,781 --> 00:02:31,892 well for that transition that happens 67 00:02:31,892 --> 00:02:33,837 is someone continues on with their 68 00:02:33,837 --> 00:02:36,170 career , although with some adjustments , 69 00:02:36,170 --> 00:02:39,000 last row of the season , No limits in 70 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,890 212 , no limits . Let's 71 00:02:41,890 --> 00:02:44,750 go 72 00:02:45,570 --> 00:02:48,210 rowing for me is a peaceful place . You 73 00:02:48,210 --> 00:02:50,432 know , we all have our struggles and we 74 00:02:50,432 --> 00:02:52,543 all have our different dynamics and I 75 00:02:52,543 --> 00:02:54,488 struggle with that every day , not 76 00:02:54,488 --> 00:02:56,599 wanting just to go isolate and I love 77 00:02:56,599 --> 00:02:58,654 the rowing community because it does 78 00:02:58,654 --> 00:03:00,710 offer that place for it to be a real 79 00:03:00,710 --> 00:03:02,710 community . Got me outside , got me 80 00:03:02,710 --> 00:03:01,940 doing something . I didn't know that I 81 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:03,920 was capable of doing . It helps me 82 00:03:03,930 --> 00:03:06,630 every day . I'm like wow I was really 83 00:03:06,630 --> 00:03:09,200 sad yesterday and this has given me 84 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,090 that that reminder of people and 85 00:03:12,100 --> 00:03:14,230 friends and family that you that you 86 00:03:14,230 --> 00:03:16,341 know forever . Yeah . I've definitely 87 00:03:16,341 --> 00:03:18,452 made some pretty good friends in this 88 00:03:18,452 --> 00:03:20,397 program and it's always fun seeing 89 00:03:20,397 --> 00:03:22,740 familiar faces as well . So when you're 90 00:03:22,740 --> 00:03:24,684 going through all your medical out 91 00:03:24,684 --> 00:03:26,796 processing it's very hard . It's very 92 00:03:26,796 --> 00:03:29,000 emotional . It's very scary and I wish 93 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,944 that I had been more involved with 94 00:03:30,944 --> 00:03:32,889 these types of programs when I was 95 00:03:32,889 --> 00:03:34,944 getting out because it isn't an easy 96 00:03:34,944 --> 00:03:36,833 transition if you're stuck in the 97 00:03:36,833 --> 00:03:36,810 hospital once you feel like you're not 98 00:03:36,820 --> 00:03:39,280 capable of doing anything or you're not 99 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,502 gonna be able to live your life the way 100 00:03:41,502 --> 00:03:43,669 you did before you give this program a 101 00:03:43,669 --> 00:03:45,836 chance because I think it'll be pretty 102 00:03:45,836 --> 00:03:47,891 eye opening for you and you know you 103 00:03:47,891 --> 00:03:47,850 might make some friends of the process 104 00:03:47,850 --> 00:03:50,640 here . So alright everybody , we've got 105 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,696 a nice walk up the ramp so let's get 106 00:03:52,696 --> 00:03:55,930 out quickly and get this boat out . We 107 00:03:55,940 --> 00:03:58,051 started as an eight and it is a six . 108 00:03:58,051 --> 00:04:00,270 We had a seat that broke but it was 109 00:04:00,270 --> 00:04:02,437 pretty good . It felt it felt good out 110 00:04:02,437 --> 00:04:05,900 there . It uh everybody still pulled it 111 00:04:05,900 --> 00:04:09,010 together despite that adversity but it 112 00:04:09,010 --> 00:04:11,660 was good we adapted so 113 00:04:12,690 --> 00:04:14,857 so I'm really glad to see how with D . 114 00:04:14,857 --> 00:04:17,079 H . A . And the programs that are being 115 00:04:17,079 --> 00:04:19,134 offered for military to after sports 116 00:04:19,134 --> 00:04:21,357 and all the service programs . And it's 117 00:04:21,357 --> 00:04:21,190 really awesome to see that . And you 118 00:04:21,190 --> 00:04:23,523 know when you get out , you aren't just , 119 00:04:23,523 --> 00:04:24,090 you aren't alone .