This week’s episode of Weapons and Warfare is dedicated to recognizing a few members of the U.S. military that recently represented the stars and stripes in a different way. Several U.S. military soldiers competed as Olympians in Paris for the 2024 Games.
The U.S. Army sent the largest contingent of athletes to the Games, with seven active-duty soldiers, one Army Reserve soldier and two veterans.
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Leading the field was Army veteran Vincent Hancock, who brought home his fourth Olympic gold medal by winning men’s skeet shooting. Hancock joins the ranks of Michael Phelps, Carl Lewis and Katie Ledecky as the seven Olympians ever to win the same event in four separate Games. He also bagged a silver medal in the skeet mixed team event.
Newly promoted Army Staff Sgt. Sagen Maddalena also earned a medal. The Army shooting instructor, stationed at Ft. Moore, Georgia, brought home silver in the women’s 50-meter rifle three positions shooting final.
Army Reservist 1st Lt. Sam Kendricks won a silver medal as well in the pole vault, adding to the bronze medal he won in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Finally, Army Capt. Sammy Sullivan competed for the U.S. in women’s rugby sevens. The West Point graduate was a key contributor in the team’s win against Australia 14-12 to win the bronze medal. It was America’s first rugby medal in 100 years.
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Ryan Robertson
TIME NOW FOR OUR WEAPON OF THE WEEK, OR SHOULD I SAY OUR WEAPONS OF THE WEEK, AS IN PLURAL. THAT’S BECAUSE WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE A FEW MEMBERS OF OUR COUNTRY’S MILITARY THAT RECENTLY REPRESENTED THE STARS AND STRIPES IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AS OLYMPIANS IN PARIS FOR THE 2024 GAMES.
THE U.S ARMY SENT THE LARGEST CONTINGENT OF ATHLETES TO THE GAMES WITH SEVEN ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIERS, ONE ARMY RESERVE SOLDIER AND TWO VETERANS.
LEADING THE FIELD WAS ARMY VETERAN VINCENT HANCOCK WHO BROUGHT HOME HIS FOURTH OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL WINNING MEN’S SKEET SHOOTING AND JOINING THE RANKS OF MICHAEL PHELPS, CARL LEWIS AND KATIE LEDECKY AS ONE OF ONLY SEVEN OLYMPIANS EVER TO WIN THE SAME EVENT IN FOUR SEPERATE GAMES. HE ALSO BAGGED A SILVER IN THE ‘SKEET MIXED TEAM’ EVENT.
JOINING HANCOCK IN THE MEDAL HAUL WAS NEWLY PROMOTED ARMY STAFF SERGEANT SAGEN MADDALENA. THE ARMY SHOOTING INSTRUCTOR STATIONED AT FORT MOORE, GEORGIA BROUGHT HOME SILVER IN THE ‘50 METER RIFLE 3 POSITIONS’ WOMEN’S FINAL.
ARMY RESERVIST FIRST LIEUTENANT SAM KENDRICKS POLE VAULTED HIS WAY TO THE MEDAL STAND, ADDING A SILVER TO THE BRONZE HE WON IN RIO IN 2016.
FINALLY, ARMY CAPTAIN SAMMY SULLIVAN. THE WEST POINT GRADUATE WAS A KEY CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE U.S. WOMEN’S RUGBY SEVENS THAT SHOCKED AUSTRALIA, 14-12, IN THE WANING MOMENTS TO WIN THE BRONZE MEDAL. AMERICA’S FIRST RUGBY MEDAL IN 100 YEARS.
WE HERE AT WEAPONS AND WARFARE WANT TO EXTEND A SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO NOT ONLY THE MEDALISTS, BUT TO ALL OF THE OLYMPIANS THAT REPRESENTED THEIR BRANCH OF SERVICE AND THEIR COUNTRY IN PARIS.
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