Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas -- The U.S. Air Force Wounded Warrior Program (AFW2) is proud to announce the 2018 Air Force Warrior Games team. Forty primary and ten alternates were selected by a team of coaches and staff at the 5th Annual Air Force Trials on Nellis, AFB, in late February. The 40-person team will go on to compete at the Department of Defense Warrior Games at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 2-9.
The DoD Warrior Games is a Paralympic-style competitive event featuring 11 different sports: archery; cycling; track & field; shooting; sitting volleyball; swimming; track; wheelchair basketball and; for the first time in Warrior Games history, indoor rowing, powerlifting and time-trial cycling. “While the Warrior Games is a competitive event it is more about resiliency and recovery,” said Col. Michael Flatten, Director, Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. “These competitors are going out to show everyone how adaptive sports have helped them and will walk away with their personal bests in whatever sport they compete in. I am hoping they bring home a lot of medals but, in the end, I am really hoping they see themselves as part of a team that will help them achieve their very best.”
The team is made up of a mixture of Active, Guard, and Reserve Airmen and Veterans. “We’re really excited by this new team,” said Marsha Gonzales, Support Branch Chief for AFW2. “Over 60 percent are AFW2 members who have never competed with us before. I certainly echo Col. Flatten’s comments, the Warrior Games is meant to highlight how important adaptive sports are in recovery. Our team will do well no matter what and we look forward to seeing them compete alongside their brothers and sisters in arms.”
The team captains are:
William Lickman, Master Sgt.
Joshua Smith, Tech Sgt. (Ret.)
The remaining primary athletes are (in alphabetical order):
Aaron Allmon, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Hunter Barnhill, Capt
Karah Behrend, Senior Airman
John Berry, Airman 1st Class
Alexandar Bustard, Tech Sgt.
Brett Campfield, Senior Airman (Ret.)
Heather Carter, Senior Airman (Ret.)
Vincent Cavazos, Staff Sgt.
Michael Christiansen, Master Sgt.
Justin Fuchs, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Lisa Goad, Master Sgt.
Matthew Gonzales, Senior Airman
Kenneth Guinn, Master Sgt.
Shanon Hampton, Master Sgt. (Ret.)
Lawrence Hufford, Capt. (Ret.)
Linn Knight, Master Sgt.
Russell Logan, Tech Sgt. (Ret.)
Janelle Lykon, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Audra Lyons, Lieutenant Col.
Travis Manter, Capt.
Jacquelyn Marty, Col.
Melissa McAvoy, Lieutenant Col. (Ret.)
John Meyer, Staff Sgt.
Rafael Morfinenciso, Senior Airman (Ret.)
Kristen Morris, Capt. (Ret.)
Ryan Novack, 1st Lieutenant
Derrall Peach, Tech Sgt.
Steve Pearson, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Michele Prindle, Tech Sgt. (Ret.)
Ricardo Rivera, Tech Sgt. (Ret.)
Andres Rodriguez, Master Sgt.
Benjamin Seekell, Master Sgt.
Teresa Sellers, Major
Stacie Shafran, Major
Hannah Stolberg, Senior Airman (Ret.)
Juliana Walker, Lieutenant Col.
Brian Williams, Master Sgt.
Brent Young, Staff Sgt.
The alternate athletes are (in alphabetical order):
Miguel Acevedo, Master Sgt.
John Angel, Master Sgt.
Vincent Beck, Master Sgt.
Brian Biviano, Staff Sgt.
Kristina Coble, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Vickie Lebrun, Master Sgt. (Ret.)
Andrew Rivera, Tech Sgt.
Cherise Vogel, Tech Sgt. (Ret.)
Amanda Vrba, Staff Sgt. (Ret.)
Follow the action at www.dodwarriorgames.com and on AFW2 social media at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We’ll keep you update throughout the weeks and days leading up to the competition with athlete profiles and information about upcoming competitions.