Warrior Games Profile - Daniel Oosterhous

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(Editor's note: More than 40 athletes will represent the Air Force during the 2014 Warrior Games from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is a profile of one of those athletes, providing a behind-the-scenes look at who they are and the sport they will participate in.)

WARRIOR GAMES: PLAYER PROFILE

Name: Lt. Col. Daniel Oosterhous (Ret.)

Team: Invictus and Warrior Games
Sports: Track and Field, Swimming, Cycling
DOB: 6 Nov 1970
Birthplace: Texarkana, TX
Hometown: Texarkana, TX
Current Residence: Colorado Springs, CO
Injury: 2 brainstem strokes, limited function in left arm and left leg

Personal Profile:

Retired Lt Col Dan Oosterhous entered the Air Force upon graduation from the Air Force Academy in 1993 and retired in 2014. As a varsity tennis player, he was a 3-time MVP, team captain, and earned the Academy’s 2nd highest athletic achievement award in his senior year. During his 21-year career, he served as an instructor pilot in three aircraft: the C-21, C-5, and most recently, the T-53 at the Air Force Academy. He completed two deployment tours in Southwest Asia, serving as an air mobility advisor and civil aviation advisor to the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority. He has been the head coach of the men’s tennis team at the Air Force Academy for the past five seasons and led the program to its highest ever national ranking during the 2014 season. Following a team competition on 28 Feb 2013, he suffered a brain stem stroke that impaired his right side. Three weeks later he suffered another stroke which resulted in significant loss of function of his left side. Dan Oosterhous has made significant strides in his recovery, owing much to the support of his three children, Emma, Anna, and Andrew and the rehabilitative power of competition.

Personal/Professional Achievements:

General Wakin Character and Leadership Award recipient, USAFA
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Master’s Degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Transportation Management Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the Air Force Academy