U.S. Army Paralympian Bio

Sergeant First Class Joshua J. Olson

Sergeant First Class
Joshua J. Olson

Event: International Rifle Shooter (Paralympics)

Home State: Alabama

Unit: U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Fort Benning, Ga.

Full Biography

Sgt. 1st Class Joshua J. Olson, an international rifle shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, has distinguished himself through his many accomplishments.

Olson enlisted in the Army Nov. 5, 1997. After he completed Basic Training and Infantry Training at Fort Benning, Ga., he was stationed with the 1st Battalion, 187th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), of Fort Campbell, Ky. He served as a rifleman, machine gunner, team leader and squad leader and also as a scout platoon squad leader in Korea. He deployed to Kosovo as a rifle team leader for peacekeeping operations in 1999. He participated in the first wave of invasion of Operation Iraqi Freedom, helped to liberate the city of Al Hiliah and lost his right leg in an ambush Oct. 27, 2003, in the northern Iraqi town of Telafar.

He joined the Army Marksmanship Unit June 13, 2005, as an international rifle shooter/instructor. He has numerous shooting accomplishments in his short competitive career. He has also instructed many fellow Soldiers in the fundamentals of marksmanship, sharing with them his personal combat experience.

Olson started competitive shooting in 2005. The following are some highlights over the course of his new shooting career.

Download Full Biography for Sergeant First Class Joshua J. Olson

Athletic Achievements

2012

Nominated, U.S. Paralympic Team

2011

First Place, Paralympic Smallbore Prone, USA Shooting National Championships, Fort Benning, Ga.

Second Place, Paralympic Air Rifle Prone, USA Shooting National Championships, Fort Benning, Ga.

Second Place, Paralympic Smallbore Prone, Rocky Mountain Rifle Championships

Third Place, Paralympic Air Rifle Prone, Rocky Mountain Rifle Championships

Seventh Place, Smallbore Prone, Alicante Cup, Alicante, Spain

14th Place, Air Rifle Prone, Alicante Cup, Alicante, Spain

Eighth Place, Smallbore Prone, World Cup USA, Fort Benning, Ga.

2010

10th Place, Hessian Trophy, Germany

Ninth Place, French Grand Prix, Volmenange, France

Fourth Place, Alicante Cup, Alicante, Spain

Sixth Place, World Championships, Zagreb, Croatia

2009

Second Place, Hessian Trophy, Germany

First Place, French Grand Prix, Volmenange, France

First Place, Alicante Cup, Alicante, Spain

Second Place, Oceanic Games, Sydney, Australia

2008

Alternate, U.S. Paralympic Team

Fifth Place, Hessian Trophy

2007

Sixth Place, Hessen Cup, Germany

Fifth Place, Oceania Championships, Sydney, Australia

12th Place, 2007 Euro Championships, Suhl, Germany

2006

Member, U.S. Paralympics Team, Hessian, Germany

Eighth Place, World Championships, Sargans, Switzerland