Sailors from Center for Information Dominance (CID) Learning Site Hawaii joined with many other sponsors to support wounded warrior athletes in the 2016 Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials, Feb. 20-26.

The event is hosted by Commander Navy Region Hawaii and Navy Wounded Warrior-Safe Harbor (NWW), as part of recovery and rehabilitation for wounded warriors, by having them participate in adaptive sports.

"The Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials is an event that I will never forget," said Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class Derek Folkers. "I am very privileged to be able to witness these prestigious events for the second year."

The team from CID stepped up to back Operations Specialist 3rd Class Melissa Klotz, a wounded warrior currently stationed at Naval Station (NAS) San Diego, as she navigated her way through a packed schedule.

In the lead up to the trials at a training camp, Klotz shared with NWW that she had always been an athlete, but since she suffered hip and traumatic brain injuries from a fall during a training exercise on deployment, she can no longer play certain sports. She had a complete hip replacement last year and continues to suffer from nerve and muscle damage.

As Klotz competed in various events, including swimming, cycling, and track and field, the CID Sailors were there to help alleviate any of the pressures that came up, such as juggling schedule changes, and provide encouragement and comradery. She was one of 15 female wounded warrior athletes to participate this year, more than in the previous three years since the Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials began. About 50 seriously wounded, ill and injured Sailors and Coast Guardsmen vied for a place on the Team Navy roster.

"Participation in adaptive athletics is a way for me to have a quality of life and release from the miserable hole I was in," Klotz told NWW during January's training camp as she was preparing to compete.

Standing by to cheer for Klotz's events in the Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials, her CID sponsors were excited to see Klotz place first each time, which may be enough to give her a chance at being selected to the All Navy Wounded Warrior Team and compete in the Wounded Warrior Games in June at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.

"Working with the Wounded Warrior games is something I look forward to every year," said Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class Molly Carpenter. "Watching the athletes compete, despite their ailments, is a real inspiration to many people."

CID, with headquarters based at NAS Pensacola Corry Station, is the Navy's learning center that leads, manages and delivers Navy and joint forces training in information operations, information warfare, information technology, cryptology and intelligence.

With nearly 1,300 military, civilian and contracted staff members, CID provides training for approximately 22,000 members of the U.S. armed services and allied forces each year. CID oversees the development and administration of more than 200 courses at four commands, two detachments and 12 learning sites throughout the United States and Japan.

For more information on the Center for Information Dominance, visit www.netc.navy.mil/centers/ceninfodom/; www.facebook.com/CenterForInformationDominance/; and www.twitter.com/CenterInfoDom/.

For more news from Center for Information Dominance, visit www.navy.mil/.