Capt. Heather Wright, USANG (Ret), is looking forward to being with like-minded company at this week’s Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands.

The West Virginia resident joins 60 other U.S. competitors in the annual games for wounded or sick military servicemembers across the globe.

“The whole thing is about camaraderie, not just gold medals,” said Wright, who medically retired in 2019 from the Air National Guard due to a chronic neurological disease and a long-term back injury. “It’s about finding similar stories among other servicemembers.”

Wright was diagnosed with two herniated discs in 2007 at age 22. While she was on active duty, she suffered chlorine exposure which led to respiratory issues and her eventual retirement.

“Presumptively, the belief is that it was a combination of environmental and occupational exposures,” said Wright. “The chlorine exposure could have triggered the disease, and there was a rapid sequence of vaccinations that could have triggered an immune cascade [in my body]. … I would get extremely fatigued and I had trouble with temperature regulation. I often would have low grade fevers and I couldn’t figure out why. I also had muscle and joint aches and trouble swallowing.”

Capt. Heather Wright, USANG (Ret), will joint 64 other U.S. athletes at the Invictus Games, which begin April 16. (Courtesy photo)

For years, Wright hid her health struggles. However, she is finally feeling OK with not being OK thanks to the support of some fellow athletes. She also said her faith and her parents’ love are her “anchor.”

“Hunter Barnhill is a pilot who had brain cancer,” said Wright. “At my first event, he was one of the first people I met. At the time, I was struggling with the invisibility of the disease. I looked normal but had a lot of stuff going on. He was very open with [what he was dealing with] and I respected that. That is such a strong attribute.”

After two COVID-related postponements, the Invictus Games will take place April 16-22. Wright, who will compete in several cycling and swimming events as well as discus, was pleasantly surprised to qualify for the team. She narrowly missed qualifying for the 2019 Invictus Games and is fresh off a pair of back surgeries in 2020 and 2021.

“I had surgery in December of 2021, so I was in the training part of rehab,” said Wright. “To get the call, I was like, ‘Wow, let’s do it.’”

Capt. Casey Turner competes in the 2019 DoD Warrior Games in Tampa. Turner tied for second in the competition's Ultimate Champion standings. (Photo by Pfc. Dominique Dixon/Army)

Wright will be joined overseas this week by fellow officer Capt. Casey Turner, USAR. A company commander with the Army Reserve and full-time physical therapist for the Durham VA Medical Center in North Carolina, Turner severely injured an already damaged knee while conducting a training exercise in a light medium tactical vehicle in 2017.

Two years, three surgeries, and a lot of hard work later, Turner tied for second in the 2019 DoD Warrior Games’ Ultimate Champion competition, which honors the top scorer who competes in eight events: archery, cycling, shooting, swimming, track, field, indoor rowing, and powerlifting.

Turner also competed in team events like wheelchair rugby, wheelchair basketball, and sitting volleyball. In the Netherlands, she plans to compete in cycling, swimming, rowing, and sitting volleyball.

“I am looking forward to the experience of meeting up with my Army teammates that I haven’t seen in the last two years because of COVID and being deployed right after [the Warrior Games],” Turner said.

Along with her Army Reserve duties, Capt. Casey Turner is a full-time physical therapist at a VA medical center in North Carolina. (Courtesy photo)

Since much of her time is spent rehabbing her patients, Turner is being realistic about her chances at medaling at this year’s Invictus Games. She works 40 hours a week at VA as well as six to eight hours a week and one weekend a month in her uniformed capacity.

“I am fitting in training when I can,” said Turner. “This morning, I got up at 4 to swim. Also, you have to use weekends to your best advantage.”

But regardless of her order of finish, Turner is relishing the opportunity to represent her country with other wounded warriors.

“It is a huge honor to be able to do this,” said Turner. “It is really cool to compete with people who have gone through so much more than I have had to go through.”