With the whole world watching the Olympic games in London, this is a perfect opportunity to recognize some amazing military athletes who not only serve in the Armed Forces, but are now competing to be the best in the world at the Olympics.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR HEROES COMPETING
ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN AFGHANISTAN
As we celebrate our Military Olympians, who can do such amazing things in their events,
let us not forget the amazing things our troops overseas do every day in Afghanistan. Our troops continue fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda despite the 110+ degree heat and diminishing media coverage about their efforts. They fight to make sure that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven and training ground for terrorist to plot attacks to kill American civilians - which is their aim!
Our fighting military will not receive media attention or acclaim for their heroic acts, but we will thank them with a care package of support from home.
SPC. DENNIS BROWSHER OF DALLAS, TX HOPING
FOR GOLD-MEDAL PERFORMANCE TOMORROW!
Keep reading every day from now through the end of the Olympics as we bring you the stories of our Military Olympians and their impressive achievements. Today we're looking at U.S. Army Specialist and native of Dallas, TX, Dennis Browsher, who will compete tomorrow in the Modern Pentathlon. The Modern Pentathlon event includes a myriad of disciplines including running, swimming, fencing, shooting and horse riding!
After watching swimming in the 1996 Olympic Summer Games, Dennis Bowsher knew he wanted to be a member of Team USA.
"It was then that I got the Olympic dream," Bowsher said. "It would be so cool to represent the United States."
A little over a decade later, that dream would become a reality, but for a different sport -- modern pentathlon.
The sport traces its roots to the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, and was introduced in 1912. Athletes competing are faced with five different obstacles. They must fence, swim 200-meters, ride a show jumping horse, and run 3 kilometers while stopping to shoot a pistol along the way -- all skills used in military combat.
"A soldier had to know how to ride a horse, use their gun," Bowsher said. "If they ran out of bullets, they had to be able to use their sword. If there was no horse, they had to be able to cross land or water."
As a soldier in the U.S. Army, it was the perfect fit. The Games of the XXX Olympiad have even more significance.."
"In 1912, General George Patton competed in the Olympics in modern pentathlon, so 100 years later, I'm a soldier in the Army competing in the modern Olympics just like General George Patton did," Bowsher said.
- JUSTIN HINTON
NBC NEWS
08/10/2012
