Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        National Guard Office of Special Victims' Counsel

    Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 Four N.Y. Guard Soldiers will compete in '18 Winter Olympics By Eric Durr
                New York National Guard
 LATHAM, N.Y. - Four New York Army National Guard Soldiers will compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next month. The four New York Citizen-Soldiers are enrolled in the Army's World Class Athletes program. They also serve in units of the New York Army National Guard. Sgt. Emily Sweeney, who is assigned to New York Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, and lives in Suffield, Connecticut, will be part of the United States Luge Team. Sgt. Matthew Mortensen, a member of the 1156th Engineer Company, headquartered in Kingston, New York, and living in Lake Placid, will also be part of the United States Luge Team. Sgt. Justin Olsen, assigned to New York Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters and a Lake Placid resident, will be part of the United States Bobsled Team. Sgt. Nick Cunningham, assigned to the New York Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, and a Lake Placid resident, will also be part of the United States Bobsled Team. A fifth Soldier, Sgt. Jacob Hyrns, who is a member of the 1427th Transportation Company based in Queensbury, and who lives in Lake Placid; missed making the Olympic luge team by six hundredths of a second during team qualifying competitions in December. **Sgt. Emily Sweeney** Sweeney, 24, joined the New York Army National Guard in December, 2011, and is trained as a military police Soldier. She has been competing in luge since 2008. In 2013 she was the luge Junior World Champion. She holds one World Cup Gold Medal and three World Cup silver Medals. Sweeney just missed representing the United States in the 2014 Olympic Games. The 2018 winter games will be her first Olympics. **Sgt. Matthew Mortensen** Mortensen, 32, jointed the New York Army National Guard in February 2010, and is trained as an Army electrician. He has been competing in luge since 2009 and currently competes as part of a doubles team in which two rides share the sled. Mortensen’s hometown is Huntington Station, New York, and the 2018 games will be his second Olympics. In 2014 he finished in 14th place at the games in Sochi, Russia. **Sgt. Justin Olsen**Olsen, 30, joined the New York Army National Guard in January 2011, and trained as a human resources specialist. The 2018 games will be his third Olympics appearance. In 2010 he was part of the four-man bobsled team which took the gold medal at the Vancouver Games. During the 2014 games he was on the same team as fellow Army National Guard Soldier Nick Cunningham. The team finished in 12th place that year. Olsen, whose hometown is Lubbock Texas, has been competing since 2007 and has taken gold and silver medals in a number of competitions. **Sgt. Nick Cunningham** Cunningham, 32, joined the New York Army National Guard in March 2011 and trained as a carpentry and masonry specialist. He competed on two-man and four-man bobsled teams in the 2010 and 2014 Olympic Games and has been competing in bobsled since 2008. Cunningham, from Monterey, California, has a number of gold and silver medals to his credit. He and Sgt. Justin Olsen competed on the same team in 2014 and will compete together again in the South Korean winter games. **Army World Class Athletes Program** The Army World Class Athlete Program is a military detachment run by the U.S. Army Installation Management Command. It was established by the Army to support Public Law 84-11, which allows the Army to provide Soldiers – including those in the National Guard and Reserves – an opportunity to train for and participate in the Pan American Games, World Championships and Olympic and Paralympic competitions. The World Class Athlete Program detachment was established in 1997 in Fort Carson, Colorado, near the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Most Soldiers in the program are assigned to the detachment and train on Fort Carson or at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Others train with the U.S. national team for their specific sport. On average, there are between 40 and 60 Soldiers in the detachment. Soldiers must be nationally ranked in their chosen sport to be considered for the program. Soldiers in the program balance athletic training with their military careers, and are Soldiers first. They represent the United States and the U.S. Army, maintain their military occupational skills, and often return to traditional military units when they are not competing or training.
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course
 By Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith,
  38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise
 By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry,
  Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska
 By 156th Wing
  More
 Pennsylvania Army Guardsmen Complete Combat Lifesaver Course Guard News • 2 hours ago
 38th Infantry Division Soldiers Conduct Warfighter Exercise Guard News • 10 hours ago
 Puerto Rico Air National Guard Trains at Red Flag-Alaska Guard News • 10 hours ago
 Air National Guard Conducts Sentry Savannah Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 Hawaii Air National Guard Hosts Sentry Aloha Joint Exercise Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (196)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil