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U.S. Olympic Committee Announces Expanded Military Program to Support
Physically Disabled Veterans
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today an expanded
military program, the Veterans Paralympic Performance Program (VP3), which will
provide elite-level sports programming and training for physically disabled
veterans. Working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the USOC will
offer qualified athletes the opportunity to train as fulltime resident athletes
at Olympic and Paralympic Training Sites throughout the United States.
Norman Bellingham, Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee, made
the announcement. Three veteran-athletes who are training to make a future
Paralympic team and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson were in
attendance.
“Providing elite sport competition for persons with physical disabilities
through our Paralympic program is an integral goal of the USOC,” said
Bellingham. “Our commitment to expand Paralympic activity ensures that veterans
and other persons with physical disabilities will have the opportunity to derive
the benefits of sport participation while pursuing their dream of representing
America at the Paralympic Games.”
“America’s veterans deserve the best,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim
Nicholson. “For physically disabled veterans interested in representing the
United States in Paralympic sports competition, that means receiving world-class
training in facilities operated by the U.S. Olympic Committee. This partnership
also builds upon the character, dedication and skill of physically disabled
veterans who are more interested in their abilities than their disabilities.”
The sites for the new VP3 initiative are comprised of the following:
- U.S. Olympic Training Center – Colorado Springs, Colo.
- U.S. Olympic Training Center – Chula Vista, Calif.
- U.S. Olympic Education Center, Northern Michigan University – Marquette, Mich.
- Lakeshore Foundation, Olympic and Paralympic Training Site – Birmingham, Ala.
- University of Central Oklahoma Paralympic Training Site – Edmond, Okla.
- Challenge Aspen – Aspen, Colo.
Applications for the program are available by clicking here. Qualified athletes
will begin training by June 1, 2007.
For more information please contact Beth Bourgeois, U. S. Paralympics, at (719)
866-2039
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