General George S. Patton once told his troops, “Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” At the Marine Corps Trials at Camp Pendleton last weekend, some extraordinary Royal Marines—who have already faced their full share of challenges—competed and felt the exhilaration of victory.
The Trials are an eight-sport competition for all wounded, ill or injured Marines to train and compete for spots on the All-Marine Team for this April’s Warrior Games, a joint effort with the Wounded Warrior programme, the US Olympic Committee, and the Department of Defense. Thirteen UK Royal Marines took part in the games, competing on the international team alongside Marines from Canada, France, Australia, Germany, Colombia and the Netherlands.
This is the second year Royal Marines were participating, and our boys certainly did Britain proud, winning 11 gold medals, six silvers and a bronze. Marine Joe Townsend from Eastbourne, East Sussex won seven gold medals: three in wheelchair races, three swimming and one in the 10km hand bike.
Starting just after the closing of the Olympic Games, the Paralympics will feature disabled athletes from around the world—many of them veterans—going for gold in the place where sport for the disabled began in 1948.
Just as the United Kingdom and United States have stood shoulder to shoulder in providing for our mutual security, we are working together to care for our veterans and their families. During President Obama’s State Visit to the UK last May, he and Prime Minister Cameron made job training and assistance for military families a top priority. In the months since, senior officials from the Pentagon and the UK Ministry of Defence have signed a memorandum of understanding and made headway on making those goals a reality.
We owe it to our men and women in uniform to honour their service with the support they deserve. The camaraderie and competition displayed at Camp Pendleton was truly a sight to behold. I encourage everyone to support our Wounded Warriors, especially the Paralympians as they show their strength this summer.