Life after service represents a time of transition for numerous veterans looking to get back in the swing of civilian life. The recent grant that the U.S. Paralympics gave to returning veterans who are disabled in some way presents a great way for athletically oriented veterans to participate in visceral competition, helping to bring some of that famous military rigor to civilian life. According to Scuttlebutt Sailing News, the Olympic board will subsidize United States Sailing Association, Inc., to help disabled veterans tap into their seafaring side.
Enterprise gives veterans a chance to participate in sports
According to the source, the program pioneered by the U.S. Paralympics and the Veterans Administration helps provide grants ranging from $13,000 to $500,000 to local communities passionate about helping veterans with life after service.
It is truly an honor to be able to introduce the sport of sailing to wounded, ill and injured service men and women," said Betsy Alison, Paralympic coach for U.S. Sailing and the U.S. Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider, the national sailing team, as quoted by the source. "US Sailing and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider are so pleased to be able to offer an experience which we hope will lead to ongoing pipeline programming for those with a physical disability and other accompanying injuries like TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)."
Veterans Administration provides ample funds
The Chicago Tribune noted the visible extent of the Veterans Administration's involvement in supplying funds for local communities, as the administration has contributed $7.5M to numerous community organizations across the country. This could be a wonderful complement to essentials for veterans that the Administration provides, such as military life insurance. However, the Veterans Administration understands that sports can be a great way to further integrate a former service member in a community, so the funds help to serve a purpose that many civilians and veterans alike may see as noble.
"This funding has allowed thousands of veterans and service members with physical disabilities to participate in Paralympic sport at the community level," Charlie Huebner, chief of Paralympics, USOC, told the Chicago Tribune. "Through the leadership at Veterans Affairs and within Congress, these funds have a tremendous impact on the availability of programs across the country, not to mention thousands of lives."
Military benefits comprise a vast swathe of necessities for veterans – and the addition of Paralympics offers the chance for disabled veterans to display their prowess on the athletic field, helping build avenues for recreation and community.