Gillen wins in Golden Age games

Gary Gillen won two golds and a silver at the vet games.

Gary Gillen, a Navy veteran from Mountain Home, is one of more than 600 veterans in their golden age who competed in the 21st National Veterans Golden Age Games are in Houston, Texas, Aug. 27-31.

The largest sporting event in the world for senior veterans. All participants are U.S. military veterans from across the country age 55 and older, who are medical care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Gillen, 66, a combat veteran of Vietnam, currently receives care at the VA medical facility in Boise.

Gillen won a gold medal in the horseshoes competition for visually impaired veterans, a gold medal in bowling for visually impaired veterans, and a silver medal in shuffleboard for visually impaired veterans.

'The National Veterans Golden Age Games inspire me to stay active and independent" said Gillen. "I enjoy the stories and experiences shared by other veterans."

This event is sponsored by The Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) and Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV). Hosted this year by the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, the Golden Age Games "demonstrate the value of regular exercise, recreation and friendly competition for all veterans, especially those dealing with age-specific illnesses."

Veterans compete in seven age categories in ambulatory, wheelchair or visually impaired divisions. Events include swimming, bicycling, table tennis, dominoes, shuffleboard, horseshoes, nine-ball, bowling, checkers,, golf, croquet, shot-put, discus and air rifles.

The games encourage VA patients over the age of 55 to make physical activity a central part of their lives, and support VA's recreation and rehabilitation therapy programs.

The games serve as a qualifying event for competition in the National Senior Games in a number of competitive sports.