Staff Sgt. Jared Babinski has been in the Army for 17 years, but his path hasn’t exactly been smooth. He’s been to the Fort Campbell Soldier Recovery Unit twice, and not by choice. The first time, he was thrown from a truck during a 2020 deployment in the Middle East and broke his back.
After that, he made it back to duty, but his body wasn’t done with him yet.
Last year, while on another deployment, Babinski tore a tendon in his left hand and did nerve damage from his shoulder to his back, including his C6 and C7 vertebrae.
“I was injured on a deployment carrying down our weapons rack out of our vault and tore my tendon,” he says.
Considering his time in, Babinski should be pushing for an E-7 or E-8 by now, but injuries have possibly held him back.
For a soldier with his experience, it’s frustrating to keep starting over.
Still, he’s not giving up on his goal of staying in.
He’s thankful for the Army Recovery Care Program, which has given him the support to keep pushing through rehab and get back to the force. “I want to do more than 20 years,” he says, which seems like a reach if you consider his track record of injuries. At this point, most guys at his level are already in leadership roles, not fighting to keep their careers intact.
“I want to return to the force, which is very important,” he says. “I always go to physical and occupational therapy with that in mind.”
The Army Recovery Care Program has played a crucial role in keeping that mission alive, ensuring Soldiers like Babinski get the treatment, resources, and support they need to either return to duty or transition with dignity.
But beyond the rehab sessions, Babinski has tapped into another powerful tool in his recovery—adaptive sports.
“I’ve never played sports in high school. I was a band geek,” Babinski admits. “So I was a late bloomer, but I’ve always been involved with water.”
That lifelong connection to the water is what’s pushing him toward his next challenge—the 2024 Army Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he’ll be competing in swimming, weightlifting, and rowing. It’s all part of a bigger goal: earning a spot on Team Army for the 2025 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs this July.
But it’s not just about winning. For Babinski, the Army Trials are a chance to show just how far he’s come.
“I’m going to be there to have fun and bring my will and smile,” he says. “I will be around people who want to be there, work as a team, do better, ultimately get their lives back, and have fulfillment.”
Having navigated the challenges of an SRU twice, Babinski knows the road to recovery isn’t always easy. That’s why he’s got a message for fellow Soldiers facing similar struggles: don’t go it alone.
“It’s OK to ask for help when you’re hurt or injured,” he says. “The programs, educational benefits, and other events at the SRU will give you the tools and hopefully give you the strength to come out of that downward spiral—whether you’re returning to the force like I’m looking to do or transitioning to a new life.”
For now, Babinski remains focused on what’s ahead. Come April, he’ll be at the Army Trials, not just for himself but for his unit, his coaches, and the Soldiers who’ve been through the fight alongside him.
“I’m there to represent Fort Campbell, the 101st, and my coaches! All of us who will be there competing have many reasons to be looking up.”
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