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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      A flyover by the Royal Air Force’s aerial aerobatic team, The Red Arrows, helped kick off the opening ceremony for the inaugural Invictus Games Sept 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)Invictus Games
                        
                        
                        A flyover by the Royal Air Force’s aerial aerobatic team, The Red Arrows, helped kick off the opening ceremony for the inaugural Invictus Games Sept 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)
                
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        Team USA enters during the opening ceremony for the inaugural Invictus Games Sept. 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)Invictus Games
                        
                        
                        Team USA enters during the opening ceremony for the inaugural Invictus Games Sept. 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)
                
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        A video tribute to wounded warriors kicks off the opening ceremony of the inaugural Invictus Games Sept. 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)Invictus Games
                        
                        
                        A video tribute to wounded warriors kicks off the opening ceremony of the inaugural Invictus Games Sept. 10, 2014, in London. The Invictus Games are a Paralympic-style contest that features wounded warriors from different nations competing in various events. (Courtesy photo)
                
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Invictus Games kick off with opening ceremonyPublished Sept. 11, 2014
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Chris Powell
                    
                    
                    Air Force News Service
            **LONDON (AFNS) --**Morethan5,000peopleattendedtheInvictusGames’opening ceremony Sept. 10,ontheSouthLawnoftheQueenElizabethOlympicPark,here.The ceremonyincludedremarksbyfirstladyMichelleObama andPrinceHarryof Wales;a flyoverbytheRoyalAirForce’saerialaerobaticteam,TheRedArrows;a ground displaybyTheKing’sTroopRoyalHorseArtilleryanda competitor’sparade,giving spectatorsa lookat themorethan400InvictusGamesathletesheretorepresenttheir countries.“I’m lookingforwardtocomingtogetherasa nationandrepresenting(Team USA)andall ofustogethertoshowournationswhatwe’vegot,”saidretiredCapt.SarahEvans,who representedtheU.S.intheintroductoryceremony.Afterward,thefirstladythankedthecompetitorsandtheirfamilymembersina taped message.“SomeofthemostinspiringmomentsI’vehadasfirstladyhavebeenwhenI’vemetwith woundedwarriorslikesomanyofyou,”Obama said.“Youtellmehowyou’renotjust goingtorecoverbut you’regoingtothrive.Youtellmeyou’renotjustgoingtowalkagainbut you’regoingtorunandyou’regoingtorunmarathons.I’veseenthatresilience anddrivefirsthandat theWarriorGameshereintheUnitedStates,andI couldn’tbemore thrilled that the spirit of those games is now on display across the pond at the first everInvictusGames. “Toall ofthecompetitorsheretoday,I want youtoknowhowincredibleyouare. You’reinspiringall ofus,especiallyouryoungpeople,”shecontinued.“You’reinspiring themtobelievethatifwedigdeeper,ifweworkharder,ifweconfronttheadversityin ourownliveswithjusta fractionofthecourageyoushowevery daythatthere’snothing wecan’tachieve.Toall thefamilymembersandcaregiversintheaudience,I want youto knowthatyourcourageandsupportdoesn’tgounnoticedeither.Theseheroeswouldn’t beheretodaywithoutyou.”Afterherwords,PrinceHarrytookthestagetowelcomethecompetitors,theirfamilies andcaregivers,andthoseinattendancetowatchtheInvictusGames. “It givesmegreatpleasuretowelcomethe13nationstoLondonandtosayhow delightedthatmanyofyouhavebeenjoinedbyyourfamilies,andwerecognizethevital parttheyplayinyourrecovery,”hesaidtothecompetitors.“Overthenextfourdays,we willseesometrulyremarkableachievements.Forsomeofthosetakingpart,thiswillbe a steppingstonetoelitesport,but forothers,itwillmarktheendofchapterintheir recoveryandthebeginningofa newone.“Eitherway,youcanbesureeveryonewhotakespartinthetrack,poolorfieldofplay willbegivingittheirall, andI havenodoubtliveswillbechangedthisweekend,”he said. TheInvictusGameswilltakeplaceSept.10-14at thesiteofthe2012summerOlympics andwillfeatureathletesfrom14nationscompetinginvariousParalympic-styleevents including swimming, track and field, seated volleyball, wheelchair basketball and wheelchairrugby,amongothers.wounded warriors 



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