Sgt. Vester (Max) Maxwell Hasson, IV, worked as a combat medic in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) from 2007 to 2009. His job was to keep any Soldier in need of medical attention alive until the next stage of care, regardless of the circumstances. The wear and tear that occurs during combat weighed on Hasson, and he developed degenerative disc disease while deployed. In January 2014, Hasson underwent back fusion surgery to address his disease. As he recovered at the Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado, Hasson figured out how to get back involved in a life-long passion—cycling. "I picked it up in the late '80s, and started competing in the '90s," said Hasson. "It only made sense to pick it up as an adaptive sport." "When I'm worked up, I go for a 15- to 20-mile ride, and it helps calm me down," he said. After competing in the 2012 Warrior Games, Hasson is looking forward to the 2014 competition. He's added sitting volleyball to his agenda this year. "I also played volleyball when I was young, but this is completely different," Hasson said. "It's a great transition going from an individual sport to a team event. It all comes together very quickly." Beyond the Warrior Games, Hasson is working on a sports kinesiology degree so he can help others who are recovering.
- Status:
- National Guard
- Former Warrior Transition Unit:
- Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Carson, Colorado
- Current Unit:
- Utah National Guard, Medical Command
- Hometown:
- Winnie, Texas
- School(s):
- Moore High School, Moore, Oklahoma
- Injury or Illness:
- Bilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) replacement, vertebrae fusion and disc degeneration
- Location and Date of Injury or Illness:
- Iraq, 2007-2008
- Event(s):
- Cycling, Sitting Volleyball