Cooper River Bridge Run in SWA mirrors 10K in S.C.

Published April 11, 2008
By Lt. Col. Scott DeThomas
816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Thousands of miles away from the state of "Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places," more than 80 servicemembers from around the air base gathered April 5 for the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's deployed version of the annual "Cooper River Bridge 10K Run."

The squadron organized the event, which mirrored the run their home unit, the 17th Airlift Squadron at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., was running, in order to remind them of home and raise morale.

"It was great being able to share this experience with friends and families back home," said Capt. Matt Jarrett, who led the planning effort for the deployed members and has been connecting runners in Southwest Asia with family and friends in the states for months. "For many of the warriors, it was their first taste of the South Carolina spring tradition."

An avid runner, he recently ran a full marathon here that coincided with the Los Angeles Marathon March 2.

Once again, the 10K here was more than just a run for many of the participants. Airmen coordinated with their families and friends back home in Charleston, who donated T-shirts for deployed participants while they raced in their own, personalized race shirts that paid tribute to their deployed loved ones.

1st Lt. Brook Heiling and his girlfriend, Shannon, were instrumental in the setup of the event and did a great deal of the coordination on both ends of the world. He said it was "an avenue" to keep in touch with her.

"[I'd like to say] thanks to everyone back home for all their support," Lieutenant Heiling said. "It was fun having a piece of Charleston out here in the desert."