Steven Bortle

Steve Bortle enlisted in the Marine Corps. directly after high school and served for 6 years. In 2002, Steve switched to the Army Reserves where he was deployed to Iraq in 2015 while serving with the 100th BN 442 IN. Steve later retired from the Army National Guard in 2015. While serving on a deployment to Afghanistan, he tore both of his shoulders and developed an autoimmune disease. After returning from Afghanistan, he was placed in the WTU at Schofield Barracks, HI. At WTU CPT Bortle was introduced to adaptive sports while he went through his recovery. Before he was medically discharged (due to an autoimmune disease), CPT Bortle competed at the Warrior Games in 2015. In 2018, he was invited to the Army Trials, and not only did he make the Army’s Warrior Game’s team but also the American Invictus Games team. While competing in the long jump at the Invictus Games, CPT Bortle tripped and fell breaking his hip. Eventually, he would need a hip replacement. Through adaptative sports and discussions at his WTU about being resilient, CPT Bortle was able to complete his first full Ironman Triathlon 5 months after his hip replacement surgery. Since retiring, CPT Bortle has become a high school teacher, a coach, and a role model. Currently, he has been focusing on working out in the gym, gaining weight, working on his bench press max, and hopes to compete one day in a body-building competition.