COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Hines, a Purple Heart Medal recipient and Air Force Wounded Warrior (AFW2) Ambassador and Mentor from Tampa, Florida, embodied the “Limitless” theme of the 2025 Department of Defense Warrior Games, which concluded July 26 at Colorado College.
Serving with the 6th Logistics Readiness Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Hines represented Team Air Force, a team of 40 Airmen, Guardians and veterans who competed in 11 adaptive sports—archery, cycling, field, indoor rowing, powerlifting, precision air sports, sitting volleyball, swimming, track, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby—during the nine-day Warrior Games, held July 18-26, 2025. Marking the games’ 15th anniversary, the event showcased nearly 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans, supported by 1,110 volunteers and thousands of livestream viewers.
Hines joined the Air Force in 2004 as a vehicle maintenance technician and has since served in four Air Force specialty codes, including roles as a ceremonial guardsman, first sergeant and wounded warrior. In 2011, he survived a triple suicide bombing while serving as a personal security detail gunner with a provincial reconstruction team in Zabul province, Afghanistan, while attached to the 2nd, 25th, 26th and 29th Army infantry divisions, earning the Army Combat Action Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Air Force Combat Action Medal and Purple Heart Medal. His resilience led to his induction into the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor and his role as a Mission 22 Ambassador combating veteran suicide and the 2024 DoD Outstanding Department of Defense Employee/Service Member with a Disability Award.
An Air Force Wounded Warrior video captured Hines’ transformation: “Master Sgt. Ryan Hines was fighting a battle no one could see. Mentally worn down and feeling alone, he questioned his future in uniform until the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program gave him purpose through adaptive sports. Now a proud AFW2 athlete and first-time Warrior Games competitor, he’s proof that recovery is possible and that connection can save lives.” With support from AFW2’s recovery care coordinators and a comprehensive recovery plan, Hines managed post-traumatic stress disorder, multiple traumatic brain injuries, anxiety, depression and chronic pain, rebuilding confidence through teamwork.
The 2025 Warrior Games united nearly 200 wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and U.S. Special Operations Command, competing for 800 medals at eight Colorado Springs venues, including Reid Gym and Donald E. Autrey Field. Despite a calf injury sustained in training, Hines excelled in indoor rowing July 21, helping Team Air Force secure a gold medal. In field events July 22, he set a personal record in men’s 6.0 standing shot put and discus (achieving a 45-meter discus throw), though his injury prevented him from competing in powerlifting, where he earned a silver medal in the 2024 Warrior Games trials and a bronze medal in the 2025 Warrior Games trials. Hines also contributed to a bronze medal in wheelchair rugby at the 2024 Warrior Games trials.
“This accolade came with a strong team beside me, grinding and pouring everything they had out of their guts and souls with me,” Hines posted on Facebook. “I made sure that I marked myself with my grandpa’s, my sister’s and my grandma’s initials—they have all passed away. My sister told me as she was passing away from breast cancer and made me promise to ‘keep going.’ And, baby, I’m doing everything I can to do that! I hope I am making you proud! Not only did we beat SOCOM members, but we beat Army and Marine Corps members too! I’m now a DoD Warrior Games gold medalist! Bottom line…I love my Team Air Force/Space Force family, and we took a lot of medals yesterday!”
Hines celebrated his mentee, Senior Airman Carlos “CJ” McDowell, who set a powerlifting record with a 432-pound bench press. “Master Sgt. Hines pushed me to believe in myself,” McDowell said. “I went from yelling at him before the lift to limping away and crying after. He’s overcome many challenges in the past year,” Hines added. “I’m mega proud of him.”
Adaptive sports, part of the DoD Warrior Care Program, enhance wellness with modified equipment and training. Hines trained in Tampa Bay, San Antonio and Colorado Springs, overcoming chronic pain to hone skills alongside fellow warriors. “The Warrior Games show that wounds don’t define us,” Hines said, echoing the “Limitless” theme.
“These games honor our wounded warriors and their families,” said Ken Fisher, chairman and chief executive officer of Fisher House Foundation, a platinum sponsor. Hosted by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, the event was open to the public except for field and swimming venues, drawing thousands via DoDWarriorGames.com and ESPN+.
Hines’ journey from his 2011 injuries at Forward Operating Base Smart and Combat Outpost Mizan to ruck marching a 5K on Aug. 5, 2023, in recognition of Purple Heart Day on Aug. 7, 2023, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, reflects his unwavering resolve. As an AFW2 Ambassador and Mentor, he inspires others.
As Hines stands as a gold medalist, he carries the spirit of the Air Force and the memory of his loved ones. His achievements highlight Team Air Force’s success and underscore the Warrior Games’ legacy. The Warrior Games, returning to San Antonio in 2026 and 2028, continue their legacy of recovery, having grown from 50 athletes in 2010 to a global inspiration for events like the Invictus Games.
For updates, visit DoDWarriorGames.com and WoundedWarrior.af.mil. Follow @DoDWarriorGames and @AFW2