Every time U.S. Paralympic guide runner Jerome Avery hears the national anthem, he thinks of his late father, who served in the Navy and whom he shares a name with.
So as the anthem played to open the 2025 DoD Warrior Games track meet Wednesday, the 46-year-old once again became emotional as he looked at the American flag inside Garry Berry Stadium.
For the sixth year, Avery served as the track coach for the U.S. Special Operations Command's Warrior Care Program during the Warrior Games, and finds purpose in coaching from his father's service.
"I honestly feel my purpose is to be here at this moment," Avery said. "I love it. My father served in the military, so this was a way of me doing something bigger than myself and being part of something bigger than myself. Every time I'm surrounded by SOCOM he's here with me."
Avery has been a guide runner for the U.S. Paralympic track and field team since 2004. An Olympic hopeful at one point himself, Avery placed in the top 20 at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials and in the top 15 at the 2004 trials before finding a new path in guide running.
"One door closed and another opened for me," Avery said. "Working with Paralympic athletes opened up another door to working with SOCOM. I got involved through a friend of mine and the rest is history."
As a guide runner, Avery is bound to an athlete by a tether as they sprint in lanes side-by-side, communicating by touch and sound. Avery has helped three athletes to Paralympic medals, two of them gold and one silver in long jump with Lex Gillette who he still trains with today.
Avery might still be an active guide runner, but at the DoD Warrior Games, he was in full-on coach-mode.
"He is an excellent coach," Adam Foutz, a medically retired Marine Corp veteran, said of Avery. "He is methodical, communicative, and looks after us."
One of the highlights of the day for SOCOM was a win in the 4x100 meter combined relay despite an injury during the second leg. Avery's strategy for the team helped propel SOCOM to an exciting gold medal finish.
"It showed the power of teamwork and understanding that if one wins we all win," Avery said. "They see me as an elite athlete and are inspired by me being out there, but I'm inspired by being a part of SOCOM. Coaching them and just seeing their motivation is amazing."
Foutz, who was a part of the gold medal winning 4x100 relay, was inspired by Avery to become a guide runner himself and trained with Avery to achieve that goal. Foutz guided for the first time Wednesday with Army athlete Henry Escobed. And the pair captured gold in the 100 meters.
"I'm at a point now where my time (in the DoD Warrior Games) is coming to a close and I want to give back to the community in any way I can," Foutz said. "(Avery) inspired me to give back in new ways. Never would have thought to be a guide runner, but through the (DoD Warrior Games) and being under him, I saw the possibilities and that opened up my mind."
Avery's first DoD Warrior Games was in 2018, the last time it was in Colorado Springs. That made this year's edition special for the California native. He even visited the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum for the first time where he signed pictures on the walls of him with Paralympic medalists.
At each DoD Warrior Games, it's never about the medals for Avery, although he loves to see the SOCOM athletes succeed. Besides his connection to his father, it's the athletes that will keep him coming back to coach for as long as he can.
"I love the group I work with," Avery said. "Constantly seeing the improvements in the short amount of time I get to work with the team, it's been phenomenal. I love what I do, I love to be a part of this. I hope to continue to push these athletes the best that I can. Wherever the Games are, I will be there with SOCOM."
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