AFA’s Airmen and Family Programs sta� has been busy since our May update, supporting the Air Force Association’s 2015 Cycling Classic and the Defense Department’s Warrior Games. With those two major events now under our belt, we’re gearing up for our Airmen & Family Programs Sessions later this month at AFA’s annual Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md.

Some 1,850 amateur and professional cyclists from all over the world converged on Arlington, Va., on June 13 to 14 to compete in the AFA Cycling Classic, the region’s premier criterium cycling event. As part of it, riders of all levels and abilities participated in the Chal-lenge Ride on June 14.

We had a booth set up on both days of the event where riders and spectators could stop by and learn about AFA and the programs and services we o� er to airmen and their family members, such

AFA staff efforts at the AFA Cycling

Classic and Warrior Games

support our wounded airmen.

By Lauren Rachal

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event. As part of it, riders of all levels and abilities participated in the Chal-lenge Ride on June 14.

of the event where riders and spectators could stop by and learn about AFA and the programs and services we o� er to airmen and their family members, such

By Lauren Rachal

Wingman Magazine ︱ September 201514

AFA’s Airmen and Family Programs AFA’s Airmen and Family Programs sta� has been busy since our May update, sta� has been busy since our May update, supporting the Air Force Association’s supporting the Air Force Association’s

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Top: Participants prepare for the Challenge Ride, a segment of the AFA Cycling Classic open to riders of all abilities, including at least 91 fund-raisers for the Wounded Airman Program. More than 1,800 riders competed in the two-day event. Left: Jason Caswell, a retired technical sergeant, practices the shot put on April 21, in preparation for the July 2015 Warrior Games.

as our Wounded Airman Program. We even signed up new members!

For the third year in a row, WAP was the Cycling Classic’s bene� ciary. Team Sabre fund-raisers brought in $23,000 for the program, the largest amount to date. We are grateful to Arlington Sports for supporting us through this great event, and we can’t wait to see how it continues to grow each year.

Less than one week after the Cycling Classic, some 250 wounded or injured athletes from each service branch, US Special Operations Command, and the British armed forces marched onto the parade deck at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., to kick o� the 2015 DOD Warrior Games, the US military’s pr emier adaptive sports competition.

� e games introduce these athletes to adaptive sports, while encouraging them to stay physically active as they transi-tion to their new way of life and adjust

to their lasting wounds or injuries. From June 19-28, the athletes competed in archery, cycling, shooting, swimming, sitting volleyball, track and � eld, and wheelchair basketball. It was an amazing experience to see these men and women come together like this.

AFA supported the games as a sponsor of the Warrior Games Family Program. We also hosted the Air Force pep rally to kick o� the games and lent support by purchasing spirit items (e.g., noisemakers, pom-poms) and other supplies for the athletes and their caregivers. AFA sta� and volunteers were also on site to cheer on the Air Force athletes and assist Air Force Wounded Warrior o� cials.

Air Force athletes took home an impres-sive 87 medals (23 gold, 39 silver, and 25 bronze) over the course of the games. � at earned them third place in the overall medal count, behind the Army with 162 and the Marine Corps with 105. Kyle Burnett, a

medically retired master sergeant of 14 years, won the Ultimate Champion title for beating other contenders in a variety of the sporting events.

As we head into the fall, our focus is now on the Airmen & Family Programs Sessions that will take place Sept. 14-16. � ey will consist of speakers, panel discus-sions, and workshops centered around this year’s theme: “Share the Care: Caring for the Caregiver.” We are excited to work with all of you to � nd the best way to support our caregivers while they support their service members.

We have had a great summer, and we are grateful to all of our members and chapters. Our fall season will be just as busy and we cannot wait to report back to you on the work we are doing for our airmen and their families. ✪

Lauren Rachal is AFA’s manager for Airmen and Family Programs.

Wingman Magazine︱ September 2015 15

as our Wounded Airman Program. We even signed up new members!

For the third year in a row, WAP was

to their lasting wounds or injuries. From June 19-28, the athletes competed in archery, cycling, shooting, swimming,

medically retired master sergeant of 14 years, won the Ultimate Champion title for beating other contenders in a variety