Navy Warriors Participate In Adaptive Sports Camp
by U.S. Navy Anna Marie G. General
Commander Navy Region Hawaii
February 22, 2023

The Navy Wounded Warrior (NWW) program hosted a series of adaptive sports camps at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) and Iolani High School from February, 6-10, 2023.

This weeklong camp gave wounded warriors the opportunity to try a variety of sports that included archery, sitting volleyball, indoor rowing, cycling, swimming, shooting and track.

Margo Crane, program director for Commander, Navy Region Hawaii’s (CNRH) NWW program explained what the program is about.

“The Adaptive Sports Camp is something that the Navy Wounded Warrior program does all across the six regions that encompass our program and helps to introduce sports to Navy Sailors and Coast Guardsmen who may have a condition that no longer allows them to participate in a sport in a traditional manner,” said Crane. “So, they get introduced to different kinds of equipment that have been adapted for the various sports.”

Navy athletes who participated in the adaptive sports camps at JBPHH are wounded warrior members who flew in from the different regions of the United States. For one athlete, this program led him to an opportunity to transition from an athlete to a coach.

Retired Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Roel Espino joined the wounded warrior program through his command after getting into a motorcycle accident when he was once stationed here at Naval Health Clinic Hawaii.

With the help he received from the CNRH NWW program as a Navy veteran, and as an archery and shooting athlete, Espino felt he needed to give his time to coach the NWW shooting team at JBPHH for this year’s adaptive sports camp.

“I don’t even know how to describe it, it’s an experience that I’m grateful for. It’s the opportunity to help people that were in my situation is just my way in giving back to a program that’s given so much to me,” said Espino.

Espino made history in Hawaii as the first member to join the CNRH NWW program. Crane shares her story about his journey.

“In 2014, I was a recovery care coordinator so I was a case manager for all the wounded warriors here on the island and my first recovering service member or RSM was Roel Espino,” explained Crane. “He was injured since 2013 and was still with us until 2014, and so it’s been wonderful all these years to follow his journey after he retired with us and stayed on as part of the adaptive athletics team and now coach.”

As part of being a coach, Espino shared his advice to other wounded warriors who are going through the same situation.

“Help is available, get it. You don’t have to go through the struggles alone," he said. "There are people that are willing to help you and do whatever you need to do to get back on your feet, and stay in the fight.”

In addition to the adaptive sports camp, the event also included a boat tour to the USS Arizona Memorial, and concluded with a dinner and cake-cutting ceremony.

According to the Navy Wounded Warrior website...

Navy Wounded Warrior coordinates the non-medical care of seriously wounded, ill, and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen, and provides resources and support to their families and caregivers. Regional non-medical care providers tailor support to each enrolled service member's recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration needs. The program allows service members and their families to focus on recovery without distraction. To date, nearly 10,000 seriously wounded, ill, and injured service members located throughout the country received assistance. Enrollment in Navy Wounded Warrior does not end when a service member leaves a medical treatment facility. Navy Wounded Warrior provides a lifetime of support.

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