Staff Sgt. Derrick Thompson
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RANK: Staff Sgt.
STATUS: Active Duty
HOMETOWN: Chicago, IL
CURRENT LOCATION/SRU: San Antonio, TX/JBSA
EVENTS:
Archery
Field
Precision Air Sports
Sitting Volleyball
Track
Wheelchair Basketball
Wheelchair Rugby
Staff Sgt. Derrick Thompson hails from Chicago, IL and graduated from Lawton High School in Lawton, OK. He began his military career in the Air Force Reserve in 2004 and transitioned to the Army in 2005. Over the years, he accrued 36 months of combat time overseas and has been honored with two Combat Action Badges. During his tour in Korea, he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2022 after not feeling well for a few months. He went to the ER and was sent back out because he did not show any signs of being ill. After running tests, he was brought back into the ER with an A 1 C around 14 and stayed there for two weeks. Staff Sgt. Thompson struggled for a few months after adapting to the medicine and was sent back to the states.
Staff Sgt. Thompson's Continuation of Active Duty waiver was approved in 2023 right before he went to his first Warrior Games. He started a job working for Brooke Army Medical Center as a project manager and will retire with 20 years active duty time in July 2025. He is married and has four children.
Quote:
“Thanks to the program, I was able to get approved to return to the fight. I have been working at Brooke Army Medical Center aiming towards my 20 years. This program and adaptive sports really were a huge part to my recovery.”
– Staff Sgt. Derrick Thompson