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Ruck to remember

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Eric Summers Jr.
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  What started out as a ruck march from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, to ground zero turned into an international affair  when Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron made their own sacrifice in honor of those who passed away Sept. 11, 2001.

"It's an initiative to remember the guys that have died from security forces and people that have paid the ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 11, 2001," said Tech. Sgt. Donald Ashworth, a ruck march coordinator from the 379 ESFS.

Since the Defenders are deployed and unable to participate in the stateside event they decided to put a march together for themselves, according to the Kansas City, Mo., native deployed from Elemendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

"I think it was very little compared to what others have suffered," said Tech. Sgt. Rebecca Pash, ruck march coordinator from the 379 ESFS.

The physically demanding event consisted of a 9.11-mile ruck march around the base while wearing combat boots in more than 100 degree weather. The St. Paul, Minn., native, deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., said the march started at 8:45 a.m., the same time that American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767 with 92 people aboard, crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

"I'm tired but I'm honored and glad we could show our support overseas," Pash said.

"We want to feel some of the pain, feel some sacrifice, in remembrance of what everybody went through ten years ago," said Lt. Col. Kevin Walker, 379 ESFS commander. "I've had quite a few people that I knew personally killed in the wars, some Defenders that I know and have led (have) been killed so it has some significance for me and everybody that went through this ruck march."