H C B A
P R E S I D E N T ’ S
M E S S A G E
John A. Schifino – Gunster
Continued from page 4
actor, writer, commentator, and director Jon Stewart will emcee the opening
ceremony and host the 2019 Games. Stewart also emceed the opening
ceremony of the 2017 Warrior Games in Chicago, which featured concerts
by Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton, and the opening ceremony in 2018 in
Colorado Springs, which featured concerts by Clarkson, Rivers Cuomo (the
lead singer of Weezer), and Eric Pasley.
Getting the Warrior Games to Tampa took a monumental effort by many
in the Tampa Bay community. Sgt. Michael Nicholson, a medically-retired
Marine and Tampa resident who lost three limbs in Afghanistan, got the ball
rolling. Luis Viera, a Tampa City Council member and HCBA member,
quickly joined Sgt. Nicholson’s effort. Viera introduced a measure to City
Council, which was unanimously approved, and City Council sent a letter to
SOCOM urging the DoD to consider Tampa for the 2019 Warrior Games.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor also reached out to SOCOM in support of Tampa
hosting the Games.
The HCBA’s Military & Veterans Affairs Committee (MVAC) also quickly
jumped on board. MVAC’s mission is to support our veterans through
outreach programs, legal services, and mentorship in partnership with Judge
Michael Scionti and the Thirteenth Circuit’s very successful Veterans
Treatment Court. Recognizing that the Warrior Games are completely
consistent with its mission, MVAC sent a letter to the DoD encouraging the
Department to give Tampa a shot. In responding to MVAC chairs David
Veenstra and Alexandra Srsic, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense
wrote: “I am pleased to inform you that the 2019 Warrior Games will indeed
be held in Tampa, Florida. …The supportive relationship between the military
and the Tampa community, as illustrated in your letter, made Tampa the clear
choice for the 2019 Games.” It took no time at all for our MVAC members to
commit to volunteering at the 2019 Games.
The Warrior Games is important to our veterans, and that means it should
be important to our community as a whole. Servicemembers are well-known
for their emphasis on fitness, teamwork, and striving for excellence. According
to the DoD, “[s]erious illness or injury can profoundly impact that way of
life, often confining a service member to a hospital bed and significantly
altering their physical capabilities. Adaptive sports help our wounded warriors
build strength and endurance, while also drawing inspiration from their
teammates.” The Warrior Games are open to the public, and Hillsborough
County needs to get behind our veteran athletes. It is truly an inspiring event.
We hope you can mark your calendars to make at least one event to see these
wounded but not defeated heroes compete. As Sgt. Nicholson notes: “The
people of Tampa will be able to see a lot of veterans pushing themselves past
a limit they didn’t know they had. That is something we should all be excited
for.” Sgt. Nicholson is one of those athletes by the way. He won six gold
medals at the 2018 Warrior Games.
The HCBA and its MVAC would like to express our deepest and most
sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the brave men and women —
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines — who have answered the call of duty in
service to our great nation with the United States Armed Forces. We’re all
looking forward to the 2019 Games!
MAR - APR 2019
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HCBA LAWYER
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