AF wounded warriors selected for Warrior, Invictus Games

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jette Carr
  • Air Force News Service
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. --  Air Force Wounded Warrior program officials announced the names of the athletes to represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games and the Invictus Games at the closing ceremony for the Air Force Trials on April 11 in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Air Force Trials gave injured, ill and wounded Airmen a chance to compete in Paralympic-style events. From a pool of more than 100 athletes, 40 were chosen as members of the Air Force Warrior Games team to compete Sept. 28 through Oct. 4 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. Another 20 athletes were selected for a team competing in the Invictus Games in London, Sept. 10 through 14.

During the games, athletes will participate in seven different sports, including cycling, air rifle and pistol shooting, archery, seated volleyball, track and field, swimming, and wheelchair basketball.

This is the fourth year Airmen have competed in the Warrior Games and athlete participation has grown exponentially.

"In 2010, we had six applications and after a lot of cold calls, we ended up with a team of 21," said Maj. James Bales, the head coach for the Air Force Warrior Games team. "In 2011, we had a team of 27. In 2012, we had a team of 28. In 2013, we had a team of 50. This year we are capped with a team of 40, but we have over 100 athletes competing to make our 2014 Warrior Games team."

Members selected for the Warrior Games team are:

Primary
Master Sgt. Chris Aguilera
Tech. Sgt. Leonard Andersen
Retired Senior Airman Tim Babb
Retired Master Sgt. Kyle Burnett
Retired Tech. Sgt. Corey Carter
Tech. Sgt. Jason Caswell
Senior Airman Gideon Connelly
Retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Crane
Staff Sgt. Christopher D'Angelo
Retired Staff Sgt. Nicholas Dadgostar
Retired Tech. Sgt. Darryl Dutton
Retired Staff Sgt. Jason Ellis
Capt. Sarah Evans
Tech. Sgt. Andrew Evans
Retired Senior Airman Ryan Gallo
Staff Sgt. Melissa Garcia
Master Sgt. Axel Gaud-Torres
Retired Capt. Wesley Glisson
Retired Capt. Jeff Haugh
Senior Master Sgt. Jason Hoover
Tech. Sgt. Lara Ishikawa
Capt. Mitchell Kieffer
Retired Maj. Jen Kyseth
Retired Staff Sgt. Steven Malitz
Retired Staff Sgt. Thomas Martineau
Airman 1st Class Kamee Mayfield
Retired Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Means
Senior Airman Charles Ming
Retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Neild
Staff Sgt. August O'Neill
Lt. Col. Daniel Oosterhous
Retired Senior Airman Orion Orellana
Retired Senior Airman Scott Palomino
Staff Sgt. Seth Pena
Retired Staff Sgt. Tatiana Perkins
Retired Tech. Sgt. Eric Pinney
Retired Senior Airman Jarvitz Richmond
Tech. Sgt. Joshua Robistow
Retired Staff Sgt. Kieth Sekora
Retired Staff Sgt. Kevin Taylor

Alternates
Capt. Lewis Barasha
Retired Master Sgt. Matthew Burke
Retired Staff Sgt. Larry Franklin
Senior Airman Michael Napier
Senior Airman Jonathan Olds
Retired Senior Airman Dwayne Parker
Retired Senior Master Sgt. Michael Sanders
Retired Staff Sgt. Matt Sanders
Retired Senior Airman Jennifer Stone

Members selected for the Invictus Games team are:

Primary
Master Sgt. Chris Aguilera
Capt. Lewis Barasha
Retired Master Sgt. Matthew Burke
Retired Senior Airman Cody Caraker
Staff Sgt. Melissa Coduti
Retired Staff Sgt. Daniel Crane
Staff Sgt. Christopher D'Angelo
Retired Staff Sgt. Nicholas Dadgostar
Staff Sgt. Derrick David
Retired Senior Airman Colby Dean
Capt. Sarah Evans
Master Sgt. Paul Horton
Staff Sgt. Mark Johnson
Tech. Sgt. Chad Lukkes
Retired Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Means
Senior Airman Jonathan Olds
Lt. Col. Daniel Oosterhous
Retired Senior Airman Scott Palomino
Retired Senior Airman Dwayne Parker
Retired Staff Sgt. Tatiana Perkins
Retired Tech. Sgt. Eric Pinney
Retired Senior Airman Marianne Reilly

Alternates
Senior Airman Gideon Connelly
Staff Sgt. Melissa Garcia
Retired Staff Sgt. Thomas Martineau
Staff Sgt. August O'Neill
Retired Senior Airman Orion Orellana (Courtesy of Air Force News Service)