Airman battles cancer, wins at Warrior Games

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luther Mitchell Jr
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZONA --  He is a model of good health. His slim frame and clean-cut looks exude a quiet confidence. Inside his office the walls are mostly bare except for a samurai sword that sits on the top shelf of his desk. It represents his inner warrior and the fighting spirit he has used to overcome the challenges in his life.
In 2009, after returning from his fourth deployment to Iraq, Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Koren, 607th Air Control Squadron ground radar systems NCO-in-charge, was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He underwent surgery and radiation therapy, after which his cancer went into remission. Five years later, while stationed at Yokota Air Base in Tokyo, Japan, Koren took a knee to the chest while doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He thought he might have broken a rib, but what he discovered was far worse.

"It turned out that my ribs were OK, but the doctors saw a tumor in my chest wall and wanted to get additional imaging to investigate, he said. "After performing a CT scan and MRI, they identified at least five tumors and sent me to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. A biopsy of one tumor revealed that it was the same cancer I'd had before."

With this devastating revelation, Koren left Japan and was assigned to the patient squadron at Luke Air Force Base to start 12 weeks of chemotherapy. While waiting to find out if he would return to active duty, Koren received an email to participate in the Department of Defense Warriors Games in June. At first, Koren was unsure whether he qualified to compete.

"I was kind of like, 'That's weird, I'm not a wounded warrior, I just had cancer,'" he said. "But it turned out, because I had spent a year in a patient squadron, I was eligible to participate."

He attended an adaptive sports clinic, where he learned the different featured sports and went on to compete and be selected for the Air Force team. Koren competed in the 800- and 1500-meter runs, recurve archery, recumbent cycling and was on the volleyball team.

Koren placed 8th in archery, which was the best out of the Air Force, and in the top five in both track events, running a 2:24 in the 800-meter run and 5:28 in the 1500-meter run.

While attending the games, Koren also helped warriors with medical group related activities, like MiCare.

Since competing, Koren's cancer has gone into remission again, and his oncologist says he has a 60-to-70-percent chance to live another five to ten years. He doesn't let his diagnosis slow him down. He continues to live a fit life and be an example to his Airmen.

"From all he has been through to where he is now, he has shown great perseverance," said Staff Sgt. Jeremy Tharp, 607th ACS ground radar craftsman. "He still has a good attitude after everything and is even more determined."

From his hardships, Koren has learned a valuable life lesson.

"I think if you have everything easy in life, when something comes down the road, it's harder to deal with," he said. "I think by having trials in life, you are made stronger."

Koren has made many new friends and benefited from talking to other warriors who have gone through similar experiences. He is still recovering from some of the negative effects of chemotherapy, but he has returned to active duty. He is looking forward to spending time with his wife and five children.

The DOD Warrior Games are designed to introduce wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans to adaptive sports and encourage them to stay physically active when they return to their local communities.