On Patrol

On the battlefield as well as on the track and field, it is well known that troops are fiercely competitive. They shout, “Ooh Rah!” “Hoo Yah!” “Hoooah!” to celebrate victory and show pride in their service.

The Marine Corps team participates in the opening ceremonies of the 2nd Annual Warrior Games on May 16, 2011. The Games are being held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. USO photo by Samantha L. Quigley It’s not uncommon for sailors to jab at Marines, Marines to jab at soldiers, and airmen, well, airmen this year get to point at their college football championship and smile knowing they left both Army and Navy on the 50-yard line.

But today all the rib-jabbing is sidelined. Today, troops stand together as one to represent the most powerful and professional military organization on Earth.

In Colorado, 220 wounded warrior athletes stand together after a week of Warrior Games competition and the nation stands behind them to honor all of the Armed Forces collectively on Armed Forces Day.

The third Saturday in May was first declared Armed Forces Day on August 31, 1949 by then Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson after the unification of the Armed Forces under one department—the Department of Defense.

He declared that the first Armed Forces Day was a “demonstration by America's defense team of its progress … towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality.”

It wasn’t until 1987, however, that the three branches became operationally incorporated outside of the Pentagon when U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was formed. Unity between branches of service went from being just a notion to a way of life—a partnership that was recently proven invaluable during Operation Neptune Spear.

At this year’s Warrior Games, SOCOM was offered the rare opportunity to represent themselves as a joint-service team to compete against the Army, the Marine Corps and the Navy/Coast Guard teams. The team of special operators didn’t even begin to form until early March of this year, and it wasn’t until just weeks before the competition that the team solidified. Two sailors, two airmen, one Marine, and 13 soldiers formed the first joint-service team.

A group of soldiers walks in the opening ceremonies of the Warrior Games, 2011. USO photo by Samantha L. Quigley

“We recognize that each team member is from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, but we walk under one banner.” said SOCOM team leader Dave McDonald at the Warrior Games. “We are all one team.”

Army Captain Ivan Castro, blinded by a mortar attack in Iraq in 2006, competed in cycling and running for SOCOM, and he knows first hand how competitive the branches of service can be.

“I know there I’ll be some trash talking, some rivalry between the services, as always,” said Castro to a USO correspondent at the Games. “But at the end of the day were all Americans. We all bleed red, and it’s all about pushing each other and the pride of being here. I hope to have a great time and make some new friends.”

There’s little doubt that lifelong friendships are being forged at this very moment in Colorado, where troops of different backgrounds and service branches are not only opponents, but teammates.

Army Staff Sergeant Alfredo de los Santos, part of the Special Operations team, uses good old-fashioned elbow grease to complete the last 2 kilometers of the 10K Mens Handcycle event during the 2nd Annual Warrior Games on May 20, 2011. De los Santos had mechanical issues with his bike during the race but refused to drop out, opting instead to put palm to pavement to propel himself over the finish line. USO photo by Samantha L. Quigley

“It’s awesome that we can get all these wounded service members together and celebrate sportsmanship,” added Castro, “but most of all pushing our limits and showing the nation what we’re all about … showing what were made of.”

Both the Warrior Games and Operation Neptune Spear recently demonstrated what America’s Armed Forces were made of, and if it was this level of readiness that Johnson aspired to someday meet, let me be the first to congratulate the Defense Department on a mission accomplished.

To all of the Armed Services, happy Armed Forces Day!