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Pope AFB team wins 10th Annual Ruck March

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Andria J. Allmond
  • 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  A Pope Air Force Base, N.C., 14th Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party team claimed this year's first place trophy at Dover AFB's 10th Annual Ruck March Feb. 21, finishing with a time of 55 minutes, 29 seconds.

Twenty-eight, four-person teams strapped on 30-pound ruck sacks and ran or walked 6.2 miles to compete in the annual event hosted by the 436th Security Forces Squadron to commemorate the veterans of the Korean War who fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

A 305th Air Mobility Wing team from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., took second place, crossing the finish line with a time of 56 minutes, 24 seconds. A team from Dover's 436th Communications Squadron rounded out third place in one hour, three minutes and 34 seconds.

A new record of 49 minutes, 27 seconds was set for the best individual time by Airman Paul Williams, a 621st Contingency Response Group security forces member at McGuire AFB.

The physical prowess leading to the winning team's first-place finish could be attributed to the everyday training they experience as members of the TACP, said Capt. Steve McNamara, 14th ASOS liaison officer.

TACP members such as Captain McNamara, Tech. Sgt. Mitchell Polu, Airman 1st Class James Demars and Airman Benjamin Hutchins are assigned to Army combat maneuver units around the world, train with the 82nd Airborne Division, engage in tank assaults with the 1st Armored Division, and operate deep behind enemy lines with the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Ultimately, the event isn't about winning or losing but about honoring servicemembers who made the ultimate sacrifice, said Lt. Col. Kevin Sherrick, 436th SFS commander.

More than 2,500 servicemembers died and 5,000 were wounded in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir Nov. 26 through Dec. 13, 1950. Historians consider this battle to be the most savage in modern warfare.

Members of the Delaware Korean War Veterans Association were present for the opening ceremonies with retired Master Sgt. Theodore Shafer serving as the guest speaker.

Mr. Schafer was drafted into the Army and served 14 months in Korea from March 1953 to May 1954. He fought as an assistant squadron leader during the Battle of Pork Chop Hill in 1953 and had a friend who fought and died at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

"I thank all of you for being here and for bringing it out to the public," said Mr. Shafer, who after serving his Army enlistment joined and retired from the Air Force as a C-5 flight engineer. "I think what the rucksackers are doing here at Dover is one way of saying thank you."

That sentiment rang true for members of the 436th CS team.

"I was stationed in Korea and it was really touching to hear Mr. Shafer speak of the sacrifices made by those heroes from the past," said Master Sgt. Marshall Stafford, who was on the third-place team with Tech. Sgt. Christopher Gist, Tech. Sgt. Jason Thompson, and retired Master Sgt. John Healy.

The 436th CS team didn't train for the event, according to Sergeant Stafford.
"We just wanted to go out there and do our best, see where we ended up," he said.

Sergeant Thompson said being part of an event that honored the Korean War veterans really puts things into perspective during the ruck march.

"You're going through that discomfort during the march and realize that you have nothing to complain about compared to what they had to go through," he said.

Team Standings
1. Team 15, 14th Air Support Operations Squadron, Pope AFB: 55 minutes, 29 seconds
2. Team 26, 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB: 56 minutes, 24 seconds
3. Team 12, 436th Communication Squadron: 1 hour, 3 minutes, 34 seconds
4. Team 28, 436th Aerial Port Squadron: 1 hour, 4 minutes, 45 seconds
5. Team 19, 436th Operations Support Squadron: 1 hour, 6 minutes, 3 seconds
6. Team 18, 3rd Airlift Squadron: 1 hour, 8 minutes, 27 seconds
7. Team 24, 436th Medical Group: 1 hour, 9 minutes: 21 seconds
8. Team 10, 436th Security Forces Squadron Leadership: 1 hour, 9 minutes, 34 seconds 9. Team 3, 436th Maintenance Squadron: 1 hour, 11 minutes, 42 seconds
10. Team 2, Dover Chiefs' Group: 1 hour, 11 minutes, 58 seconds
11. Team 20, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron: 1 hour, 16 minutes, 44 seconds
12. Team 16, 14th ASOS, Pope AFB: 1 hour, 17 minutes, 20 seconds
13. Team 22, 512th Airlift Wing: 1 hour, 19 minutes, 25 seconds
14. Team 11, 436th MXS: 1 hour, 20 minutes, 16 seconds
15. Team 13, 373rd Training Squadron: 1 hour, 20 minutes, 38 seconds
16. Team 31, 436/512th Logistics Readiness: 1 hour, 21 minutes, 25 seconds
17. Team 14, 436 SFS: 1 hour, 22 minutes, 3 seconds
18. Team 21, 9th AS: 1 hour, 24 minutes, 57 seconds
19. Team 25, 305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB: 1 hour, 29 minutes, 16 seconds
20. Team 17, Delaware Air National Guard: 1 hour, 32 minutes, 28 seconds
21. Team 6, 436th AW Command Post: 1 hour, 37 minutes, 15 seconds
22. Team 29, 436th APS: 1 hour, 40 minutes, 1 second
22. Team 30, 436th APS: 1 hour, 40 minutes, 1 second
23. Team 9, 436th SFS: 1 hour, 42 minutes, 14 seconds
24. Team 34, 305th MXS, McGuire AFB: 1 hour, 47 minutes, 52 seconds
25. Team 8, 436th Medical Group: 1 hour, 50 minutes, 50 seconds
26. Team 27, 436 SFS: 1 hour, 52 minutes, 21 seconds
27. Team 33, 305th MXS, McGuire AFB: 1 hour, 58 minutes, 28 seconds