Alexandria Welcomes Vets for Warrior Games Family Program 2015

If you see some military families around Alexandria beginning this weekend, here’s why:

A partnership among seven veteran and economic development partners has brought the Warrior Games Family Program 2015 headquarters to Alexandria.

From Friday to June 28, more than 200 veterans will compete in Quantico at this year’s Department of Defense Warrior Games, an annual sporting competition bringing together wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from across the country. They will be joined by their families, staying at the Westin Alexandria.

“Alexandria has welcomed and hosted veterans and their families throughout our history, beginning with George Washington, and now we are honored once again to roll out the welcome mat for the 2015 Warrior Games Family Program,” said Lorraine Lloyd, vice president of sales at Visit Alexandria. “It’s a great way to give back to our heroes and it showcases our city as an ideal community for veterans.”

Support for the effort to bring the Warrior Games Family Program to Alexandria came from multiple veteran organizations working with the City of Alexandria and Visit Alexandria, including Capitol Post, the Alexandria Veterans Advisory Group, the Military Officers Association of America and the American Legion. The Fisher House Foundation, based in Rockville, Md., is assisting in coordinating lodging and transportation to and from Quantico.

Capitol Post, AVAG and Visit Alexandria are also working to extend the “Vets Gotta Eat!” deals for veterans at local businesses to include warriors, their families and all veterans in the area during the games, while the Westin has offered an attractive package to accommodate any needs and requirements.

“From the mayor to our veteran organizations, this has truly been a one team, one fight approach,” said Bill Rausch, Team RWB, Alexandria Chapter Captain of AVAG. “Our entire community has stepped up to provide an exceptional experience for these families.”