Wounded Veterans Build Camaraderie 50 Feet Up
IRVINE, Calif. (December 4, 2015) – A group of wounded veterans worked together to handle a challenge five stories high. The men and women recently conquered a massive ropes course at the University of California Irvine.
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) took the group to experience the ropes course and encourage camaraderie as part of its Alumni program. WWP sees engagement as a key pillar of a wounded service member’s recovery. Shared experiences help build shared support. The Alumni program is one of 20 life-saving programs and services provided to wounded veterans, free of charge.
Mike Murphy is an Air Force veteran and WWP Alumnus. “The ropes course broke down any barriers through our introduction, getting to know each other, and fun, entertaining warm-up games,” Murphy said. “We built trust in one another.”
Teamwork is a major part of the course at UC Irvine. Participants start the 360-foot long course by ascending a giant cargo net to the starting tree house. They then face challenges to reach the ending platform before a 120-foot zip line.
“I never had difficulty with climbing or ropes before my service-connected injury, but I was a little nervous about my current strength and ability level,” Murphy said. “Through the strength and encouragement of teamwork, every team member was able to combat their fears and complete each obstacle safely.”
There is even a video of the wounded veterans completing the challenging course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVQ1ToiR9Ow&feature=youtu.be
Wounded Warrior Project recently released the results of its 2015 annual WWP Alumni Survey. See the results or download the executive summary at woundedwarriorproject.org/survey.
Contact: Rob Louis – Public Relations Specialist
Email: rlouis@woundedwarriorproject.org
Phone: 904.627.0432
About Wounded Warrior Project
The mission of Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To get involved and learn more, visit woundedwarriorproject.org.