The Collegiate Warrior Athlete Initiative, 这是康奈尔护理学院指导的一个太阳城官网项目,旨在提高9/11后退伍军人的健康水平, 已经成功地完成了试点阶段,并将在本月扩大到包括更多的退伍军人.

Led by Connell School Professor Ann Wolbert Burgess, CWAI是一个合作项目,让9/11后退伍军人接触健康, 一个大学校园的体育和教育资源,以提高他们的健身和健康. 退伍军人参加了一个为期12周的项目,其中包括每周两次的锻炼,然后是由太阳城官网生志愿者领导的课程.

The CWAI is funded by a $250,000 grant from the Wounded Warrior Project, one of three initiaves awarded nationally in 2015.

Ann Burgess
康奈尔护理学院教授安·伯吉斯(Josh Levine)

上个学期,四位退伍军人参加了这个项目. 每个人都与太阳城网赌平台的一名学生运动员配对,后者作为他们的锻炼伙伴. 这项75分钟的锻炼由一名经过认证的运动教练设计和指导,并结合了心脏、力量和调节的成分. 这些退伍军人还佩戴了fitbit来追踪他们的活动水平和夜间睡眠.

“身体健康是9/11后退伍军人面临的一个真正问题,” said Connell School Visiting Scholar Susan Sheehy, 曾在陆军和空军担任护士的CWAI项目经理. “这些退伍军人中有超过60%的人体重明显增加. About 43 percent of them are in the obese category, 这会造成各种各样的健康问题,也会导致社会孤立和抑郁.”

According to the Wounded Warrior Project, since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 52,000 service members have been severely wounded, some 300,000人遭受了创伤性脑损伤,400多人,000 have some level of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

“CWAI被设计成一个健身伙伴系统,因为在军队服役时, 每个人都有一个可以信任和依靠的“战斗伙伴”和排友,” said Sheehy. “我们的目标是创造一种类似的联系——有人可以依靠, someone who will ‘have your back.’”

Sheehy collected bi-weekly measures of the veterans’ weight; percentages of body fat, lean body mass and visceral fat (amount of fat surrounding a major organ); and body mass index (BMI) using a body composition analyzer. 

“当你(从现役)回来的时候,你可能会陷入低谷。,老兵罗伯特说(太阳城网赌平台禁止使用参赛老兵的真实姓名), 谁承认他对尝试这个项目感到担心. “But the fitness program can pull you out of a depression. I also found I had a lot to share with my buddy. I felt like a big brother.”

不列颠哥伦比亚省16岁的足球运动员蒂姆·乔伊说,他毫不犹豫地成为CWAI的志愿者, given that he is joining the U.S. 他的许多家庭成员都在军队服役. He and his veteran partner “bonded right away. 成为一名运动员意味着身体上的努力和团队精神. It is the same for veterans. We were going through this program together. I feel like real friendships have been made.”

根据罗伯特的说法,有一个健身伙伴会有很大的不同. “It helped with my motivation. 有另一个人在那里帮助你推动自己,感觉很棒. It became a friendly competition.”

“运动员和老兵是相似的,”老兵詹姆斯说. “We both work really hard. I found the athletes have a lot to offer us, 退伍军人有很多现实世界的观点可以提供给学生.”

其他学生运动员志愿者是:凯尔西·戈尔登18岁(游泳和跳水), 16岁的梅根·库利(垒球)和16岁的利亚·塞蒂帕内(曲棍球).

Following the workouts, 老兵们参加了由康奈尔学院太阳城官网生领导的班级, 以及卑诗省社会工作学院和莫里西艺术与科学学院的学生, under the supervision of Burgess. The Tuesday classes covered topics such as nutrition, spirituality, stress, social networks and mental health, among other issues. 周四的课程将这些退伍军人介绍给卑诗大学的教职员工,他们将在他们的专业领域发表主题.

“There were so many faculty members, from across the University, 谁渴望帮助这个项目,因为它是关于帮助退伍军人的,” said Burgess. 

那些自愿在课堂上发言的人有:苏珊·凯利-韦德,理查德·罗斯,S.J., Yaguang Zheng (Connell School); Stacy Schwartz, Darren Kisgen, Michael Pratt, Thomas Wesner (Carroll School of Management); Ashley Duggan (Communication); Caroline Bicks (English); Daniel Bowles (German Studies); Robert Savage (History); John Dacey (Lynch School of Education); Joseph Tecce (Psychology); Rory Browne of the Academic Advising Center and graduate student Kelly Bennion. 

“I think the class was my favorite part,” said James. “The caliber of the professors was astonishing. 他们都非常有才华,我学到了很多东西.”

伯吉斯和希伊报告了飞行员班的结果, 它使用了一个整体健康模型来帮助战士重新融入社会的过渡,同时促进健康, were very encouraging. “所有参与者的体脂和内脏脂肪百分比都有所减少, increases in lean muscle mass, and decreases in BMI,” said Sheehy, who noted weight loss ranged from 15 to 25 pounds.

“勇士队的士气和能量水平也有所提高,”伯吉斯补充道. 

詹姆斯说:“你必须对这个项目投入,但回报要大得多。. “They guide you well and set you up for success. In the end, you’re better off for it.”

伯吉斯和希伊对体育部表示感谢, particularly Jamie DiLoreto, Alison Quandt, Jaime Seguin and Caitriona Taylor, for their support of the CWAI. 

新一批的12名勇士将于5月24日来到校园,开始该项目的第二阶段. In addition, 康奈尔学院已将该项目扩展到诺维奇大学的一个卫星地点, and is exploring other satellite locations.

Burgess also teaches a new course, Warriors in Transition, open to students from all majors, 重点是帮助退伍军人在服役后过渡的方法. 

伯吉斯说:“我有44名学生,而候补名单上有20名学生. “BC students, both undergraduates and grad students, 有兴趣了解更多关于退伍军人面临的问题,以及他们如何利用自己的教育和才能来帮助他们吗.”

—Kathleen Sullivan | News & Public Affairs