DRAPER, Utah, May 8, 2006 —Winter Olympic silver medalist Spc. Shauna Rohbock, Joint Forces Headquarters, re-enlisted in the Utah National Guard in a formal ceremony at the Draper headquarters building April 24.
Brig. Gen. Bruce Frandsen, assistant adjutant general—Army, Utah National Guard, administered the oath of enlistment as Guard officials, reporters and Rohbock’s Olympic teammate and fellow silver medalist Valerie Fleming looked on.
With Rohbock as driver and Fleming as brakeman, the two won silver in the women’s bobsled event at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympic Games in February.
Following the oath, Sgt. Maj. Jess Adamson, senior recruiter of the Utah Army National Guard, placed another “silver medal” around Rohbock’s neck. A set of silver dog tags were engraved with the Army’s Warrior Ethos, which reads as follows:
I will place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
“Shauna, the story of you and your teammate Valerie here tells the story of these values,” said Adamson. “You have represented our organization very well.”
Rohbock was then introduced as the newest member of the Utah National Guard Recruiting team. She will assist recruiters by appearing at local events and speaking to young audiences about the opportunities the Guard provides.
“I’m very excited to be a part of young people making that step forward (to join the Guard),” said Rohbock.
Rohbock enlisted as an administrative specialist with the Utah National Guard’s 115th Engineers in 2000. She was mobilized with her unit in 2003 to deploy to Iraq but was disqualified for deployment due to a shoulder injury.
Her membership in the Guard, however, allowed her to continue training full time as a member of the World Class Athlete Program, and she has worked exclusively with teammate Fleming for nearly two years.
“My father was a Vietnam veteran, and I’ve always looked up to members of the military,” said Fleming. “When I first met Shauna I thought, ‘Wow, she does everything, All-American athlete, and now a soldier.’”
“Being female in the military also sets her apart. As my driver she’s there to protect me in the sled, and as a soldier she’s there to protect our country. That’s something that I admire in her,” Fleming added. |
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| U.S. Army Spc. Shauna Rohbock, left, and teammate Valerie Fleming pose with their silver medals following Rohbock's re-enlistment ceremony April 24, 2006 in Draper, Utah. U.S. Army photo by Ray Carsey, courtesy of Utah National Guard Public Affairs |
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Turning the tables on her teammate, Rohbock was generous in her praise of Fleming.
“I worked with three different brakemen at first, but Valerie was my choice,” she said. “It’s been great and we’re best friends. She understands my responsibilities in the Guard and supports me.
Rohbock also expressed appreciation for the opportunity that the National Guard has provided.
“The Guard has been huge in my success,” said Rohbock. “I don’t think I would have a silver medal if it weren’t for the Guard because I was able to train the way I wanted to without much distraction from that.”
Rohbock said she plans to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and will work part time with the Guard in recruiting while maintaining her conditioning and training program to meet her athletic goals.
“To win a medal for my country and be a soldier, there really aren’t words to describe it,” she said. “It was amazing. I wish everybody could feel that feeling.” |
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