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Department of Defense Announces Invictus Games 2017 Team Members

April 27, 2017 | By Warrior Care Staff
Originally published on Defense.gov April 27, 2017 The Department of Defense announced today the names of the 90 athletes who will compete on the United States team at the Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, Sept. 23-30. More than 550 wounded, ill and injured servicemen and women from 17 allied nations are expected to compete. Competitors will participate in 12 adaptive sports, including archery, athletics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby, and the latest addition to the sports lineup, golf. [caption id="attachment_8244" align="aligncenter" width="599"]
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A U.S. Invictus team member holds and American flag after winning a gold medal during the 2016 Invictus Games slogan in Orlando, Fla. May 10, 2016. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)
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A U.S. Invictus team member holds and American flag after winning a gold medal during the 2016 Invictus Games slogan in Orlando, Fla. May 10, 2016. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)
Photo By: EJ Hersom
VIRIN: 170427-N-ZZ098-8244
A U.S. Invictus team member holds and American flag after winning a gold medal during the 2016 Invictus Games in Orlando, Fla. May 10, 2016. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom) “The 2017 Invictus Games embody the spirit of every member of the United States Armed Forces.  They inspire us with their strength, resilience and personal courage,” said Tony Kurta, performing the duties of undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.  “We are proud to recognize the athletes at the 2017 Invictus Games for their tremendous achievements, while we honor each and every wounded guardian who achieves victories every day through Department of Defense adaptive reconditioning programs.” The Invictus Games, founded in 2014 by the United Kingdom’s Prince Harry, are based on the United States’ concept of the Warrior Games and are designed to use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding of, and respect for, those who serve their country and their loved ones. The following athletes were selected as primaries for the U.S. team:
  • Retired Sgt. Roosevelt Anderson, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Robert Anfinson, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Timothy Bergenstock, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Bias, U.S. Air Force
  • Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Branch, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Master Sgt. Kyle Burnett, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Jim Castaneda, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Maj. Ivan Castro, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Tech. Sgt. Jason Caswell, U.S. Air Force
  • Staff Sgt. Vince Cavazos, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Gunnery Sgt. Andrew Cordova, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Dewalt, U.S. Navy
  • Col. Daniel Dudek, U.S. Army
  • Petty Officer 1st Class John Dusseau, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Capt. Kelly Elmlinger, U.S. Army
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Roel Espino, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Estes, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Brandi Evans, U.S. Army
  • 1st Lt. Sarah Frankosky, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Cpl. Dustin Gabehart, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Gunnery Sgt. Dorian Gardner, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Randi Gavell, U.S. Army
  • Retired Cpl. Gabriel Gehr, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Capt. Cal Gentry, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Master Sgt. Jesse Graham, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Lance Cpl. Matt Grashen, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. Gabby Graves-Wake, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Green, U.S. Army
  • Retired Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Hamilton, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Cpl. Jessica Hammack, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Lt. Ramesh Haytasingh, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Master Sgt. Reese Hines, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Sgt. Sean Hook, U.S. Army
  • Sgt. 1st Class Brant Ireland, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Master Sgt. Keith Jackson, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Lt. Sancho Johnson, U.S. Coast Guard
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sean Johnson, U.S. Army
  • Petty Officer 3rd Class Melissa Klotz, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Petty Officer 1st Class John Kremer, U.S. Navy
  • Tech. Sgt. Curtis Krenzke, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. Stefan Leroy, U.S. Army
  • Retired Sgt.1st Class Fred-Curtis Lewis, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. 1st Class Josh Lindstrom, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sebastiana Lopez-Arellano, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Michael Lukow, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Ryan Major, U.S. Army
  • Retired Master Sgt. Mark Mann, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Sgt. Elizabeth Marks, U.S. Army
  • Tech. Sgt. Lara Mastel, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Sgt. Anthony McDaniel, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. Maj. Shawn Mello, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Aimi Mlekoday, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Jessica Moore, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Spc. Stephanie Morris, U.S. Army
  • Retired Lt. Joan Mulligan, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Michael Nicholson, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Lt. Col. Dave Ohearn, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Sven Perryman, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Spc. Anthony Pone, U.S. Army
  • Retired Tech. Sgt. Adam Popp, U.S. Air Force
  • Maj. James Pradke, U.S. Army
  • Retired Senior Airman Lucas Purser, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Cpl. Jose Ramos, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. Haywood Range, U.S. Army
  • Retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Ryan Reese, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Capt. William Reynolds, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Issac Rios, U.S. Army
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Patrick Roberts, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Cpl. Sarah Rudder, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Retired Sgt. 1st Class Howie Sanborn, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Sgt. 1st Class James Sandoval, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Petty Officer 3rd Class Henry Sawyer, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Gunnery Sgt. Brian Scarbrough, U.S. Marine Corps
  • **Sgt. Ivan Sears, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Tech. Sgt. Ben Seekel, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Shannon, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Senior Airman Trent Smith, U.S Air Force
  • Retired Lt. Bradley Snyder, U.S. Navy
  • Retired Sgt. Aaron Stewart, U.S. Army
  • Retired Cpl. Kionte Storey, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Sgt. 1st Class Yancy Taylor, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Sgt. Maj. Michael Toth, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Retired Staff Sgt. Felipe Tremillo, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Troha, U.S. Coast Guard
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Hector Varela, U.S Navy
  • Retired Master Sgt. Mark Vomund, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Tech. Sgt. Brian Williams, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Master Chief Petty Officer James Wilson, U.S. Navy
  • *Capt. Christy Wise, U.S. Air Force
  • Retired Chief Petty Officer Sharona Young, U.S. Navy
* Team Captain ** Team Co-Captain For more information on the Invictus Games, please visit the Invictus Toronto website. Follow along on the road to the 2017 Invictus Games on Twitter @WarriorCare and Facebook @WarriorCare, and learn more about the Department of Defense Military Adaptive Sports Program here.