Athletes Visit the Department of Veterans Affairs

L. Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public Intergovernmental Affairs, shares a bond with Paralympic athletes that most politicians will never know.

Like some of the athletes on the U.S. Paralympic Team, she understands the pain and loss that sometimes go hand in hand with serving your country.

Duckworth is a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and a veteran of the Iraq War. She lost both of her legs and damaged her right arm during an attack.

At the meeting with the Department of Veterans Affairs were some of the 2010 U.S. Olympic athletes, including Women’s Hockey players Angela Ruggiero and Julie Chu, and Bobsledders Steven Holcomb and Mike Kohn. Military Paralympians in attendance included alpine skier Chris Devlin-Young and Nordic combined athlete Sean Halsted.

Both were injured while servicemembers in the U.S. Military. Halsted was a member of the U.S. Air Force and was injured when he fell 40 feet out of a helicopter while on a fast rope. Devlin-Young was in the Coast Guard when he was injured after his plane crashed in 1982.

“I want to thank the VA (Veteran Affairs) for all that they do,” Halsted said during a meeting with the Chief of Staff John Gingrich and Assistant Secretary L. Tammy Duckworth. “We wouldn’t be able to lead the lives we lead now if it weren’t for them.”

Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric K. Shinseki was unable to meet the athletes due to a scheduling conflict, but passed his regards along to all of the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians.

Charlie Huebner, Chief of Paralympics, spoke with the VA about wanting to recognize communities in America that give back and the Paralympic movement’s desire to give back to those communities. Although the exact community is still unknown to the public, Huebner wanted to give recognition of them to the VA.

“It’s about dreams,” Huebner said. “It’s not just in the Olympic and Paralympic movement, but in the backyard’s of America.”

Duckworth reiterated Huebner’s sentiments and pointed to communities in America being the root of Olympic and Paralympic dreams and ideals.

“It’s about your own person goals,” Duckworth said. “But it’s also about the community at large.”

Duckworth spoke fondly of a time when she tried out sled hockey and found a rival in one particular athlete on the other team.

“He knocked me right over,” she said. “So I built up as much speed across the rink as I could to run into him, but I just bounced right off.”

After the meeting she presented the athletes with a four star coin and explained the military significance of having such a coin in their possession.

“It was so cool to hear the story of the coin she gave us,” Ruggiero said.

Chief of Staff Gingrich told the story of an injured veteran who pointed out a particular nurse during his recovery period and said, “she is going to help me walk again.” He said the woman’s extra attention and care gave him the strength he needed to get through it. “I’d like to walk again with my twin sons,” said the injured veteran in Chief of Staff Gingrich’s story.

The Olympians and Paralympians finished their visit in the VA cafeteria by signing autographs and giving away Paralympic t-shirts to members and staff of the VA.

Several women could not believe how heavy the 2010 Olympic medals were when Holcomb let them hold his gold medal and when Chu let them wear her silver medal. All of the guests in attendance were thrilled to have the U.S. Olympians and Paralympians come and see them.

“I couldn’t believe they were actually here for us and we got to see and touch their (Olympic) medals,” one woman in attendance said.

Tags: Angela Ruggiero, Chris Devlin-Young, Julie Chu, Rebecca Johnson, Sean Halsted, Steve Holcomb, Washington D.C.