By day, Jack Rozema is focused on administrative law. The Army captain is a lawyer with the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corp. He’s also, as of this last month, one of the top CrossFit athletes in the world.
In August, Rozema competed in the 2024 Crossfit Games, coming in 25th place in the men’s finals, making him one of the top athletes in the sport. It was also Rozema’s first time competing in the CrossFit Games. He was representing the Army Warrior Fitness Team, and competed wearing hats and other gear with the Army logo on it.
So yes, an administrative law attorney with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command is incredibly fit and likely can hoist you overhead and then run sprints and do burpees after doing so. Not exactly the normal idea of a lawyer.
The games saw Rozema put his body to the test. That ranged from heavy barbell Olympic lifts to sandbag carries, tests of speed and endurance on cardio machines, climbing rope and other activities. Thousands of athletes compete in the CrossFit Open, but only a few dozen make the cut for the finals.
“Prep went great. Execution was: some good, some bad (relative to a small field of the best in the world), and some just plain bad. Every little detail means big points,” Rozema wrote in an Instagram post after wrapping the games. “That and the true level of fitness of these guys is eye opening. As rookies we can frame it as demoralizing or motivating, and I’m choosing the latter.”
Subscribe to Task & Purpose Today. Get the latest military news and culture in your inbox daily.
It’s a big victory for Rozema, for many reasons. In 2023, he fell just short of qualifying for the games. The Army JAG Corps noted in its post on Instagram celebrating Rozema that he trained for the competition all while being an active-duty judge advocate.
Rozema also paid tribute to Lazar Dukic, a Serbian athlete who drowned during a swimming event at the games on Aug. 8. Rozema called his death a tragedy and said that “it’s just time for aggressive, appropriate action” to address concerns about safety at the games.
The event is over but Rozema is also not done. Even after pushing himself at the CrossFit Games, Rozema posted his workout for Saturday, Aug. 31: a “Clovis” — a 10-mile run and 150 burpee pullups for time — named for 2nd Lt. Clovis Ray, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2012. It’s likely safe to say Rozema can pass any Army fitness tests.
The latest on Task & Purpose
- Hawaii soldier earns rare triple tab: Ranger, Sapper, Jungle
- ‘I want to be an infantryman,’ says man who joined the Army at 39
- New Tinker Air Force Base motto immediately lampooned by airmen, veterans
- Army Chinook takes flight with ‘FUKIRAN’ call sign
- Navy fires captain of USS John S. McCain for “loss of confidence”