FALLS CHURCH, Va –
Army Spc. Davona Jones is one tough Soldier. For five years, the Parachute Rigger worked hard, had goals, and kept forging ahead, ready for anything. Then, the unexpected happened.
“In July 2022, I was parachuting out of a Blackhawk, and I landed, hit a car, and had multiple major injuries.”
When Jones was stable, she was assigned to the Fort Cavazos Soldier Recovery unit in January 2023.
“It was hard to accept help from anyone. The thought of not being able to take care of myself was scary. I was not able to walk for quite some time. It was just as mentally challenging as it was physically.”
Through Adaptive Reconditioning and Adaptive Sports, Jones was able to tackle the physical, and that’s a good thing. “I’ve been athletic my whole life, volleyball, cross country, flag football, you name it, I’ve probably done it.”
As she began to recover and overcome her injuries, Jones took that athleticism to the brink, tried out, and made Team Army. She went on to compete at the 2023 Department of Defense Warrior Games Challenge in San Diego, Calif.
"It was such an honor to be on Team Army. Not going to lie; it was nerve-wracking because I wanted to represent well,” she says with a laugh.
Jones competed very well in archery, shot put, discus, and all-track events. She medaled in multiple events for Team Army. She knows she didn’t get there alone and is appreciative of the support from the Fort Cavazos SRU. She wants others faced with going to an SRU to realize they are in good hands.
“The SRUs have the same mission. They are there to help you. I have not been in such a great unit before. This unit I am in is everything and a bag of chips! I love Ft Cavazos SRU. “
She says she learned her recovery is more than fixing the physical things that can tear a Soldier down. Committing to working with the experts at the SRU can and will treat the whole Soldier.
“My recovery has been easy. I’ve been focusing on my physical health, my mental health, my family… the SRU is there for you all the way. They’ve taken great care of me.”