(Air Mobility Command PA) - First Lt. Ryan McGuire, a C-17 pilot with the 4th Airlift Squadron at McChord Field, recently won five medals at the 2012 Warrior Games, and is also the Air Mobility Command nominee for the 2012 Department of Defense Employee/Service Member with a Disability Award.

On top of these accomplishments, McGuire was also one of five DoD Servicemembers selected to meet Prince Harry of Wales May 7 at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C.

"My coach called me out during the middle of volleyball practice, which was unlike her, and acted all giddy," said McGuire, who is a native of The Woodlands, Texas. "She asked me if I would like to go to D.C. to meet Prince Harry and I instantly said, ‘Yes.'

"It was a really big honor. I got to go with Master Sgt. Christopher Aguilera and we took a tour of D.C., saw the British Ambassador's Residence and met with Air Force leaders," McGuire said. "Prince Harry met people in groups of five and he was really concerned about the British team member's impression of the Warrior Games. He was really nice, he said he was looking into bringing the games to his own country and coming back next year, so it was cool to see how impressed he was with the games and the U.S."

The prince, who is also an Apache helicopter pilot in the British Blues and Royals of the Household Calvary Regiment, visited the U.S. to meet the injured Servicemembers and to accept a humanitarian prize for his charity work with injured Servicemembers.

For McGuire, competing in the Warrior Games was not something he thought he would be able to accomplish. In September of 2009, a rope wrapped around his leg while boating and pulled him out of the boat leading to an amputation on his right leg below the knee. After about eight months of rehabilitation, McGuire faced a medical board in August 2010, and was able to stay in the Air Force with a waiver to fly.

In May 2011, McGuire became the first amputee to complete pilot training and by October of that same year, he was the first amputee to finish C-17 qualification training.

"I definitely did not think I would be afforded all that I have done," said McGuire. "I've had a lot of amazing opportunities with the Air Force. I was part of the inaugural Warrior Games in 2010 and I did not think I would be able to do it again."

More than 200 injured, ill or wounded Servicemembers participated in the Warrior Games, hosted by the U.S. Olympic Committee, which featured seven sports including swimming, cycling, wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, shooting and track and field. The athletic events were held at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

McGuire participated in track and field, swimming and volleyball. For track and field, he participated in the 1,500-meter run in which he earned a gold medal, the 200-meter run and the 400-meter relay race. In swimming, he earned a gold medal in the 50-meter backstroke event, silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle events and he also swam the 400-meter relay race. Lastly, the Air Force team earned a bronze medal in sitting volleyball.

Photo: First Lt. Ryan McGuire, a C-17 pilot from McChord Field, competes in the 1,500-meter run and earns a gold medal at the 2012 Warrior Games held at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. McGuire won a total of five medals at the 2012 Warrior Games, adding to his three medals he won from the 2010 inaugural Warrior Games. /U.S. Air Force courtesy photo