This year, 30 U.S. Navy Sailors and Coast Guardsmen will represent Team Navy at the 2026 Warrior Games, kicking off June 13 in San Antonio, Texas, and running until June 20.
This year’s games, part of an annual event that began in 2010, is hosted by U.S. Army Transformation & Training Command and will bring together roughly 200 wounded, ill and injured military service members to compete in adaptive sports including cycling, swimming and wheelchair basketball as part of their recovery journeys. Service members competing will represent the Army, Marine Corps, Navy/Coast Guard, Air Force/Space Force, and Special Operations Command.
The Warrior Games organizers said the goal of the annual event is twofold: to provide rich competition while providing service members the capacity to heal through sport. Overarching themes involve celebrating the valor, recovery and resilience of participants as well as qualifying veterans, sharing the experience with family members while using it as a motivator to continue to heal, empower, and to provide a renewed purpose.
Team Navy’s participation is championed by Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), which provides a range of resources to the athletes through its Navy Wounded Warrior program.
“The dedication and resilience of our Team Navy athletes are a direct reflection of the core values we cherish,” Vice Adm. Scott Gray, commander of Navy Installations Command, said in a statement shared with Military.com. “These games highlight the enduring spirit of our service members and the holistic support network that empowers them.
“We are not just investing in their recovery. We are investing in the readiness and strength of our entire Navy.”
Gas Turbine Systems Mechanic Petty Officer First Class Christina Blair practices shot put during the 2026 Team Navy Training Camp at Naval Base Ventura County-Port Hueneme, California, May 11, 2026. The participating Sailors and Coast Guardsmen are preparing to compete in the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, Texas, in June. Navy Wounded Warrior recruits, trains, and manages Team Navy as part of a larger continuum of care for wounded, ill, and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen. (U.S. Air F
It’s not just about the participants and qualifiers, Gray added. As mentioned above, families play a unique role in a service member’s recovery and rehabilitation—no matter what that may look like for each individual.
“Returning to full strength is a team effort, and families are the anchor of that team,” Gray said. “When a Sailor is wounded or falls ill, the entire family serves. Equipping our caregivers ensures our service members have the strong foundation they need to heal and thrive.”
This Year’s Events
The adaptive sports featured in the Warrior Games are a part of each Service Branch/SOCOM’s Warrior Care Program, which provides wounded, ill and injured service members with reconditioning activities and competitive athletic opportunities aimed “to improve their physical and mental wellness throughout the continuum of recovery and transition,” according to the Warrior Games website.
Modified equipment and additional classification systems also allow every competitor to compete, regardless of their injury or illness.
Seamen Apprentice Aspen Fleming-Jones participates in an archery training session during the 2026 Team Navy Training Camp at Naval Base Ventura County-Port Hueneme, California, May 10, 2026. The participating Sailors and Coast Guardsmen are preparing to compete in the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, Texas, in June. Navy Wounded Warrior recruits, trains, and manages Team Navy as part of a larger continuum of care for wounded, ill, and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen. (U.S. Air Force Pho
There will be 12 sports played throughout the event’s eight days: archery, cycling, field, indoor rowing, pickleball, powerlifting, precision air, sitting volleyball, swimming, track, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.
The Navy Wounded Warrior program’s scope is far broader than just these adaptive events. The service says that it has assisted more than 12,000 service members since 2009, providing non-medical advocacy for enrollees, their command leadership, and their families.
Fire Controlman Aegis Petty Officer 2nd Class Will Delmer advances the ball during a wheelchair rugby scrimmage during the 2026 Navy Adaptive Sports Team Trials at Naval Air Station North Island, California, March 5, 2026. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Caleb Kissner)
CNIC, which oversees 10 Navy regions, 71 installations and more than 48,600 employees, is responsible for worldwide U.S. Navy Shore installation management, design and development.
The 2026 Warrior Games will be played at the Henry B. González Convention Center, Bill Walker Pool, Morgan Sports, and UTSA Park West Athletics Complex located in San Antonio, Texas.
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