The US Olympic Committee, along with the Department of Defense and the United Service Organisations, recently announced that the Warrior Games will return to Colorado Springs next year.

The competition, featuring ill, injured or disabled service members from all five US military branches, will take place from May 16-21, 2011.

Last year, the inaugural event featured 187 men and women competing in seven sports, and we're looking forward to an even larger group of participants this year.

The Warrior Games is not just another sporting event, but rather an opportunity to stand behind a cause and witness the true essence of sport.

It's a chance for us to help inspire recovery, promote physical fitness and create new opportunities for growth and achievement for these brave men and women.

The Games are also an introduction to Paralympic sport for injured service members, and they help raise the profile of the Paralympic Movement across the US and worldwide.

In essence, the Warrior Games bring us back to the advent of the Paralympics, when Dr Ludwig Guttmann advocated on behalf of people with physical disabilities.

His belief in sports therapy and sports competition as a way to enhance the quality of life for people who were injured or wounded during World War II helped bring about the Paralympic Games.

Now, six decades later, the Warrior Games enter their second year. Last year, we watched proudly as servicemen and women who represented sacrifice and duty overcame their obstacles to compete in the inaugural event.

As we prepare for the event in 2011, we look forward to welcoming back these courageous men and women, sharing the gift of sport with them and spreading the ideals of the Paralympic Movement.

Charlie Huebner is Chief of Paralympics at the United States Olympic Committee