DAPHNE, Ala. — U.S. Army Maj. Ed Kennedy sees potential in utilizing the United States Sports Academy’s academic programs and online technology to assist soldiers with making the transition back into civilian life.

Kennedy made these comments when he and U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Kim Mitchell visited the academy’s campus Sept. 2. Kennedy and Mitchell are a part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Warrior and Family Services Program.

The academy is working with the U.S. military “Wounded Warrior” program to deliver its education programs to military personnel who are ill, wounded, and/or disabled from post-9/11 overseas combat duty.

Kennedy said the academy’s online program would be convenient not just for the wounded soldiers, but the non-wounded as well, because a soldier is “always on the go.” He also saw the academy’s mentorship program—which incorporates experiential learning as a complement to a student’s academic program—as a tool to help soldiers transition into civilian life by getting experience needed to obtain employment.

Kennedy also saw the academy being a sport-specific institution as a plus for the program. 

“People in sports are used to treating injured athletes and getting them ready to get back into the game,” Kennedy said. “We are about rehabilitating injured soldiers and getting them back into civilian life.”