Military Olympic Training

US military services support and help train athletes to compete at an Olympic level.

Military Olympic training opportunities depend on the service to which the military member belongs. Both the Army and Air Force have special world-class athlete programs. For Navy and Marine Corps members with Olympic aspirations, the path is slightly different, as neither service has a special training program. All services, however, put their full support behind athletes with the skill and talent needed to compete at an Olympic level.

Considerations

For military members, the Olympic path starts at intra-service competitions.

For almost every military athlete, the road to service-sponsored military Olympic training begins at their unit. Each service runs an all-service program for many of the events held at the Olympics. This includes track and field, triathlon, boxing and basketball. Military athletes usually attain all-service designation through intra-service competitions, to start. Once they attain that goal, they go on to compete in inter-service events, for all-military status. For a very few, the Olympics is a possibility.

Army and Air Force Training Programs

The Army's Olympic training center is at Fort Carson, Colo.

Both the Army and Air Force have formal Olympic training programs. Each are called the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). Olympic-caliber Army athletes can spend up to three years before the Olympics in training, and Air Force athletes up to two years. The Army has a training center at Fort Carson, Colorado, for many sports. The Air Force sends its athletes to the national Olympic training center for their particular sport. Some Army athletes also go that route.

Navy and Marine Corps Training Programs

Neither the Navy or the Marine Corps has an actual Olympic training center.

The Navy and the Marine Corps don't have their own training centers. Olympic-caliber Navy athletes work through the Navy Sports Office to request special assignment. If accepted, they usually spend up to 18 months at their sport's national training center. Marines must be invited by the governing athletic body of their sport to participate at that sport's national training center. Marine applicants then enter the Marine Corps National Caliber Athlete Program for up to three years.

Support

Military support for its athletes can be extensive.

Once a military member makes it into her particular service's Olympic training program, support can be extensive. This includes full pay plus stipends for housing and food. Other support services may include supplying a coach for the athlete, courtesy of that athlete's service. All services also cover pre-Olympic competition travel and lodging expenses. In this way, athletes are able to concentrate fully on training and competition in the years and months leading up to the Olympics.

Expert Insight

Getting into military Olympic training can be a high hurdle to clear.

All of the services have longstanding elite athlete programs and the Army has had an Olympics-specific one since 1978. In terms of numbers, very few military athletes actually manage to make it into their service's program. In fact, competition for a spot can be extremely keen in certain sports. At a minimum, each athlete has to meet or exceed the minimum performance criteria established by his sport's national governing body. This is a very high hurdle to clear.

References

• Army National Guard: World Class Athlete Program Standards
• U.S. Army: Eligibility and Application Procedures for the Army World Class Athlete Program
• Air Force: World Class Athlete Program
• Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation: World Class Athlete Program
• Bnet: Taking Recreational Sports to the Limit--Military Athletes Go for the Gold

Resources

• Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation: Welcome to Navy Sports
• USMC: Marine Corps Order P1700.29, Marine Corps Semper Fit Program Manual