SANTIAGO, Chile — The seventh edition of the Parapan American Games will be hosted in South America for the second time ever as more than 2,000 athletes from 31 countries ranging 17 different sports compete in Santiago, Chile.
Out of the 240 representing the United States of America, 22 have served in the United States Military at one point. They have worked tirelessly to protect, preserve and maintain the safety and well-being of the U.S during their service.
Read more on the veterans representing Team USA in the 2023 Parapan American Games:
A native of Manvel, Texas, Caesar enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1994 but was medically discharged four years later after a vehicular accident left her partially paralyzed.
She returned to school and became a speech language pathologist. But, following another injury while running, Caesar discovered her love for archery. In August, Caesar won the silver medal in the 2023 Chicago Para-Archery Championships.
Competing in: Archery — Individual Recurve Open (Nov. 20), Mixed Team Recurve (Nov. 19)
Tabansky served in the U.S. Army for over 15 years, retiring as a Staff Sergeant at 32-years-old in 2015. Though a spinal cord injury forced Tabansky to step away from his service, he is now a full-time para-archery athlete and is a board member for Wheelchairs for Warriors.
Classification: W1
Competing in: Men’s Individual W1 Archery (Nov. 19)
A member of Team USA’s Para-ice hockey team, founder of multiple nonprofits and a world-ranked Para-thrower, Gardner is a former Army Sergeant, who served with the U.S. Army Military Police in Asia.
Two of Gardner’s better-known foundations include Mission Working Dogs and the New England Warriors Sled Hockey Program.
Classification: F57
Competing in: Women’s Discus Throw (Nov. 22), Women’s Shot Put (Nov. 23)
When Rohn was deployed in Iraq, he endured multiple injuries, resulting in 10 surgeries on his right leg. Initially introduced to wheelchair basketball as his first Para-sport, Rohn found his strengths in track and field which he now excels at.
Classification: F64
Competing in: Men’s Discus Throw (Nov. 24)
McCoy began wheelchair racing in 2011. The former staff sergeant picked up the sport through recreational therapy after losing both legs, below the knee, to hidden explosives while serving in Iraq in 2006. McCoy has previously participated in the 2012 London Paralympic trials for Team USA.
Classification: T52
Competing in: Athletics — Men’s 400m (Nov. 21), Men’s 100m (Nov. 25)
Enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps out of high school, Grauer began her service in 2002 and continued for 15 years before retiring. Grauer has dreams of becoming a prosthetist and will hope to execute a strong showing at the Games to qualify for Paris 2024.
Classification: F32-33-34
Competing in: Women’s Shot Put
Deployed in Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Kuwait, Alcaraz was in the Marines from 1990-96 but lost his foot in a motorcycle accident. Apart from playing badminton, which Alcaraz picked up in 2016, he also participates in skiing, sled hockey and wheelchair basketball.
Classification: SL4
Competing in: Men’s Singles Badminton (Nov. 22)
Salazar, a Marine Lance Corporal, was advised to play basketball just three months after losing both his legs above the knees in Afghanistan. Salazar quickly rose to being one of the top wheelchair basketball players in the country and competed for the Marine team at the 2014 Warrior Games.
Competing in: Wheelchair Basketball (Nov. 19)
De los Santos lost his right leg in 2008 when his patrol was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan. When he returned home, De los Santos dealt with harsh flashbacks and depression before starting to play sports.
Now, he’s a veteran para-cyclist, and has competed for Team USA in the 2016 and 2020 Tokyo Paralympics — winning a bronze medal in the latter.
Classification: H3-5, H1-5
Competing in: Cycling — Men’s H3-5 Road Race (TK), Men’s H1-5 Time Trial (Nov. 19)
Pinney picked up Para-cycling after sustaining an injury to his spinal cord in a BMX race. He had previously served 14 years for the United States Air Force.
In his Paralympic debut in Tokyo, Pinney was a part of Team USA’s H1-5 bronze medal-winning squad. Earlier this year, Pinney also placed second at the 2023 Para-cycling Road World Championships in Glasgow, Poland.
Classification: H3-5, H1-5
Competing in: Cycling — Men’s H3-5 Road Race (TK), Men’s H1-5 Time Trial (Nov. 19)
Stephens served in Afghanistan from 2013-14 and is a retired U.S. Army combat veteran. He holds a national record in tandem biking — achieved with teammate Joe Christiansen in 2019 — and lives with his wife, Kylee, and son, Weslan.
Classification: MB
Competing in: Cycling — Men’s B Time Trial (Nov. 19), Men’s B Individual Pursuit (Nov. 23)
A recipient of the 2010 Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the third-highest meritorious medal in the U.S. Military, Connors served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2003-12. Across his athletic career, Connor is a gold medalist in the U.S. Paralympics Tokyo Trials and a six-time Paracycling Men’s Trike National Champion.
Classification: T1-2
Competing in: Cycling — Mixed T1-2 Time Trial (Nov. 19), Mixed T1-2 Road Race (Nov. 19)
Body enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996 as an infantryman but was medically discharged because of a hurt knee which resulted in an amputation. In 2016, Body was named the Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year and enters the Parapan American Games as the No. 10 para-powerlifter in his division.
Competing in: Powerlifting — Men’s over 107kg, -107kg (Nov. 19), Mixed Team (Team 1) (Nov. 21)
A motorcycle accident that left Symons paralyzed at 20 didn’t derail his military ambitions. Joining the Paralyzed Veterans of America shortly after, Symons traveled and met new people which introduced him to wheelchair rugby.
Classification: 2.0
Competing in: Wheelchair Rugby (Nov. 18)
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Fleace joined the Army out of high school but got injured when he was 21 years old. He started wheelchair rugby in 2016 at the University of Arizona and made his first national team in 2023.
Classification: 0.5
Competing in: Wheelchair Rugby (Nov. 18)
Beach joined the Marine Corps in 1999 and served until 2005 when he was medically discharged. His love for shooting stemmed from participating in the 2010 Warrior Games. Earlier this year, Beach was crowned the 2023 USA Shooting National Champion in the R1 classification.
Classification: R1-2
Competing in: Shooting — R1/R2 – Mixed 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (Nov. 20).
Deployed to southern Afghanistan in 2012 after enlisting in the Army the year prior, Nguyen was sent home just three months into his tour after encountering an improvised explosive device. In 2014, he was recommended to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit which kickstarted his shooting career. Nguyen made his Paralympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Classification: R3-6
Competing in: Shooting — R3 – Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 (Nov. 18), R6 – Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 (Nov. 21)
Forced to medically retire after attempting to stop a robbery, Marine Corps veteran DeLaRosa took on para-shooting in 2014. His professional successes range from featuring in the 2016 Paralympics to earning a silver medal in the International Paralympic Committee Shooting World Cup in Szczecin, Poland.
Classification: P1-3
Competing in: Shooting — P3 – Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 (Nov. 18), P1 – Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 (Nov. 19)
Joss’ most recent accomplishment came in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games when he placed 29th in the R6 50-meter Rifle Prone. A former member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Joss made his Paralympic debut in the 2016 Rio Games and currently holds the national record for his preferred event.
Classification: R6
Competing in: Shooting — R6 – Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 (Nov. 21)
Brunais stepped away from the U.S. Army as a Staff Sergeant after 10 years and the proud recipient of a Soldier’s medal. He’s been a part of Team USA’s CP Soccer team since 2019 and was chosen to be the U.S. flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.
Competing in: Cerebral Palsy Soccer (Nov. 18)
Pincince joined the Marine Corps in 2018, where he helped purify and supply water for Marines in remote areas. A midfielder, and the only new player on Team USA’s 14-man roster entering the 2023 Parapan American Games, Pincince will hope to give his team a boost following its bronze medal finish in 2019.
Competing in: Cerebral Palsy Soccer (Nov. 18)
From 1999 to 2010, Kacer served with the Pennsylvania National Guard, persevering through the loss of his left arm in Afghanistan in 2008. Also an avid rower, swimmer and track-and-field athlete, Kacer started practicing Taekwondo in 2017.
Competing in: Taekwondo — Men’s -80 kg (Nov. 25)
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