U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program

The U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) is a military unit whose primary mission is to support nationally and internationally ranked soldiers in participating on the U.S. Olympic team. The program is headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Objectives
According to the U.S. Army, WCAP provides active duty, National Guard and reserve soldiers the opportunity to train and compete at national and international sports competitions with the ultimate goal of selection to the U.S. Olympic team and U.S. Paralympic team, while maintaining a professional military career and promoting the U.S. Army.

Selection
Any soldier-athlete (Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve) may apply for selection provided:
 * Soldier is in good military standing
 * The sport the soldier is applying for is an Olympic sport
 * Soldier has completed Advanced Individual Training (enlisted) or Officer Basic Course (officer)
 * Soldier meets sport specific entry standards, which normally consists of attaining a high national ranking or being selected to a U.S. National Team for international competition
 * WCAP is not a developmental program; it targets athletes who have achieved world class status in their sport

2022
During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China five soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIV Olympiad.


 * Sgt. Emily Sweeney, Women's Singles Luge
 * Sgt. Benjamin Loomis, Nordic Combined
 * Sgt. Jasper Good, Nordic Combined
 * Spc. Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, Two and Four-Man Bobsled
 * Spc. Frank Del Duca, Two and Four-Man Bobsled

2020
During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan twelve soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXII Olympiad.


 * Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham, Boxing
 * Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft, Shooting
 * 1st Lt. Amber English, Shooting
 * Staff Sgt. Nickolaus Mowrer, Shooting
 * Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks, Paralympic Swimming
 * Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen, Paralympic Shooting
 * Staff Sgt. John Joss, Paralympic Shooting
 * Sgt. Ildar Hafizov, Wrestling
 * Spc. Alejandro Sancho, Wrestling
 * Sgt. Amro Elgeziry, Modern Pentathlon
 * Sgt. Samantha Schultz, Modern Pentathlon
 * Spc. Benard Keter, Track and Field

2018
During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea seven soldier-athletes represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIII Olympiad.


 * Maj Christopher Fogt, Two and Four-Man Bobsled
 * Sgt. 1st Class Nate Weber, Four-Man Bobsled
 * Sgt Nick Cunningham, Two and Four-Man Bobsled
 * Sgt Justin Olsen, Two and Four-Man Bobsled
 * Sgt Emily Sweeney, Women's Singles Luge
 * Sgt Taylor Morris, Singles Luge
 * Sgt Matthew Mortensen, Doubles Luge

2016
The program sent four Kenyan-born soldier-runners to compete at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

as well as
 * Sgt. Hillary Bor, 3,000 m steeplechase
 * Spc. Paul Chelimo, 5,000 m run won the silver medal
 * Spc. Shadrack Kipchirchir, 10,000 m run
 * Spc. Leonard Korir, 10,000 m run
 * Staff Sgt. John Nunn, 50 km racewalk

2012
The program sent seven athletes and four coaches to the London 2012 Summer Olympics.
 * Sergeant First Class Dremiel Byers, Greco-Roman wrestling, 120 kg
 * Sgt. 1st Class Keith Sanderson, rapid fire pistol
 * Sgt. 1st Class Daryl Szarenski, pistol
 * Staff Sgt. John Nunn, 50 km racewalk
 * Spc. Justin Lester, Greco-Roman wrestling, 66 kg
 * Sgt. Spenser Mango, Greco-Roman wrestling, 55 kg
 * Spc. Dennis Bowsher, Modern Pentathlon

2010


During the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games three soldier-athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXI Olympiad.


 * SGT Jeremy Teela (Biathlon)
 * -10k Sprint


 * SGT John Napier (Bobsled)
 * -4-man USA Sled II Pilot


 * 1LT Christopher Fogt (Bobsled)
 * -4-man USA Sled II Brakeman


 * SGT William Tavares (Team USA Bobsled Coach)

2008
During the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics two WCAP athletes and one coach represented WCAP and the US Army in the XXIX Olympiad:


 * MAJ Michael Anti (Shooting)
 * -50m Rifle Competition


 * SSG Dremiel Byers (Greco-Roman Wrestling)
 * -Heavyweight


 * SSG Keith Sanderson (Shooting)
 * -Rapid Fire Pistol competition


 * MAJ David Johnson (Team USA Shooting Coach)

Other notable WCAP alumni

 * CPT Boyd Melson (Boxing)
 * -2004 World Military Boxing Championships, gold medal (69-kg. weight class)


 * SSG Jenna Burkert- 2021 World bronze medalist, Olympic Alternate, 4x World Team member.