Main Page/Intro
US Military teams have existed on and off since the 1919 Allied games held after WWI. Servicemen have played in the 1920 Olympics and with a variety of teams until the last 1960's when base level teams began to organize. They were fueled by the service academies who have a long history, but it was not until the formal organization of USA Rugby in 1974 that there began a concerted effort to support military teams. That administrative initiative evolved to allow the organization of the Combined Services Committee of USA Rugby in the late 1970's. Only a few years later we saw the formation of the first Combined Services team, and quickly thereafter, service teams and intraservice championships. The US Combined Services Committee guided the growth in the decades that followed and spearheaded the objective of making rugby an official DoD sport. When that happened in 2000, the CS committee was superseded by the Armed Forces Sports Council and in a few years USA Rugby formally dissolved the Combined Services Committee as a function of our National Governing Body. Effective in 2012, The Armed Forces Sports Council voted to switch to 7's format from 15's. The addition of 7's to the Olympics provided the justification, as well as easier funding of 7s vs 15s teams. The five Service rugby directors, who previously comprised the permanent CS committee members, continue to lead collaboration on behalf of their respective players under the authority of their respective Service sports offices for all formal military rugby events.
The official Armed Forces Rugby website is: http://armedforcessports.defense.gov/Sports/Rugby.aspx
The competition is always fierce, yet the sense of brotherhood seen within the rugby culture has always been stronger among our the military teams.
If you see any gaps in this site please forward your concerns to the appropriate person below:
Combined Services - Harry Laws at harryflaws@gmail.com
Army - Mike Legg at mike.legg@mail.house.gov
Air Force -
Navy - Chris Kirkwood at chilly@loverugbycompany.com
Marine Corps - Bob Wolf at rwolf@sunymaritime.edu
Coast Guard -
Europe - Dave McNaughton at david.b.mcnaughton@dodcommunitybank.com
Pacific - Sean Edris at SeaEd99@aol.com
Panama - Dennis Gill at deliveries@sailshare.com
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