CONTACT: Eric Durr, 518-786-4581, eric.durr@us.army.mil

FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013

LATHAM, NY (02/13/2013)-- New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Brian O’Keefe, a Berne resident, represented the New York National Guard at the 2013 National Guard Eastern Regional Biathlon held at the Vermont National Guard’s Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vt. on Feb 9, O’Keefe, a veteran of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, is an employee of the New York State Public Service Commission. He just completed a deployment to Afghanistan in 2012. O’Keefe volunteered to represent New York in the competion when another Soldier had to drop out. He finished eighth in the spring event in his first competition, although he’s participated in the sport for fun and exercise in the past. The competition selects Guard Soldiers and Airmen who go on to compete for a spot on the Olympic Biathalon team.The sport combines cross-country skiing and shooting. Today’s modern biathlon comprises of the sprint (three loops with two shooting stages totaling 7.5-10km), the pursuit (five laps with four shooting stages totaling 10-12.5km), the individual event (five loops with four shooting stages totaling 15-20km), the mass start (five loops with four shooting stages totaling 12.5-15km), and the team relay event (teams of three to four skiers each completing three laps with two shooting stages for a total of 24-30km). Members of the National Guard All-Guard Biathlon Team were represented on the 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic Biathlon Team. The National Guard is the only Department of Defense (DOD) organization that consistently sends Soldiers to the Olympics.