Vets go for gold in 'Golden Age Games'

INDIANAPOLIS -- Claire Brou stared at the checker board in front of her, then slowly reached out to move one of her red discs.

It was game over for Brou's opponent, Freeland Rea, 81 and a World War II veteran, in the 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games -- and gold medal time for Brou, an 80-year-old partially paralyzed veteran from Ocean Springs, Miss., who spent 16 years in the Navy and Air Force.

"I still have that competitive spirit," said Brou, one of 742 veterans taking part in the games that run through Sunday in Indianapolis. A record number of veterans 55 and older are competing this year in the games, first held in 1985, Department of Veterans Affairs public affairs officer Jose Llamas says.

Several competitors are World War II veterans in their 90s -- the oldest is 97-year-old Jack Faust of California.

"A lot of ...