According to a news release, the Defense Department informs that 17 of the 19 service members representing America are soldiers, 1 is a Marine, and the last is a Coast Guardsman. This is an increase in numbers compared to the previous Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where 16 service members competed.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympics had to be postponed from 2020 to 2021 between July 23rd and August 8th. 

This coming Olympics is historical for the US military. Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham will become the first active-duty female to compete for the US in boxing. She is to compete in the 75-kilogram weight class. 

Here are the 19 service members representing America:

Army

1st Lt. Amber English – women’s skeet

Staff Sgt. Naomi Graham – women’s boxing, 75-kilogram category

Staff Sgt. Nickolaus Mowrer – 10m air pistol, men; 10m air pistol, mixed team; and 50m rifle, 3 positions.

Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft – 10m air pistol, women; 10m air pistol, mixed team; and 25m sport pistol. 

Sgt. Samantha Schultz – modern pentathlon

Sgt. Amro Elgeziry – modern pentathlon

Sgt. Ildar Hafizov – Greco-Roman wrestling, 60 kg category

Spc. Alejandro Sancho – Greco-Roman wrestling, 67 kg category

Spc. Benard Keter – 3,000-meter steeplechase, track, and field

Sgt. Patrick Sunderman – men’s Smallbore rifle

Spc. Sagen Maddalena – women’s Smallbore rifle

Spc. Alison Weisz – women’s air rifle

Sgt. Philip Jungman – men’s skeet

1st Lt. Sam Kendricks – pole vaulting

Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Marks – Paralympic swimming in the 50-meter freestyle, 50-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, and 100-meter backstroke

Staff Sgt. John Joss – Paralympic shooting, 50m rifle

Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen – Paralympic shooting, 50m rifle

Marine Corps

Staff Sgt. John Stefanowicz – Greco-Roman wrestling, 87 kg category

Coast Guard

Lt. Nikole Barnes – 470-class sailboat category

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