World class athletes honored to represent Air Force

  • Published
  • By Carole Chiles Fuller
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --  The Air Force has a proud tradition of athletic achievements on the world stage. 

In the 1948 Olympic Games in London, Tuskegee Airman Malvin G. Whitfield won two golds and a bronze in track. In 1952, Whitfield, then a Korean War tail gunner, became the first active-duty American serviceman to win Olympic gold. 

In 1995, the Air Force established its world class athlete program to continue that legacy. In announcing the program, then Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald R. Fogleman wrote, "This new program is not only good for a small number of Airmen-athletes, it's also good for the Air Force," citing strong recruiting and retention benefits.
  
First Lt. Cale Simmons, a WCAP pole vaulter, is honored and proud to represent the United States, the Air Force and all Airmen in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He competes in the pole vaulting preliminaries Aug. 13, with the goal of making the finals Aug. 15.

Simmons credits WCAP with his making the team.

“Training with the WCAP program is hands-down by far the best training I’ve had,” said Simmons, who trained at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with jump coach Scott Steffan. “We have nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches, everyone works together on a coordinated front. If I were to do this on my own with no coach, it would be very difficult. To be part of WCAP is a great honor.”

The program is open to all Airmen who excel in Olympic disciplines. Additionally, the WCAP is now available to active-duty members eligible to compete in the Paralympics.  Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro is also assigned to the AFSVA, and competes in Wounded Warrior competitions and para-athletic events across the country in track and field and shooting.

“The WCAP athletes all come from the Air Force, so they’re all Airmen first, athletes second. We have pilots. We have security forces Airmen. We have communications officers,” said Col. Mike Lamb, director of operations with the Air Force Services Activity, which oversees Air Force Sports. “When this time is over for them, when they’re done being world class athletes, they’re going to go right back into their career fields. So, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for them, of course, but when they’re done with the World Class Athlete Program, and they get back into the normal Air Force, they’re going to be a source of inspiration to the rest of us for the remainder of their careers.” 

Unlike “Marvelous Mal” Whitfield, who trained for the ’52 Games by running on an airfield between bombing missions, WCAP athletes train full time. They compete in U.S. Armed Forces events, the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (Military World Games), qualifying events for the Olympics and the Olympic Games. 

“To be honest, it is a dream opportunity, definitely a dream assignment, being in the Air Force as well as being given the opportunity to train full time and pursue my running goals,” said 2016 WCAP distance runner Maj. Ben Payne. Payne finished 17th in the U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials on Feb. 13 in Los Angeles. 
 
Six of the 19 WCAP athletes who aimed for the 2016 Summer Olympics advanced to the trials in their events. In addition to Payne and Simmons, they are: Capt. Paige Blackburn, discus; 2nd Lt. Ryan Dunne, swimming; 1st Lt. Annette Melcher, running; and 2nd Lt. Joey Uhle, pole vaulting. Former WCAP participant Capt. Matthew Williams, a physical therapist who trained part-time with Payne, also qualified for the marathon trials. He also qualified for the 2012 track and field trials. 

“WCAP is a pretty special opportunity,” Williams said. 

WCAP is operated by the Air Force Services Activity at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. While the program is similar to that of the Army, the Air Force WCAP is a two-year program, while the Army’s is a three-year program. The Army has a dedicated squadron that manages their athletes, and the Army employs coaches. The Air Force athletes choose their coaches, who also are recommended by their sport’s national governing body, and the program reimburses the athletes for coaching costs.

WCAP athletes share a drive to be the best Airman, athlete and professional they can be by living Air Force core values.

“They’re very, very structured people. They know what their goals are, and they do it,” said Stephen Brown, chief of Air Force Sports since 1996. 

The runners, for example, train every day. On rest and recovery days, they put in “only” 8 to 10 miles, and work on strength and flexibility. In their spare time, they speak to Airmen or prospective Airmen or volunteer in the community. 

To keep his mind occupied after training sessions, pole vaulter Simmons pursued a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business. He completed the degree requirements between the trials and the Games.

Active-duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve members are eligible for WCAP. To qualify, an athlete must submit an Air Force Form 303 (Request for USAF Specialized Sports Training) through proper channels and be endorsed by the sport’s national governing body, which verifies the athlete’s potential for making the national or Olympic team. 

“Now we’re in the summer phase, which ends this month. Then we’ll be in the winter phase and have fewer athletes, maybe three to five, mostly bobsled pushers,” said Brown. 

One athlete so far has been accepted into the winter phase: Capt. David Simon, a payload systems operator with the 3rd Space Experiment Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, who competes as a bobsled pusher.

“I am truly blessed and thankful to God, family and senior leadership at the 50th Space Wing for making Air Force WCAP a reality. I am extremely happy and honored to be a part of AF WCAP,” Simon said. 

Athletes must be competitive in order to stay in the program. A serious injury or failure to qualify for a national or Olympic team results in a return to their career fields. But they will continue to inspire Airmen and spread the word about WCAP. 

“These athletes are super-resilient, highly-disciplined Airmen,” said Lamb.  “Of course I’m excited for them as athletes, but I’m equally eager to have them back in the field.  They’re poised to do great things for us in their individual career fields; there’s no telling what they can accomplish."