Olympic Gold Medalist Enlists In Army National Guard
(January 10, 2011) |
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Lt. Col. Steve Rowe enlists Olympic Gold Medalist Justin Olsen into the New York Army National Guard Jan. 7, 2011. Photo
by Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone, New York Army National Guard |
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LATHAM, NY (Army News
Service, Jan. 7, 2011) -- Olympic Gold Medalist
Justin Olsen competed for his country in the 2010
Vancouver Olympics, and now Pfc. Justin Olsen will
serve it too.
Olsen, a member of the United
States Bobsled team since 2007 enlisted in the New
York Army National Guard in a brief ceremony Jan. 7.
"I already represent my country," Olsen said.
"Now I have an opportunity to serve and represent my
country at the same time."
Olsen will train
as a human resource specialist for the Joint Force
Headquarters after this season's World Cup ends.
Once he completes his individual entry training,
Olsen plans to apply for the Army World Class
Athlete Program which provides outstanding
Soldier-athletes with support and training to
compete in national and international competitions
while maintaining a professional military career and
promoting the Army to the world. |
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"I hope to be selected and as a Soldier-athlete, I hope that
I can give back as much to the program as they are giving
me. My plans are to continue to earn medals and make a name
for my sport and the program," Olsen said.
Olsen
began thinking about the National Guard when his fellow U.S.
Bobsled teammate Mike Kohn, who was then a sergeant in the
Virginia Army National Guard, told him about the Army
National Guard and the Army's athlete program.
"He
just sat me down and talked to me about it and said, 'Think
about what you want to do with the sport and what you want
to do with your career,'" Olsen said. "I've thought about it
for a long time and now is the right time for me."
Olsen made the World Cup team in his first season and became
one of the nation's top bobsledders.
Olsen is one of
two pushers on the four-man team.
In 2008, Olsen
earned a spot on sled USA 1 with driver Steven Holcomb,
winning two silver and two bronze medals in the first half
of the World Cup tour.
Olsen also helped push Holcomb
to a first place finish at the 2009 National Championships
for four-man and a silver medal at the inaugural World Cup
in Whistler, Canada.
At the 2009 World Championships,
Olsen teamed with Holcomb again to win gold in the four-man
and a Gold Medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"The
wealth and strength of the New York Army National Guard
comes from the long-standing tradition of talent, abilities
and dedication of our servicemembers. As a world class
athlete Justin has distinguished himself as the best of the
best and brings to us those exact talents and desire to
serve, that we look for in any of our Soldiers," said Lt.
Col. Steve Rowe, Commander of the New York Army National
Guard Recruiting and Retention Command.
"It's great
to have someone who has already represented his country so
well and we look forward to the contributions he will
continue to make in his service in the nation and the
Guard," Rowe said.
Selection in the Army World Class
Athlete program is open to members of the active Army, Army
Reserve and National Guard who compete in an Olympic sport
and have maintained good military standing. Once a National
Guard Soldier is selected, they are brought on active duty
and performance is monitored for selection and attendance to
required military schools to ensure program Soldiers remain
competitive with their military counterparts.
Since
the program's inception in 1997, 40 Soldier-athletes have
participated in the summer and winter Olympic Games winning
Gold, Silver and Bronze Olympic Medals.
Since 1948,
615 Soldiers have represented the U.S. at the summer and
winter Olympic Games as athletes or coaches, earning 142
medals in a variety of sports from bobsled, track and field,
and wrestling, to boxing and shooting. |
Article and photo by Army MSgt. Corine Lombardo
New York Army National Guard
Copyright 2011 | |
Reprinted from
Army News Service
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