Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team
Kyle Earl, Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team, slides in safely at home, taking out Chuck Willis, Pacific Air Forces, Chiefs Group, Jan. 8, 2013, at Milican Field, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Hickam Force won the first game 18-1, but the Warriors held off the Chiefs Group to win 22-17. Earl is A U.S. Marine who lost his right hand during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The WWAST is comprised of competitive, athletic veterans and active duty servicemembers who have lost limbs during post-9/11 combat operations. The team includes individuals with a variety of amputations of the arm, above knee, below knee, bilateral below knee, and foot. Some are still in the service, while others are attending college thanks to the Post-9/11 GI Bill while others have moved on to new careers. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Mike Meares)