Purpose: The purpose of this research study is to explore the lived experiences of recently transitioned veterans of the U.S. Military who have wounds, illnesses, or injuries, who participated in a military adaptive sports program as part of the healing and transition process. An experiential study looking at the service members’ interpretation of these specific programs has not been conducted, leaving a gap in research, specifically within this population. Understanding participant experiences could assist in recommendations for further support, development, and implementation of adaptive sports programming to assist in a complete transition into the veteran status and beyond. Methods: A phenomenological approach using a semi-structured interview protocol was used to investigate the lived experiences of ten (10) recent U.S. Veterans. They used adaptive sports programming as part of their healing and transition process. The participants described their “lived experiences,” providing details regarding their military service and transition processes. Results: Three overarching themes emerged with implications on the quality of life of the participants. These were (a) camaraderie and connection, (b) growth after adversity, and (c) barriers to participation. Study participants reported positive effects across multiple dimensions of their quality of life, supporting the foundational design of the DoD’s programming. Conclusion: The findings portray a group of veterans who benefitted from adaptive sports participation as part of their healing and military transition processes. According to the data collected from all study participants, the military adaptive sports programming provided the infrastructure required to foster holistic growth and development following adversity.
