Over the past few months, Tillman Military Scholar Marine Corps Master Sergeant William “Spanky” Gibson has played catcher for the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST). The team is comprised of veterans and active duty servicemembers who have lost limbs during post-9/11 military service.
Most recently, from May 6-8, WWAST played three games in the Washington, D.C. area. First, they took on FBI agents at George Mason University Softball Stadium, next they played Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) Personnel at WRAMC Forest Glen Annex and in their final game they faced the U.S. Naval Academy Varsity Sailing Team at the Naval Support Activity Annapolis Softball Field.
“It’s a great way for us to connect with other servicemembers who are facing similar challenges,” said Gibson. “It also gives us a chance to show the country how resilient we are. No matter what happens in combat, we can still achieve our goals at home and rise above any challenge.”
The team debuted in March at the University of Arizona (a Tillman Military Scholar University Partner) and has plans to tour the country playing softball and raising awareness. And most recently, Spanky was featured in a USO public service announcement filmed during his WWAST involvement.
