Duke brings on injury prevention specialist

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jasmin Taylor
  • 919th Special Operations Wing public affairs
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  The 919th Special Operations Wing employed an athletic trainer and strength conditioning specialist to help with injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Chris Walter will provide acute injury care, effective rehabilitative care and performance enhancement. He will also advise wing leadership in matters related to injury prevention, sports medicine and rehabilitation. Walter brings to the wing eight years of experience from the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division and Naval Air Station Pensacola. He has a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Illinois University.

Walter said his job differs from April Crooks because her focus is fit to fight and his is on injury prevention and athletic training.

The Preservation of the Force and Families program is a Special Operations Command initiative dedicated to increasing the physical capacity of members from the special operations forces and their families. The purpose of the program is the human performance and personnel support necessary to focus on the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of health.

"I treat the military as athletes and help them in strength and conditioning" said Walter. "My goal is to get a program set up the new combat conditioning facility and become the 'go to' person for injuries and do a lot of higher level rehabilitation and conditioning to help people off profiles."

For reservists and their families interested in an injury evaluation or a personal consultation, Walter is available at the fitness training center Monday thru Friday from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Saturdays of the UTA weekends. Once the program is setup Walter will be available for the entire UTA. He can be contacted at 883-1487 or michael.walter.15.ctr@us.af.mil.