Serving the military veteran population since 2006, STRIDE’s Wounded Warrior Program provides integrated adaptive sports and recreation activities to men and women of the armed forces who have been injured in combat. STRIDE offers programs that are integrated with many of our ongoing programs including skiing and snowboarding, marksmanship, sled hockey, fitness classes, cycling and camping (at SCORE). Special events to promote camaraderie among veterans include the Wounded Warrior Snowfest in early March; Military Boot Camp in September, whitewater rafting in summer and many social activities throughout the year. This program serves Wounded Warriors and their families from the upstate NY region and beyond.
STRIDE is a partner member of Move United Sports and a US Paralympic Sport Club. Unlike other military and large national organizations, STRIDE Warrior programs provide direct service to active duty or veterans through the use of a mentorship philosophy. Mentors are paired with youth with similar disabilities as an integral part of the rehabilitative process for them, while supporting the youth and youth programs with their volunteerism: redeveloping their service ethos for community integration.
Eligibility requirements: Register as a Warrior, you must provide a copy of your DD214 and have a disability rating. Because STRIDE receives grant funding for event programs, we offer programs veterans who are Post 9/11 combat injured, or related injuries.
To register, contact aryan@stride.org or 518-598-1279, and submit a STRIDE Wounded Warrior Application.
Meet STRIDE’s Wounded Warrior Liaison
Stephen enlisted in the US Army in 2008 and served as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. Upon returning from deployment, he attended various military schools and spent time in South Korea. After being injured in an airborne training operation, Stephen was medically retired and returned home to the Capital Region. He attended Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC) when he first returned and then transferred to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he is finishing a degree in Mathematics. He currently works as the Rensselaer County Veteran Peer Mentor at HVCC. Stephen lives in Halfmoon with his daughter, Scarlet, and his service dog, Lou. He is passionate about improving the lives of others through fitness and education.
