By Allison Hagan As the 2012 Warrior Open approaches it is easy to get lost in the details of the planning. Ensuring we have the right...
By Allison Hagan As the 2012 Warrior Open approaches it is easy to get lost in the details of the planning. Ensuring we have the right table cloth or that the VIP gets the right invitation but even as we continue to plan these last couple of weeks we keep in mind the purpose for this event. That purpose is highlighting the extraordinary courage and determination of these wounded warriors, their families and that of all of our servicemembers past and present. Whether they have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Desert Storm, Korea, Vietnam, or any other conflict they are heroes and should be recognized as such. I have had the opportunity to work one-on-one with a few of our wounded Marines returning from OIF/OEF and their families. They are an inspiring group of young men and women. These warriors have overcome hurdles most of us could not possibly imagine and they do it with such a positive attitude that you would never know they were struggling. They are always looking to the future and what they CAN DO and that is the spirit the Warrior Open celebrates. Our servicemembers have volunteered to put their lives on hold to defend our freedom and have asked their families to do the same thing. Spouses have had to move while their loved one prepares to deploy, children have been uprooted from their homes, schools and friends, and families have been separated for more than a year at a time. These are just a few examples of what our military families deal with on a regular basis. They do this with the knowledge that their loved one could come back with a severe, life changing injury and that makes them heroes too. It is my belief that anyone attending the Warrior Open will be amazed at the tenacity our warriors and their families have shown and the extent to which they have worked to recover. This will be an inspiring event for the golfers, their families, the volunteers and for you as a guest. Please visit the Warrior Open website at www.warrioropen.com where you can learn more about this event and the encouraging warrior golfers who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, you can follow along with live online scoring on September 24-25 and cheer on the warriors from home.
This blog was written by Allison Hagan, Program Consultant for the Military Service Initiative and a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. Allison says it was an honor to serve the men and women returning as Wounded Warriors.
