Twitter
Facebook
Spc. Aaron Wilson places the ball while teammates Brittany Kelly and Viah Ngwyen hold the slingshot in the target shooting section of the “Amazing Race.”With six months of planning behind the event, no one could predict the beautiful weather that complemented the eight competitive teams’ energy. Nearly 200 local volunteers, including children from the surrounding schools, and the mayor of Garmisch, opened the beginning of the race at the historic ski stadium, with a welcome worthy of the Olympics itself, to the warriors, their families and accompanying staff.
Even the projected rain and snow forecast for April 29 in Garmisch could not dampen the dedication and enthusiasm that evolved into the 3rd Annual All Things Garmisch Amazing Race for the Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe.
The day was filled with challenges that came in all sizes and lengths of mental and physical competition. When successfully completed, the next clue would take them to another stop on their journey through Garmisch and Partenkirchen. Brittany Kelly, Alpha Company Social Services assistant in Kaiserslautern, was competing alongside the warriors that she works with every day and helps assist with their transition.
“The race was an amazing experience,” Kelly said. “The variety of challenges gave each soldier a chance to show off their strengths and still build cohesion amongst other warriors from other locations of Germany. It was an honor to support them in this event.”
Even though not all the teams could win, participants took back something more important than a trophy from the race — particularly Spc. Aaron Wilson, a warrior in the Kaiserslautern platoon.
“My wife has never competed in any event this size before. We got closer by doing the race together. It was so much fun; it took my thoughts away from the pain in my knee,” Wilson said.
Through hard work and planning from Julie Monroe, Military Adaptive Site Sports and Reconditioning site coordinator and designated staff in the WTB-E, Wounded Warrior Project, American Red Cross, All Things Garmisch and countless local volunteers, this years “Amazing Race” was the most successful one yet.
