U.S. Army veteran 1st Lt. Christopher Parks, Fort Hood, Texas, joins his teammates at the closing ceremony for the 2015 Department of Defense Warrior Games at Quantico, Va., on June 28. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Adasia Ortiz)

“Success isn’t final, failure isn’t fatal; it’s courage that counts,” said five-time Olympic Gold medal swimmer Alicia Coutts.

It was a different kind of courage that 1st Lt. Christopher Parks brandished when he powered himself through the water at the 2015 Army Trials. Parks and his rivals in adjoining swim lanes defied failure with every stroke, swimming to win — swimming to warrior on. With the Olympic task to overcome individual physical impairments, they kicked impossible where it hurts. Read Full Article at Del Mar Times