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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (8/11/2012) - The sun rises on a somewhat
seasonably cold Saturday Kentucky morning, a mass of people
gather in an open lot; they shake hands, embrace each other,
they've come to honor their fallen heroes.
Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), unite together for one purpose, to honor their fallen comrades during the Run for the Fallen held at Fort Campbell's Sabalauski
Air Assault School, Aug. 11, 2012. The run is an event which is a
part of the Week of the Eagles 2012 that honors today's soldiers,
military families, veterans and Gold Star families. Courtesy Photo |
The Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division (Air
Assault), know the importance of honoring those who have
made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. During
this Week of the Eagles 2012, the Run for the Fallen event
was held at the Sabalauski Air Assault School, Aug., 11,
bringing soldiers, veterans and family members together to
remember.
“They may be gone, but they are not
forgotten,” said Chief warrant officer two Jesse Tucker, a
29-year old from Vancouver, Wa. and a systems maintenance
technician with the 101st's 2nd Brigade Special Troops
Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. “We do it in the memory
of our fallen comrades.”
Each participant who
registered wore the name of a fallen battle buddy displaying
their remembrance. On the front of Tucker's shirt was
stapled a piece of paper with the name Spc. A.J. Castro. On
August 28, 2010, Castro, a human intelligence specialist
with Company B, 2nd BSTB, was killed in action while on
patrol in southern Afghanistan. Tucker hasn't forgotten him
and during this Run for the Fallen, brought his memories of
Castro, who he said was always smiling.
“He made an
impact on us and the rest of the unit,” said Tucker while
reflecting on Castro.
Fallen infantrymen, combat
medics, combat engineers, artillerymen and cavalry scouts,
all military occupations recognized their fallen.
“It
just goes to show that everything our soldiers do will never
be forgotten,” said 1st Sgt. Johnny Carter, an Alabama
native and the first sergeant of Headquarters and
Headquarters Company 2nd BCT, who ran with the name of Staff
Sgt James P. Hunter, a combat correspondent with HHC, 2nd
BCT, killed in Kandahar, June 18, 2010. “It's an honor
really for me to be running with his name on my back,
knowing that people will see who I'm running for.”
Those participating in the event were not racing against
each other, but there to show support and continue to show
the 101st's Fallen Eagles are not forgotten. All brigades
and personnel on Fort Campbell put aside their rivalries to
unite as fellow brothers and sisters in arms. A flag for
each 101st soldier lost in Operation Enduring Freedom 10-11
was planted in the landing zone of the Air Assault school
making a blanket of red, white and blue visible to UH-60
Black Hawks helicopters flying overhead and the participants
running by.
The event is a 5K run and running for
long distances at times can be difficult for some and many
debate on giving up, quitting . Tucker draws strength from
his memories of his fallen comrades when he reaches this
point.
“You know sometimes you're out there running
and you're like ‘I'm getting tired' and there's been times
when I said to myself, ‘you know what, there's people right
now that if this was the hardest thing they were doing for
their day, they would be pretty happy, because some of them
are no longer with us,” said Tucker. “And believe it or not,
that carries me on. Again, they may be gone, but they are
not forgotten.”
More photos available in frame below
By Army Spc. Sara Connolly
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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