Army Soldier and Olympic Figure Skater Spencer Howe Embodies Dual Service
MILAN — For Spencer Akira Howe, representing Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics carries a weight beyond the competition itself. The pairs figure skater, making his Olympic debut in Milan Cortina, balances the intense training demands of an elite athlete with his commitment as a U.S. Army soldier.
Howe’s journey to the Olympics is unconventional, to say the least. While pursuing his figure skating dreams, he always harbored a desire to serve his country. “From a very young age, had that thought in me, and I guess that drive to want to serve my country in that kind of capacity as a soldier,” Howe told USA TODAY Sports. “As I grew up and moved up in the ranks of skating, you could say that became less and less of a reality.”
That changed in 2024 when Howe connected with a track and field runner participating in the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). The program, according to the U.S. Army, “allows top-ranked Soldier-athletes to perform at the international level while also serving their nation in the military,” and is open to active duty, National Guard, and reserve soldiers competing in national and international events. “A spark lit up in me,” Howe said. “It was a win-win.”
Howe enlisted in October 2024 and began basic training four months later, becoming the first figure skater to join WCAP. Based at Fort Carson, Colorado, he embraced the challenges of military life alongside his athletic pursuits. However, integrating the two proved difficult. “I wasn’t able to skate for the four months that I was gone during those trainings. I think that was definitely one of the most difficult things, logistically,” he said. “Being off of the ice for that long, it’s definitely not ideal.”
Returning to the ice in late June 2025, Howe faced a period of readjustment, taking a month to regain his skating form. He ultimately found the experience beneficial, approaching his training with a renewed mindset. “I come with more of a soldier mindset, and I look at things as tasks that as a soldier I need to complete,” he explained. “Everything was so different, but for good reason.”
The 2025-26 season saw Howe and his partner, Emily Chan, achieve a bronze medal at the Trialeti Trophy and a fourth-place finish at Skate America. Their performance at the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships proved pivotal, securing them a spot at the Olympics despite a challenging short program marked by several falls. Chan described the short program as her “worst nightmare,” but the pair rallied with a strong free skate, ultimately finishing fourth nationally.
The selection of Howe and Chan was further solidified by the ineligibility of the championship-winning pair, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, and the third-place finishers, Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman, due to citizenship requirements. This paved the way for Howe and Chan to earn one of the two pairs Olympic spots for Team USA.
“It was definitely just a crazy journey for us,” Howe said, reflecting on the path to the Olympics.
During the Games, Howe continues to fulfill his military obligations, maintaining regular check-ins with his platoon sergeant. He is one of nine Team USA athletes participating in the WCAP. Beyond the Olympics, Howe aspires to become a military chaplain, currently pursuing the necessary educational requirements.
For now, Howe is focused on the Olympic experience, recognizing the unique opportunity to serve his country in multiple capacities. “It was a door of opportunity that I ended up taking,” he said, “and I have no regrets.”
Howe and Chan will compete in the pairs event on February 15-16.
