Fort Meade Veteran Earns Top Five Finish in Warrior Games

Sgt. Jessie White of Fort Meade trained six times a week for 2-3 hours a day to prepare himself for this year's Warrior Games. For White, his hard work paid off.

The local serviceman took fourth place in the shot put and fifth place in the discus events at the U.S. Paralympic sponsored event in Colorado, featuring wounded soldiers from across the country. 

The games are an Olympic-style event where wounded soldiers from around the country compete in Paralympics events. The games took place from May 16 -21 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

This year's games hosted nearly 200 wounded men and women from all branches of the Armed Forces, according to the US Paralympics website. According to the website, the Games are for wounded, injured and ill service men and women with disabilities ranging from amputations, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment, post traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Athletes could compete in seven events during the weeklong games; including track and field, archery, shooting, swimming, cycling, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

White was one of the only soldiers chosen to be on the Army’s 90-man team from the nearby base. He competed in archery, shot put and discus. 

Injured outside of Baghdad by a roadside bomb while trying to help a civilian driver on his convoy, White sustained injuries to his right ankle and left knee. It also caused several vertebrae in his neck and lower back to be herniated and he suffered a TBI, or traumatic brain injury.

While he suffered serious injuries during his time of service, White couldn't be slowed and trained at the high level needed to compete in this year's Warrior Games. 

White said it was great to meet up with old buddies he hadn’t seen since being discharged from Walter Reed Army Medical Center. But when it came time to compete, the game faces came out even among friends.

“It’s just like going to any other Olympic sponsored event. Everyone gives all they got. You better come prepared or don’t show up at all,” White said.

White told a story of his best friend who competed in the hand cycling event who had lost his right leg.

“His bike broke during the event and he literally, for six miles on his hands, rolled his bike in to the finish line. These people are athletes and they are serious about their sports,” White said.

 “The coolest part was to show people that even though we are wounded and we are disabled and the doctors say we can’t do this or that, it shows them we can," White said. "We just may have to do it differently, but we can still do it and do it at a world class level."

White spent two years in rehabilitation and physical therapy, including a year in a wheel chair. He said if it weren’t for the Warrior Games he wouldn’t be anywhere near where he is now.

“My rehab wouldn’t have gone as good. If you sit on your butt, your joints get worse and your overall health gets worse. The Warrior Games are an excellent way to get going again,” White said.

White said the Games are helping to change people’s view of wounded soldiers.

He said don’t judge a book by its cover and it may be surprising to see  you what these men and women can do. He also said wounded soldiers appreciate hearing a simple thank you.

“I guarantee we are a thousand times better off than what Vietnam Vets went through. We see a lot more appreciation. The country is doing awesome taking care of soldiers,” White said.

The Warrior Games will be broadcast on the Versus network June 21 at 5:00 p.m.

White will also be featured in July’s ESPN the Magazine.