October 19, 2009
Soldier-Olympians, Paralympic hopefuls welcome
AUSA guests to Army’s Home
By Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
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| Left to right, Army Family and Morale Welfare and Recreation Chief Operating Officer Rich Gorman, Secretary of the Army John McHugh and FMWRC Deputy Commander Col. Brick Miller admire the Olympic silver medal worn by U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program bobsledder Capt. Garrett Hines at the Installation Management Command booth during the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition Oct. 7 at the Washington Convention Center. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
WASHINGTON – Several Soldier-Olympians, Paralympic hopefuls and two Olympic coaches from the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program shared their stories, signed autographs and posed for photographs at the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition Oct. 5-7 at the Washington Convention Center.
“The primary message was showing the World Class Athlete Program to the rest of the military Family and showing the outstanding contributions these athlete-Soldiers make,” said WCAP shooting coach Maj. Dave Johnson, a three-time Olympian for Team USA. “We also had a big focus on the Paralympic athletes this time, with several new guys coming in from volleyball, archery and track and field.
“Those guys are outstanding Soldiers still. They’ve been able to find an avenue where they can compete for the Paralympics and represent USA and the Army in that way, too.”
“Step right up and have your photograph taken with an Olympic medal dangling around your neck. … Get the autograph of a Soldier-Olympian. … Meet a wounded warrior in training for a shot at the 2012 Paralympic Games.” Those phrases rang throughout the booth of The Army Installation Management Command – The Army’s Home – during the three-day conference.
“This is a good chance to meet a lot of people,” said WCAP heavyweight wrestler Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers, a 2008 Olympian and 2002 world champion who won a silver medal at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark. “There are still a lot of people out there who are completely unaware that we exist, but I think the word is getting out, and this is the best venue to spread the word.”
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| U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program wrestler Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers (right) shares his autographed card with a visitor while Sgt. Jerrod Fields talks with another at the Installation Management Command’s booth during the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition Oct. 6 at the Washington Convention Center. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
Byers talked with a few hundred people at the convention, many of whom took time off their feet to relax on IMCOM’s comfortable couches and chairs that provided a touch of home.
“Just explaining to them about the program and the other sports the Army has to offer, our second mission,” Byers said. “Of course, the first mission is to get a medal in the Olympics. The second mission is Total Army Involvement Recruiting. We go out and assist recruiters and let them know about the positive things that we do: being good role models, speaking with kids, and public-speaking engagements – and when people hear that, they say, ‘Oh, that’s great.’
“I love doing this. These are the people that set things up and get us to these competitions. More so, this is a chance to be showcased and seen by your peers in the Army and people who support the Army, so I think it’s great that we’re here.
“I’m going to keep doing what I can to make it better by winning.”
Sgt. Jerrod Fields attended AUSA several years ago as an able-bodied infantryman. He returned this year as a below-the-knee amputee determined to compete in track and field at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
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| Sgt. Maj. Tammy Coon of the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command holds Olympic and World Wrestling Championship medals worn by U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program bobsledder Capt. Garrett Hines (left) and Greco-Roman wrestler Sgt. 1st Class Dremiel Byers (right). Other WCAP athletes and coaches, left to right, Maj. Dave Johnson, Sgt. 1st Class Edward O'Neil, Staff Sgt. Steven Bosson, Sgt. Jerrod Fields and Staff Sgt. Shon Lewis. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
“I was just a spectator the first time – checking out the uniforms and all the new technology the Army had,” Fields said. “I was a Bradley guy, and I got a chance to see the new Bradleys. I was very excited about the way the Army was going and keeping us secure. It left a good impression.”
In March of 2005, Fields was aboard a Bradley on a reconnaissance mission near Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device blew the bottom out of the vehicle and mangled his left leg.
“A lot of the people did not know that you can be disabled and still compete at a high level,” Fields said of the type of questions he fielded at AUSA. “A lot of things I answered were: How does the prosthetic work? How difficult is it to run on it? And just how I took it mentally?
“I answered those questions the best I could with just a lot of prayer for mentally, and working hard, physically, to get to this point. And I gave them some information about the technology of the leg.”
Fields said he cherishes being an ambassador for the Army.
“Everyone here is a Soldier, and they are very interested in what we do as athletes,” he said. “For those that do know about WCAP, this is a chance for them to see first-hand a lot of things that we do. We have guys here with medals. … We’re Soldiering in a different area.”
A crowd formed around WCAP Taekwondo competitors 2nd Lt. Steven Ostrander and Sgt. William Rider, who squared off for a sparring session.
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| Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston (left) discusses the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program with Sgt. Jerrod Fields (center) and WCAP wrestling coach Staff Sgt. Shon Lewis at the Installation Command booth during the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition Oct. 6 at the Washington Convention Center. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
“A lot of people stopped by to see that,” Fields said. “They were making a lot of noise over there kicking each other.”
Few attention-grabbers can compare with a couple kicks to the face.
WCAP distance runner Maj. Dan Browne led all Soldiers with a third-place finish in the silver-anniversary running of the Army Ten-Miler on Oct. 4 at the Pentagon. One day later, he was promoting the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, with his wife by his side.
“People want to know who you are and what you do, so I just tell them this is my mission,” said Browne, who ran the 10,000 meters and the marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. “Other people come and say, ‘Wow, I’ve heard of you.’ It’s neat to see their expression and be able to represent the Army in that capacity.”
Browne has served nearly half an Army career running for WCAP and Nike while serving the Oregon Army National Guard.
“I keep strong ties with my Guard people,” he said. “But I’m on title 10 active duty right now with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program. We’re all one family.
“Nike and WCAP are both tremendous sponsors, but I’m very, very pleased where I’m at in the Army World Class Athlete Program. They really take great care of us. The leadership and all the people who work out at Fort Carson and here in D.C., they do a really good job of supporting us. I’ve been very excited to come back. Number one, I’m going to make the next Olympic team.”
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| Left to right, U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program Paralympic track and field hopeful Sgt. Jerrod Fields, Olympic distance runner Maj. Dan Browne and two-time Olympic wrestling coach Staff Sgt. Shon Lewis sign autographs for a Soldier at the 2009 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition Oct. 7 at the Washington Convention Center. Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs |
Browne, 35, divides his training time between the 7,880-foot elevation of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.
“I’m running as strong or stronger as when I was five years younger,” he said. “Part of that is because WCAP really supports me and definitely allows me to do some of the things I need in order to be the best. I’m training with the best runners right now. I have tremendous support and I’m really thankful for it.”