Dan Cnossen graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and became a Navy SEAL. He would deploy multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan and served as a platoon commander for Seal Team One. In 2009, on a night mission in the Afghanistan mountains, Dan stepped on an IED, losing both legs in the blast. He would later be awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor.
Never one to shy from a challenge, Dan eventually earned a spot on the 2014 U.S. Paralympic Biathlon Team. The Harvard University graduate would return to the Paralympic Games in 2018, winning one gold, four silver and one bronze medal. He is now training to compete for Team USA once again, at the 2022 Paralympic Games. We talk with Dan about the sport of Nordic skiing, about getting outside, and the benefits of being in nature.