The military still has a strong showing at each of the Olympic games. Im biased to the Army, but the lesser services provide some competitors as well.
Here is your 2016 Army Olympians.
http://www.armymwr.com/olympians/soldiers.aspx
Dont forget about your wounded warrior competitors as well:
http://www.armymwr.com/olympians/paralympians.aspx
Added this for good measure, this video about the our wounded warrior athletes is well worth your 10 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM13pvi4JN4
**Be advised- stealthy ninjas cutting onions while you watch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael B
There have been professionals in the Olympics since the 1896 Games. When they decided to include fencing in the Olympic program it was determined that they should allow fencing masters who made their living by teaching. By doing this they could attract the best fencers of the era. This was done in 1896 in Athens and 1900 in Paris. The first Greek to win an Olympic championship in the modern games was a fencing master, Leonidas Pyrgos.
Up until 1948 you needed to be a military officer to compete in equestrian events, thus a professional rider.
Many of the early competitors in shooting were also military. The whole 1912 U.S. rifle team were in the military - Navy, Army, Iowa National Guard and West Virginia National Guard. It was not limited to officers though. One member of this team as a hospital steward in the Navy. The U.S. Army still has a sharpshooting team in Ft. Benning, GA that produces Olympic shooters
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