Our nation's wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans are scheduled to compete in Warrior Games Team Trials throughout the winter and spring in various locations across the United States.

Athletes will qualify for the 2017 Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games, a Paralympic-style competition, during service specific weeklong trials.

The 2017 regional trials competitions will be hosted by their specific participating branches and are scheduled:

* Navy, Feb. 6-11, Port Hueneme, California
* Air Force, Feb. 24-March 2, Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas
* U.S. Special Operations, Feb. 26-March 3, McDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida
* Marine Corps, March 8-15, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
* Army, March 27-April 7, Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas

Qualifying events will include eight adaptive sports: archery, cycling, field, shooting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track, and wheelchair basketball. The top 40 athletes and five alternates from each service will then be selected to represent their team at the 2017 DoD Warrior Games in Chicago.

"The power of adaptive sports has literally transformed and saved lives," said Capt. Brent Breining, director of the 2017 Warrior Games. "These events are more than just sporting competitions; they demonstrate the athletes' resiliency to adapt and overcome their obstacles in order to lead extraordinary and productive lives."

The DoD Warrior Games is an annual event recognizing the importance adaptive sports plays in the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans. Participation in the DoD Warrior Games allows service members and veterans to build a supportive social network and develop relationships with other athletes, giving them a sense of community on their path to recovery. This year marks the first time the games will be played at public venues throughout the city of Chicago.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.

For more information on the DoD Warrior Games, visit www.dodwarriorgames.com/. The latest news also will be posted on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WarriorGames/.

For more news from Commander, Navy Installations Command, visit www.navy.mil/.