A Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) Lemoore instructor won six gold medals, one silver medal and set a competition record during the 2018 Department of Defense (DoD) Warrior Games, June 1-9, at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado.

Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Austin Parker captured gold medals in three swimming events: 50-meter freestyle; 100-meter freestyle; and the 50-meter backstroke, during which he set a Warrior Games record. He also won gold in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, and in a hand cycle time trial competition. Additionally, Parker won a silver medal in the 400-meter track event.

"It felt great to represent team Navy, and winning some gold was just icing on the cake," said Parker, who has served in the Navy for 11 years. "I felt like I was doing one last good deed for the Navy before I retire."

A motorcycle enthusiast, Parker enjoyed racing and teaching others to ride until an accident in March 2017 left him a paraplegic. The Sacramento, California, native was severely injured in a motorcycle accident while volunteering to give motorcycle riding lessons at a local track. After a long physical and emotional road of recovery, Parker tried out and was selected to compete for Team Navy during the 2018 Warrior Games. He qualified and competed in cycling, shooting, swimming and track, traveling to Bethesda, Maryland, and Port Hueneme, California, to train for the weeklong Warrior Games.

"I made a lot of friends and being around other wounded or ill service members helped in my road to recovery," said Parker. "I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in the 2018 DoD Wounded Warrior Games."

The Warrior Games were established in 2010 as a way to enhance the recovery and rehabilitation of wounded, ill and injured service members and expose them to adaptive sports. The games encourage participants to stay physically active when they return to their local communities, and inspire and promote opportunities for growth and achievement.The 2019 Warrior Games are scheduled for June 21-30 in Tampa, Florida.

"Petty Officer Parker is an outstanding example and a true inspiration to all," said Cmdr. Tommy Edgeworth, CNATTU Lemoore commanding officer. "I am proud of his accomplishments and the way he competed - and represented not only himself, but CNATTU Lemoore, at the Warrior Games. The command is excited to see him compete again in the near future."

CNATTU Lemoore is a training unit specific to the F/A-18 Hornet platform and is part of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), headquartered at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. CNATT is a technical training agent for the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE), an organization designed to advance and sustain naval aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost, and is a training center under Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).

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

For more news from Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, visit www.navy.mil/.