VA Golden Age Games (GAG)
So I’m here in Tampa attending and competing in my first VA GAG and I wanted share what a great experience it’s been so far.
The GAG is an adaptive sports competition for vets who are 55 and older, who also are enrolled in VA healthcare.
There are large number of events ranging from air pistol and rifle shooting, archery, track and field events, swimming, powerlifting, basketball and volleyball, etc.
Vets from all over the country come to participate and compete in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory divisions, as well as competitions for veterans who are visually impaired.
I’ve met some incredible veterans here so far and I’ve been amazed and inspired by how some of them have been able to adapt to their disabilities and still engage in activities and sport.
I find it particularly interesting to see so many veterans who are amputees, blind, paraplegic, burn survivors, and those with more “invisible” disabilities who have learned to compensate for their limitations and still thrive and compete in adaptive sports.
I think it’s so wonderful that the VA has invested in this endeavor, and while here I found out they’ve been doing it for 40 years.
I find myself very inspired to see veterans ranging from 55 to over 90 years old, who are pushing themselves, and the limits of their disabilities to still stay involved in sporting activities, and also to create a welcoming environment brimming with the camaraderie that many of us had while we were in the military.
I would encourage veterans with disabilities to seriously consider looking into this program, as well as getting involved in the whole health program that has a significant footprint in the GAG.
It allows us to get out of being a patient and instead be a competitor and athlete and to test out our limitations and boundaries in a variety of different sporting activities.
It stands and stark contrast to what happens to so many veterans, where they think they can’t do anything because they have a back or knee injury, PTSD, etc., or because they take medication’s that are linked to weight gain or other problematic side effects, and think there’s nothing they can do about it.
Here is the link for those who might be interested in participating at some point in their life:
https://department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veterans-golden-age-games/
And here is the link for the whole health program: