Biathlon, which combines rifle shooting and cross-country skiing, developed out of Scandinavian military training exercises. So it's not surprising that many of the biathletes competing at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics have military or law enforcement careers that help them fine-tune their skills, support them while competing and ensure a job when they hang up their skis.
Three members of the U.S. biathlon team are with the Vermont National Guard: Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, Spc. Sean Doherty and Spc. Maxime Germain. Irwin and Doherty are also members of the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete program.
