Wounded Warrior Project Veterans Accept Tough Fitness Challenge

BUCHANAN DAM, Texas, June 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Every time Brian Hammonds' muscles ached during a recent Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) connection event, the Texas Ranger Challenge, the Army veteran dug a little deeper and kept going.

"Nobody wants to quit around other veterans," Brian said. "I'm sure we were all tired and sore, but nobody was going to stop."

When Omar Marqueses struggled to catch his breath during the same rigorous training used by the state's top law enforcement agency, other wounded warriors empowered him to push even harder.

"I run at least four miles a week, but I was so tired my heart was about to pound out of my chest," the National Guard veteran said. "But nobody quit. It reinforced what the military has always taught us – we are always stronger as a unified team."

Teams were required to gather assets from three places on the 60-acre ranch. Each segment presented physical and mental hardships that warriors solved by using skills learned during service like navigation and target shooting. Most agreed the toughest task was running 200 yards across land with a fully stocked boat to Lake Buchanan.

In a WWP survey of the injured warriors it serves, 29.6 percent of survey respondents expressed physical activity helps them cope with stress and emotional concerns. Programs like this highlight the importance of managing mental health through physical activity and connecting with other veterans.

"It was physically and mentally challenging, but it was a ton of fun," Brian said. "I knew I needed to get out of my comfort zone and overcome some of my literal and figurative obstacles. We tackled our challenges head-on. It was good to feel alive again."

By completing the course, veterans earned their Texas Ranger certifications.

"It was especially physically difficult because the group of veterans I was with was extremely hard-charging," Omar said. "But I got a chance to connect with the guys. We discussed what veterans lives are like after serving."

To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org, and click on multimedia.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/mission.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project