Chief competing at Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials

One week from today (Friday) GMC (SW) Jeannette Tarqueno will be leaving for Hawaii to compete in the Wounded Warrior Pacific Trials.

The chief, a Tinley Park, Ill. native, plans to compete in three swimming events, shooting, wheelchair basketball and sitting volleyball. And while she would like to earn a berth on the Navy's team for the Wounded Warrior Games, which are scheduled June 15-26 at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., she has some definite goals.

"In wheelchair basketball I want to make improvements on controlling the chair," she said. "And for the swimming I want to improve my freestyle stroke...I want to make sure it is smooth and help me pick up some speed."

She will be competing in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and the 50 backstroke.

The sport she enjoys the most is rifle shooting. Tarqueno said being a gunner's mate has allowed her to become comfortable firing a rifle.

"I don't get a chance to shoot too often," she said. "The real challenge is to remain calm and not let your heart rate go up when you shoot. I enjoy shooting."

"I don't have my own equipment - a lot of people don't have their own equipment," she continued. "But if you make the team I believe they let you borrow some equipment to practice."

Meanwhile, in volleyball she will also be trying to learn and expects the competition to be tough because there are some players that are candidates for the U.S. team.

But her philosophy for the competition is simple. Tarqueno is trying to find the events where she can be the most competitive then do her best in those events. While she is in Hawaii she said she may try a few other sports.

She also said there are more factors that go into team selection.

"They also want to see if you can be a good teammate and have a good attitude," she said. "If you aren't committed to the spirit of the team then you probably won't be selected."

The games are being hosted jointly by Navy Region Hawaii and Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor.