Military & Veterans News

Vet News: DoD Announces Invictus Games 2016 Team Members

U.S. Department of Defense

The Department of Defense announced today the names of the 115 athletes who will represent the United States military at Invictus Games 2016 in Orlando, Florida, May 8-12.

The athletes will compete against athletes from 14 other countries in events including: archery, cycling, indoor rowing, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair racing, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis; as part of the international adaptive sports tournament for wounded, ill, and injured service members.

"The perseverance of our warrior athletes and their families are an inspiration to Americans everywhere," said the Acting Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Brad Carson. "I continue to be impressed with the quality of the competitors and I look forward to celebrating the athletes' accomplishments and watching the competition."

In 2011, the Department of Defense created the Military Adaptive Sports Program to enhance warrior recovery by engaging wounded, ill and injured service members in ongoing, daily adaptive activities, based on their interest and ability. The U.S. competitors are part of an over 500 athlete contingent for the second rendition of the multi-national Invictus Games.

The following athletes were selected as primaries for the U.S. team:

Petty Officer 2nd Class Angelo Anderson, U.S. Navy

Staff Sgt. Ashley Anderson, U.S. Army

Tech. Sgt. Leonard Anderson (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Sgt. Roosevelt Anderson (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Gunnery Sgt. Ernesto Aquino (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Armstead (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Allan Armstrong, U.S. Army

Petty Officer 1st Class Shahnaz Askins (ret.), U.S. Navy

Staff Sgt. Robert Brown, U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Zachary Burnash, U.S. Air Force

Maj. Ivan Castro, U.S. Special Operations Command

Tech. Sgt. Jason Caswell, U.S. Air Force

Staff Sgt. Rafael Cervantes, U.S. Marine Corps

Cpl. Marcus Chischilly, U.S. Marine Corps

Lt Col Patricia Collins (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Staff Sgt. Gideon Connelly, Air National Guard

Staff Sgt. Daniel Crane (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Staff Sgt. Nicholas Dadgostar (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Seaman Steven Davis (ret.), U.S. Navy

Tech. Sgt. Israel Del Toro Jr., U.S. Special Operations Command

Lt. John Edmonston (ret.), U.S. Navy

Staff Sgt. Jason Ellis (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Capt. Kelly Elmlinger, U.S. Army

Sgt. Kirstie Ennis (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Petty Officer 3rd Class Kristen Esget (ret.), U.S. Coast Guard

Seaman Austin Field (ret.), U.S. Navy

1st Lt. Rachel Francis, U.S. Air Force

Master Sgt. Rhoden Galloway, U.S. Army

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jamie Garza (ret.), U.S. Navy

Sgt. Robbie Gaupp (ret.), U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Randi Gavell (ret.), U.S. Army

Capt. Kyle Gentry, U.S. Air Force

Master. Sgt. Jesse Graham, U.S. Air Force

Sgt. Gabby Graves-Wake, U.S. Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. Robert Green, U.S. Army

Cpl. Travis Greene (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. Colton Harms, U.S. Army

Sgt. Sean Hook (ret.), U.S. Army

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Beth Hope (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Seaman Adam Hygema (ret.), U.S. Navy

Lance Cpl. Joshua Jablon (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. Ronnie Jimenez (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Master Sgt. Joe Kapacziewski, U.S. Special Operations Command

Staff Sgt. Michael Kacer (ret.), U.S. Army

Capt. Mitchell Kieffer (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Koren, U.S. Air Force

Spc. Chasity Kuczer, U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Katie Kuiper, U.S. Army

Sgt. Stefan Leroy (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Lindstrom (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Sgt. Ana Manciaz, U.S. Army veteran

Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Alfred Martinez, U.S. Special Operations Command

Sgt. Gabriel Martinez (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Tech. Sgt. Lara Mastel, U.S. Air Force

Staff Sgt. Delvin Maston (ret.), U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Robert Matthews (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. Anthony McDaniel (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. Clayton McDaniel (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. Ryan McIntosh, U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Michael McPhall, U.S. Army

Sgt. Brian McPherson (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. Billy Meeks (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. Maj. Shawn Mello (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephan Miller (ret.), U.S. Navy

Petty Officer 2nd Class Adrian Mohammed (ret.), U.S. Navy

Staff Sgt. Lauren Montoya, U.S. Special Operations Command

Cpl. Jesse Murphree (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Staff Sgt. Ola Nahale, U.S. Army

Sgt. Maj. David Neumer (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Sgt. Alex Nguyen (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. August O'Niell, U.S. Air Force

Lt. Col. Daniel Oosterhous (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Seaman Brett Parks (ret.), U.S. Navy

1st Lt. Chris Parks, U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Tim Payne (ret.), U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Sven Perryman, U.S. Air Force

Tech. Sgt. Ryan Pinney (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Sgt. Jenae Piper (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. Zed Pitts, U.S. Army Reserve

Warrant Officer 1 Anthony Radetic (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jose Ramos (ret.), U.S. Navy

Sgt. Haywood Range (ret.), U.S. Army

Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Reyes (ret.), U.S. Navy

Capt. William Reynolds (ret.), U.S. Army **

Gunnery Sgt. Anthony Rios (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. Eric Rodriguez (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Chief Petty Officer Javier Rodriguez (ret.), U.S. Navy

Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Roggio (ret.), U.S. Navy

Petty Officer 2nd Class Max Rohn (ret.), U.S. Navy

Lance Cpl. Sarah Rudder, U.S. Marine Corps veteran

Cpl. Jorge Salazar (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. 1st Class Howard Sanborn (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Capt. Rafael Sanchez (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Petty Officer 3rd Class Henry Sawyer (ret.), U.S. Navy

2nd Lt. Jennifer Schuble (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. Ivan Sears, U.S. Marine Corps

Tech. Sgt. Benjamin Seekell, U.S. Air Force

Staff Sgt. Alexander Shaw (ret.), U.S. Army

Lt. Steven Simmons (ret.), U.S. Navy

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Smith, U.S. Army

Staff Sgt. Patrick Smith (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Spc. Juan Soto (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. Monica Southall (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. Aaron Stewart, U.S. Army

Seaman Sadie Strong (ret.), U.S. Navy

Sgt. Evan Stratton (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Sgt. 1st Class Yancy Taylor, U.S. Special Operations Command **

Sgt. Nicholas Titman (ret.), U.S. Army

Sgt. 1st Class Sualauvi Tuimaleali'ifano III (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Staff Sgt. Tino Uli (ret.), U.S. Air Force

Capt. Sean Walsh (ret.), U.S. Special Operations Command

Lance Cpl. Joshua Wege (ret.), U.S. Marine Corps

Tech. Sgt. Brian Williams, U.S. Air Force

Capt. Christy Wise, U.S. Air Force

** annotates team captains

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