Ashley Christman

Major Ashley Christman is a decorated Marine with over 17 years of service who is battling advanced stage 4 neuroendocrine (NET) cancer, believed to be caused by toxic exposure during her deployments. A lifelong athlete, she embraced surfing in 2022 and has used the Warrior Athlete Recovery Program to maintain her fitness and strengthen her cancer fight. Despite undergoing two major abdominal surgeries and participating in a rigorous treatment trial from 2023 to 2024, she competed in the 2024 DoD Warrior Games, earning medals in 5 of 11 events and securing the silver in the “Ultimate Champion” competition. This will be her first time competing in the Invictus Games. Major Christman has a distinguished career as a Combat Engineer Officer, serving in over 30 countries. Her leadership extends beyond the military, as she advocates for fellow servicemembers and continues her recovery through adaptive sports. She enjoys spending time with her wife, LtCol Melissa A. DePriest, and their son, Archer, while pursuing new hobbies like golf and woodturning.

What does the Invictus Games mean to you?

Invictus is the incarnation of self-determination and empowerment. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to ourselves and the world that we can push much farther than our perceived limits. Invictus Games provide me the opportunity for fellowship, camaraderie, sister and brotherhood, and mutual support through driving competition where we don’t set out to beat one another, but instead, to defeat the individual obstacles before us.