(NASHVILLE, Tenn) — Local gym owners and USPA meet directors combine forces to host qualifying competition while supporting veteran causes
After a two-year pause, the highly anticipated Operation Iron Eagle Classic III Powerlifting Meet is making its triumphant return to Clarksville, Tennessee, on November 8th at Operation Iron Gym. This unique event represents more than just a competition, it’s a powerful convergence of military brotherhood, faith-based community building, and the supportive powerlifting culture that has become a beacon of hope for veterans and fitness enthusiasts alike.
The story behind this year’s meet reads like a testament to divine timing. Will Seaton, USPA Meet Director, and Chris Silk, owner of Operation Iron Gym, first connected through an unlikely source: Facebook Marketplace. Both Air Force veterans were simply looking to buy and sell gym equipment when they discovered their shared passion for powerlifting and serving their community.
“We figured out that both of us could benefit from just using or getting that piece of equipment from each other,” Seaton explained. “And that’s how this relationship was built was literally just, ‘Hey, I’ve got this. Do you want it?’ And now we’ve got a meet out of it.”
For Naomi Silk, Chris’s wife and co-organizer, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “We had been actively looking for someone to coordinate a meet with, and those relationships weren’t working out,” she shared. “This is our third year doing the Iron Eagle Classic, and we had kind of held off because we had moved into a bigger gym this last year. They just happened to reach out through Facebook marketplace and asked, ‘Hey, you guys wouldn’t be looking to do a USPA meet?’ It was very divine timing.”
The Iron Eagle Classic meet has a remarkable history of community impact. During their last event before the hiatus, the organizers successfully raised $5,000 for Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, an organization focused on psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans. The event drew between 1,000 to 2,000 attendees and featured a full fitness expo alongside the powerlifting competition.
“We were able to be really successful with that, but obviously we had to put it on pause to get the bigger gym,” Chris Silk explained. The gym has since expanded from a cramped 3,000 square feet to an impressive 10,000 square feet, allowing them to host the meet in their own facility rather than renting external venues.
For those unfamiliar with powerlifting, Will Seaton breaks it down simply: “Powerlifting is just your big three lifts—you got your squat, your bench, and your deadlift in that order at the meet.” Competitors get three attempts at each lift with ascending weights, meaning once you start at a certain weight, you can’t go lower.
But what sets powerlifting apart from other competitive sports is its remarkable community spirit. Katie Seaton, Will’s wife, observed this firsthand: “The community itself is amazing because they’re so supportive of each other. Even though you guys are competing against each other—same weight class, same age group, they want you to get your lift just as much as they want to get their lifts. If they’re going to beat you, they want to beat you fair and square while you’re at your best.”
Will added a powerful example of this camaraderie: “I’ve literally watched somebody come off the platform, take off their belt and their knee sleeves, and hand it to the guy that they’re competing against to go do his squat because he forgot something or they ripped or something went wrong. And it’s like, ‘Here, bro, go do your thing.'”
Operation Iron Gym operates under the biblical principle “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”—a philosophy that extends far beyond physical training. Chris Silk, who credits his faith with saving his life during the difficult transition period that many veterans face, has created more than just a workout facility. 
“We don’t want a gym where it’s super distracting, super colorful. Everyone’s in there to work out and leave,” Silk explained. “You’re in here to get things done.” The gym boasts approximately 700 members who embody this focused, supportive atmosphere.
The impact goes deeper than fitness. “I’ve had guys come up crying. I’ve been at the front desk till 3:00 AM talking about scripture,” Silk shared. “I’ll be sitting there at 11:30 at night thinking I’m going to go home, and a dude comes in and says, ‘Hey, man, can I talk to you?’ And I’m there till two or three o’clock in the morning.”
Both Seaton and Silk’s military backgrounds play a crucial role in their approach to community building. Seaton reflected on the broader responsibility that comes with having a platform: “We’ve always believed that if you have a platform or if you’re blessed enough to be in a position where you have a reach of any size, it doesn’t matter what the size is, you should be able to figure out a way to give back somehow.”
This philosophy was evident during their recent experience at the Music City Fit Expo, where Seaton noted the organic, welcoming nature of the fitness community. “All the vendors that we talked to, almost everybody was very organic, very casual—just like we’d known them for years.”
This upcoming meet will donate its proceeds to Life Camp USA, a faith-based organization that provides free mentorship programs for children who have lost a parent serving in the military or as a first responder.
Life Camp USA offers transformative experiences including week-long camps (like trips to Alaska for fishing and outdoor activities), year-round Bible studies, and ongoing mentorship that helps these children build lasting brotherhood bonds. The program has personally impacted the Chris Silk’s family, as their son participated for two years and benefited greatly from the structured, faith-based support system.
This charitable focus aligns perfectly with the event organizers’ mission of using their platform to give back to the community. Chris explained having experienced his own faith journey and understanding the challenges military families face. “Supporting an organization that provides crucial support to children who’ve lost first responder parents feels like a natural fit for their powerlifting community’s values of strength, support, and brotherhood,” Chris adds.
The meet welcomes both competitors and spectators, encouraging the community to support both the sport and this meaningful cause.
The Iron Eagle Classic III meet serves as an official USPA qualifier for regional and national competitions in 2026. The United States Powerlifting Association (USPA), maintains high standards for competition that the organizers deeply respect.
“USPA is kind of restructuring how they’re doing their national events, you’ll be doing local meets like ours, then you can qualify for regionals, then nationals, then worlds,” Will mentions.
The event welcomes competitors of all levels, and organizers emphasize that spectators are equally welcome. “Even if you don’t want to compete, even if you’re not a powerlifter, but you want to come see some really cool weight being moved and support the event and support the cause that it’s going to, just come watch,” Will encouraged.
As the November 8th date approaches, the excitement is palpable among the powerlifting community. Naomi Silk noted that “one of our athletes has been putting off competing because he specifically wants to do the Iron Eagle Classic III.” The two-year wait has only intensified the anticipation.
The event will feature food trucks, volunteer spotters and loaders from the gym’s extensive membership base, and the same welcoming atmosphere that has made Operation Iron Gym a cornerstone of the Clarksville fitness community.
For those interested in competing, registration is available through the their website. Whether you’re a seasoned powerlifter looking to qualify for higher-level competitions or someone curious about the sport, the Operation Iron Eagle Classic III meet promises to deliver an experience that embodies the best of competitive athletics, military brotherhood, and faith-based community support.
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