COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, February 23. THE United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today an expanded military program, the Veterans Paralympic Performance Program (VP3), which will provide elite-level sports programming and training for physically disabled veterans. Working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the USOC will offer qualified athletes the opportunity to train as fulltime resident athletes at Olympic and Paralympic Training Sites throughout the United States. <\/p>\n
Norman Bellingham, Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee, made the announcement. Three veteran-athletes who are training to make a future Paralympic team and Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson were in attendance.<\/p>\n
"Providing elite sport competition for persons with physical disabilities through our Paralympic program is an integral goal of the USOC," said Bellingham. "Our commitment to expand Paralympic activity ensures that veterans and other persons with physical disabilities will have the opportunity to derive the benefits of sport participation while pursuing their dream of representing America at the Paralympic Games."<\/p>\n
"America's veterans deserve the best," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson. "For physically disabled veterans interested in representing the United States in Paralympic sports competition, that means receiving world-class training in facilities operated by the U.S. Olympic Committee. This partnership also builds upon the character, dedication and skill of physically disabled veterans who are more interested in their abilities than their disabilities."<\/p>\n
The sites for the new VP3 initiative are comprised of the following:<\/p>\n
\u2022 U.S. Olympic Training Center \u2013 Colorado Springs, Colo.
\n\u2022 U.S. Olympic Training Center \u2013 Chula Vista, Calif.
\n\u2022 U.S. Olympic Education Center, Northern Michigan University \u2013 Marquette, Mich.
\n\u2022 Lakeshore Foundation, Olympic and Paralympic Training Site \u2013 Birmingham, Ala.
\n\u2022 University of Central Oklahoma Paralympic Training Site \u2013 Edmond, Okla.
\n\u2022 Challenge Aspen \u2013 Aspen, Colo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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