21 January 2025
Corporal Jason Marsh is one of those people who performs at his best when he’s working towards a goal.
Although he jokes that two of his goals while in Canada for the Invictus Games involve grabbing a Tim Hortons coffee and, if the stars align, catching his beloved Vancouver ice hockey team in action, the reality is rather different.
The Albury-based Australian Army serviceman is using the upcoming games as a driver to motivate his training and rehabilitation from numerous physical injuries, especially as he nears the end of his ADF career.
“I’m a shadow of my former self from, say, six months ago,” Corporal Marsh said.
“Getting back into training and working to get to the games to compete, that’s been the primary goal.
“To be perfectly honest, this was something I felt I needed rather than wanted.
“It was a necessity, and from my perspective it’s been a gamechanger. I’m feeling a lot better, both physically and mentally.”
Despite relocating to the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers technical corps in southern NSW in 2023 to start a carpentry course, Corporal Marsh’s physical ailments from years of service as an infantryman have left their mark.
The list is long – plantar fasciitis, osteoarthritis in the right ankle and both knees, lumbar spondylosis, cervical spondylosis, bilateral rotator cuff syndrome and tinnitus.
'Yes, there are a lot of things I can’t do, but there are a lot of things I can do as well.'
What concerns him most is finding ways to take part in the sports he loves without incurring further damage and potentially being confined to a wheelchair.
“I’ve been very mindful of looking at ways to promote longevity for the rest of my life,” Corporal Marsh said.
“I’ve set myself a new set of parameters and a new set of limitations. Yes, there are a lot of things I can’t do, but there are a lot of things I can do as well.
“Take CrossFit. My first CrossFit workout was in Afghanistan and I’ve loved it ever since. Because of my injuries I’ve had to scale back my workouts, yet my recovery journey continues to revolve around CrossFit.”
Between his rehab and training for wheelchair basketball, swimming and indoor rowing events at the upcoming Invictus Games (training for snowboarding is proving to be a little difficult due to hemispheric differences), Corporal Marsh is counting down the days not only to the games but also to separation from the Army two months later.
Being the goal-setter he is, he has identified his vision for the foreseeable future.
“It’s not about getting on the podium and getting medals. I’d be lying if I said that I wasn't going to try and strive for that, but for me the goal has always been to get the best bang for [my] buck – that is the actual process of rehabilitation,” Corporal Marsh said.
“My rehab, building my personal fitness, won’t stop with the games. It will continue and I’m looking at further vocational education so I can continue to be gainfully employed after I leave the Army.
“It’s been a battle adjusting my thoughts to being content about separating, but I think having the time and space to focus on myself has made me realise I’m happy to be parting ways after close to 23 years.
“I’ve had a great career and have no regrets whatsoever, but I’m only 42 years old. I have another 25 years left in the workforce and I’m not physically or mentally ready to retire.
“All going well, I’ll be doing international security studies so I can hopefully do something in close proximity to the Defence strategic space.”
Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler will be held between February 8 and 16.
The games will bring together more than 500 former and current serving Defence personnel from 24 countries, including 33 members from Team Australia, to participate in an international, adaptive, multi-sport competition.
