Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany (Thursday, January 29, 2004) - Members of the U.S. men’s speed team visited Wednesday with American soldiers serving in Iraq who are on leave with their families at one of the armed forces R&R Centers in Garmisch.

“It was pretty cool,” said Jake Fiala (Frisco, CO). “It’s the least we could do. We felt honored to be there. Usually people are excited to meet the U.S. Ski Team but I feel it was the reverse as we were really honored to meet them [the soldiers]."

On the eve of Thursday's lone training run on the Kandahar run on Zugspitze, Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA), Fiala and Bryon Friedman (Park City, UT) signed autographs on posters, trading cards and helmets as well as encouraged them to get out on the slopes and to the World Cup races Friday through Sunday. The R&R Center was working on arranging a bus for the American service personnel to attend the races.

Later, the team was invited to stay for an American dinner of hamburgers, flank steak, Idaho baked potatoes and incredible ice cream floats.

“It was really cool to see the faces of the troops that are over there and learn first hand what they’re doing,” said Friedman. “ We had dinner with one lady who counsels the soldiers in the field and talked with another guy who drives the trucks … it was kind of weird to hear about what they’re doing over there. Good to see the recreational center employees help them have a great time while on R&R here.”

The men’s speed team resumes racing Friday with the makeup downhill from Wengen, Switzerland, and the regularly scheduled downhill and super G Saturday and Sunday.