Olympic Bobsledder Enlists in New York Army National Guard

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Justin Olsen

LATHAM, NY (01/05/2011)(readMedia)-- Justin Olsen, a 2010 Olympic Winter Games Gold Medalist bobsledder from San Antonio, Texas will enlist in the New York Army National Guard as a human resource specialist Thursday afternoon at Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters.

Who: Justin Olsen, 2010 Winter Olympics Gold Medalist and one of the nation's top push athletes.

What: Olsen will enlist in the New York Army National Guard as a human resource specialist. Olsen plans to apply for the Army World Class Athlete Program once he completes his individual entry training.

When: 1:00 p.m., Thursday, January 6, 2011.

Where: New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, New York 12110.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interview opportunities with Justin Olsen and Lt. Col. Steve Rowe, Commander of the New York Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Command will be available. Imagery includes the enlistment ceremony.

Background:

Justin Olsen:

Olsen, who won a Gold Medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics for the four-man Bobsled, attended the United States Air Force Academy for a brief time following graduation from high school with hopes of pursuing a career in engineering.

Shortly after returning to San Antonio, at age 19, an opportunity arose to try out for the US Bobsled team in Lake Placid. He 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 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.

Army World Class Athlete Program:

The Army World Class Athlete Program provides outstanding Soldier-athletes with support and training to compete and succeed in national and international competitions and in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, while maintaining a professional military career and promoting the US Army to the world.

Selection in the 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 Army Soldiers have represented the US at the summer and winter Olympic Games as athletes/coaches, earning 142 medals in a variety of sports from bobsled, track and field, wrestling, boxing and shooting.