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Welcome to the US Armed Forces Wiki
US Military teams have existed since the 1919 Allied games held after WWI and some of the players involved in those games went on to play in the 1920 Olympics. In the late 1920., we saw Marines in China in 1927-31[[1]] and in the 30s, Marines in Philadelphia. Servicemen have played on a variety of teams until base level teams in the late 1960's began to organize. They were fueled by the service academies who have had rugby history dating from the 60's and one of the more successful base level teams (Pensacola) took part in the Monterey Tournament in the 60s. Other early base level teams were Ft Jackson (AL), Fitzsimmons (CO), and an overseas team in Taipai Taiwan. The first team in Europe, Frankfurt Americans, was started in 1973, and Okinawa Lyons also in the early 70s, but it was not until the formal organization of our national governing body, USA Rugby in 1974, that there began a concerted effort to support military teams. The structure provided for a 'military committee', but it lay dormant in spite of some early volunteer offers until 1979 when it began (providing for a Combined Services Chairman) allowing the opportunity for a USA Rugby Combined Services Committee . The activity of that committee are chronicled in the documents and Minutes of the Combined Services Committee and the on the field club actions in the CS Newsletter which started in 1981 and spanned for two decades keeping military ruggers in touch with each other. Some of this was summarized in the Combined Services Handbooks which were distributed to military rugby team leaders across the globe. There was a documentation of the first Combined Services Women's Newsletter. You can read the subsequent military rugby history that led to the adoption of rugby into the official DoD sports programs, which followed the lead of the Marine Corps who gave 'official' status to the game in 1988. Up until that time, the Combined Services Committee worked under their own guidelines, an example of which can be found in the 1989 Handbook [[2]]
There are several -> notable Military Rugby firsts
The official DoD Armed Forces Rugby website is: http://armedforcessports.defense.gov/Sports/Rugby.aspx
Click here to go to the sites for the -> service academies
Click here to go to the sites for the -> National Governing Body Officers with military background
Click here for a list of Fallen Military Ruggers: [[3]]
Click here for CISM Competition which restarted in the sport of rugby in 2024
This site is not an official activity of the US Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of Homeland Security. Product Endorsement by its teams, athletes, staff, or its representatives does not constitute product endorsement by the US Government.
Featured Links
List of our Military Eagles
Here is a list of service members who represented our country while in uniform
List of our Military Members who played Professional Rugby
Here is a list of service members who played in the Professional Leagues
List of our Military Members who were selected to the World Class Athletic Program
Here is a list of service members who were selected to the WCAP program
Go -> Armed Forces Championship results
Go -> Combined Services Now recognized as Armed Forces Rugby
Go -> Military Club Tournament results
Go -> Combined Sea Services and Army / Air Force Game results
Go -> Army
This site contains information about the Army Select Side and CONUS Installation teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> CONUS Army installation teams
For All Army Select Side, go here -> [[4]]
This site contains information about the Navy Select Side and CONUS Installation teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams, to include ship teams, Go to -> CONUS Navy installation teams
For All Navy Select Side, Go here -> [[5]]
Go -> Air Force
This site contains information about the Air Force Select Side and CONUS Installation teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> CONUS Air Force installation teams
For All Air Force Select Side, go here -> [[6]]
Go -> Marine Corps
This site contains information about the Marine Corps Select Side and CONUS Installation teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> CONUS Marine Corps installation teams
For All Marine Select Side Go here -> [[7]]
Go -> Coast Guard
This site contains information about the Coast Guard Select Side teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams go to -> CONUS Coast Guard installation teams
For the All Coast Guard Select Side go here -> [[8]]
Facebook page -> [[9]
Go -> Multiservice Installation Teams
This site contains information about multiservice teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities. For a list of teams Go to -> Multiservice Installation Teams
Go -> European All Star Teams
(The US Forces Europe Rugby Union Logo was actually the Christian Socialist (Bavaria) Union holding the USAREUR Shield (created by Dave McNaughton) This site contains information about the European military club and Select side teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> European installation teams
For a list of All Star Teams Go to -> European All Star Teams
For a brief history and European Military Rugby Leadership through that history
Go -> Pacific Teams
This site contains information about the Pacific military club and select side teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> Pacific installation teams
Go -> SOUTHCOM Teams
This site contains information about the Panama and SOUTHCOM military club and select side teams' results, rosters, photos and documentation associated with the teams' activities.
For a list of teams Go to -> SOUTHCOM installation teams
Selected Match Results
Things You Can Do
Would like acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of Michael Malone, LtCol, USMC (ret) who has helped IMMENSELY in making sure the data, details, and stories compiled in the Combined Services section are accurate as can be. A well deserved salute to Mike!
If you see an error or have additional information or photos, please contact Harry Laws at HarryFLaws@gmail.com
Welcome to the US Armed Forces Wiki
US Military teams have existed since the 1919 Allied games held after WWI and some of the players involved in those games went on to play in the 1920 Olympics. In the late 1920., we saw Marines in China in 1927-31[[10]] and in the 30s, Marines in Philadelphia. Servicemen have played on a variety of teams until base level teams in the late 1960's began to organize. They were fueled by the service academies who have had rugby history dating from the 60's and one of the more successful base level teams (Pensacola) took part in the Monterey Tournament in the 60s. Other early base level teams were Ft Jackson (AL), Fitzsimmons (CO), and an overseas team in Taipai Taiwan. The first team in Europe, Frankfurt Americans, was started in 1973, and Okinawa Lyons also in the early 70s, but it was not until the formal organization of our national governing body, USA Rugby in 1974, that there began a concerted effort to support military teams. The structure provided for a 'military committee', but it lay dormant in spite of some early volunteer offers until 1979 when it began (providing for a Combined Services Chairman) allowing the opportunity for a USA Rugby Combined Services Committee . The activity of that committee are chronicled in the documents and Minutes of the Combined Services Committee and the on the field club actions in the CS Newsletter which started in 1981 and spanned for two decades keeping military ruggers in touch with each other. Some of this was summarized in the Combined Services Handbooks which were distributed to military rugby team leaders across the globe. There was a documentation of the first Combined Services Women's Newsletter. You can read the subsequent military rugby history that led to the adoption of rugby into the official DoD sports programs, which followed the lead of the Marine Corps who gave 'official' status to the game in 1988. Up until that time, the Combined Services Committee worked under their own guidelines, an example of which can be found in the 1989 Handbook [[11]]
There are several -> notable Military Rugby firsts
The official DoD Armed Forces Rugby website is: http://armedforcessports.defense.gov/Sports/Rugby.aspx
Click here to go to the sites for the -> service academies
Click here to go to the sites for the -> National Governing Body Officers with military background
Click here for a list of Fallen Military Ruggers: [[12]]
Click here for CISM Competition which restarted in the sport of rugby in 2024
This site is not an official activity of the US Government, the Department of Defense, or the Department of Homeland Security. Product Endorsement by its teams, athletes, staff, or its representatives does not constitute product endorsement by the US Government.
