The Air Force Wounded Warrior Trials, which were originally slated to be held March 20-28 at various locations in the Las Vegas, Nev., area, have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a March 13 Air Force release.
The trials, held by the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, were supposed to determine which Airmen would represent the service at both this year’s Defense Department Warrior Games and Invictus Games.
“We take the coronavirus outbreak very seriously and are confident that by making this difficult and important decision, the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program will continue to do our part to prevent the further spread of the infection while putting the safety and well-being of our warriors, caregivers, families, and our staff first,” said Col. Michael Flatten, Air Force Wounded Warrior Program director, in the release.
The Invictus Games are scheduled for May 9-16 in The Hague, Netherlands. This year’s DOD Warrior Games are tentatively being held Sept. 21-28 in San Antonio, Texas.
While it’s still unclear whether the COVID-19 virus will impact either event (though speculation has begun within the British media), Flatten says the hope is to tentatively reschedule the team trials for later this year.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and look to make a decision on a date and location for a future Air Force Trials in the coming months,” Flatten said.