Air Force Staff Sgt. Kelly Curtis, a knowledge operations technician assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing Communications Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, is preparing to represent Team USA on the world's biggest stage for the second time at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Qualifying for the Olympics is brutally competitive. Only 232 American athletes earned spots to represent the U.S. in Italy. The news station NBC Olympics reported that thousands of athletes competed through years of races, rankings and trials to qualify for the Games. For Curtis, this moment is the culmination of years of discipline, sacrifice and resilience, both as an athlete and as an airman.
"When I first asked the Air Force if I could be assigned to Aviano , the goal was always these Olympic Games," Curtis said. "Four years ago, I qualified for my first Games in Beijing, but Milano Cortina was always the plan."
Raised in a highly competitive household, Curtis grew up immersed in athletics. As the youngest of four siblings, she credits her upbringing and her father's experience as a former NFL player for shaping her drive.
"I was always trying to keep up," Curtis said. "I competed in everything: wrestling, track and field, softball, baseball and basketball. I never specialized in a specific sport early, and I believe that helped me more than anything."
Her diverse athletic foundation eventually evolved from traditional collegiate sports to the bobsled, and ultimately the skeleton, an event that demands power, precision and fearlessness.
Balancing Olympic-level training with military readiness wasn't always easy. As a mother, noncommissioned officer and world-class athlete, Curtis describes her daily routine as a careful balancing act, made possible by strong leaders and teamwork within the 31st Communications Squadron.
"Staff Sgt. Curtis' ability to balance the demands of military service with world-class competition shows our airmen that anything is possible, so long as you're passionate, dedicated and driven to reach a goal," said Lt. Col Ryan Williams, 31st Communications Squadron commander.
While leaders point to her example, Curtis points back to her team, emphasizing that their confidence in her allows her to carry the same focus and discipline from the workplace to the world stage.
"My leadership has been incredible," she said. "From my commander down to my supervisor, they've been extremely accommodating while still ensuring I'm fulfilling all my responsibilities as an airman. Their trust frees me to focus when it's time to perform."
As the current points lead for skeleton on the U.S. team, Curtis prepares to carry more than her personal goals onto the frozen track. She also carries the weight of family legacy and of representing the Air Force. Despite the pressure, Curtis remains grounded in the values that brought her to this point: discipline and resilience.
"After the Games, I'll be right back at Aviano Air Force Base doing my job," she said. "But for now, I have the privilege of representing the U.S. Air Force on the world stage, and I don't take that lightly. At the end of the day, all I can do is prepare the best I can and put it together when it matters."
Curtis hopes her journey inspires other airmen to pursue their own athletic ambitions.
"Reach out. Research Air Force sports and look into the Air Force World Class Athlete Program," she said. "There's more support out there than people realize, from intramural sports all the way to the Olympics."
