FEBRUARY 11, 2026 — Four Soldiers of the Army National Guard are representing the United States of America in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Vermont Army National Guard’s Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, Spc. Sean Doherty and Spc. Maxime Germain are competing as part of the U.S. Olympic Biathlon team, and Utah Army National Guard’s Sgt. Ben Loomis is competing in the Nordic Combined event.
Vermont Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin: Biathlon
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, of Pulaski, Wisconsin, competed in her first Olympics in 2022, where she placed seventh in the women’s 15-kilometer individual biathlon — the highest finish for an American in biathlon history. Irwin is now the top female athlete for the U.S. Biathlon Team, and she could compete in six events in Milan.
Irwin, 33, is a human resource specialist with the Vermont National Guard. She enlisted in the Army in 2019 and competed for the National Guard Biathlon Team in the 2022 Games. In 2023, she joined the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, or WCAP, for its consistent support, which she said has made all the difference in both careers.
“With WCAP, I have full-time orders, full-time benefits and direct access to resources,” Irwin said. “Being both a platoon sergeant and an athlete have pushed me to learn a lot.”
Growing up, Irwin wanted to be a track and field athlete. She picked up cross-country skiing in the winter during high school to stay in shape between the fall cross-country season and the spring track and field season. Irwin then went to Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan, where she competed in all three sports.
After college, Irwin tried her hand at a professional skiing career. She didn’t start biathlon until she was 25, when a fellow cross-country skier talked her into attending a talent camp. She told Team USA she instantly fell in love with the sport.
“It has been an honor to be able to represent my country as both a U.S. Olympian and a U.S. Army Soldier,” she said. “I hope to inspire the next generation to serve and represent our country, too.”
Outside of biathlon, Irwin enjoys knitting, baking, puzzles and music.
Vermont Army National Guard Spc. Sean Doherty: Biathlon
U.S. Army Spc. Sean Doherty, of Center Conway, New Hampshire, might be the most experienced military athlete this year, as he is competing on his fourth Olympic team in as many as six events.
Doherty began competing in biathlon, a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting, at age 12. By 18, he was competing in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, becoming the first teenager and the youngest U.S. athlete in the sport.
In 2018, Doherty enlisted in the Army as a carpentry and masonry specialist and is now a member of the Vermont National Guard. However, he didn’t join the WCAP until after he competed in the 2022 Beijing Games. Now 30, Doherty said the experiences he’s had with the WCAP continue to shape him.
“WCAP supports you not just as an athlete, but as a person and a Soldier,” he said. “They care about my athletic performance, but they also care about my development as a whole person, and I’m grateful for that.”
Doherty trains at the Ethan Allen Firing Range in Jericho, Vermont, which is home to the Army Mountain Warfare School. Outside of biathlon, he’s an avid hunter, archer, fisherman and woodworker.
Vermont Army National Guard Spc. Maxime Germain: Biathlon
U.S. Army Spc. Maxime Germain, of Juneau, Alaska, is competing in his first Olympic event this year. Germain had three top-30 results in individual events at the 2025 Biathlon World Championships and followed up with a strong start to the 2025-26 World Cup season, securing his spot on his first Olympic team in biathlon for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Germain, 24, first tried biathlon at age 13 while living in France, then moved back to Alaska, this time to Anchorage, at age 16 to finish high school, according to his Team USA biography.
Germain enlisted with the Vermont National Guard in 2020 as an aviation specialist and is studying to be a commercial pilot. He has trained with the National Guard Biathlon Team since joining the Guard.
When not competing in biathlon events, Germain enjoys surfing, backcountry skiing, rock climbing and mountain running.
Utah Army National Guard Sgt. Ben Loomis: Nordic Combined
U.S. Army Sgt. Ben Loomis, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is competing in his third Olympics in the Nordic Combined event, which combines ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Loomis competed in the 2022 Beijing Games and the 2018 Pyeong Chang Games in South Korea.
According to Nordic Combined USA, Loomis, 27, started ski jumping at age 5. His talents grew so quickly that, at 15, he moved to Park City, Utah, to find higher-caliber training and competition.
In 2019, after high school, Loomis enlisted in the Utah National Guard as a motor transport operator to join the WCAP for its opportunities. He told the Army that training for his sport requires power, endurance and strength — physical traits that are also required to carry out his military duties.
“Being an athlete and a Soldier go hand in hand,” Loomis said. “What I’ve learned in the military has helped my athletic career, and my athletic background has helped me as a Soldier.”
He said his experience in the military has been incredibly positive.
“I want to stay in after my athletic career, maybe even for a full career,” Loomis said. “My reasons for joining and my reasons for staying are completely different now.”
After earning silver in the 2016 Youth Olympic Games, Loomis was named the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s Nordic combined athlete of the year. He’s been a member of four world championship teams, and his brother, Adam, is also a former world champion in the sport.
When Loomis isn’t on the snow, he enjoys hiking, fishing, biking and water skiing.
By Capt. James Mason
National Guard Bureau