TACP Airmen raise awareness for fallen, families

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J. Aaron Breeden
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  For 24-hours, tactical air control party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, based at Fort Carson, Colo., ran to honor their fallen brethren at Peak View Park on Peterson AFB, March 26-27.

The purpose of the run was to raise awareness about the TACP community as well as generate donations, which help to support the families of fallen TACP members, as well as disabled TACPs in need of assistance.

Senior Airman Daniel Wolcott, 13th ASOS tactical control party Airman, explained the 24-hour run was broken into eight-hour shifts, and runners could run as much or as little as they wanted, although a few ran for the entire eight hours.

"The cause does lift us up and gets us over any obstacle we face," said Wolcott.

Although the number of participants varied throughout the day and night, there was never a lack of moral or enthusiasm.

"Hangin' out, running. It's good PT," said Senior Airman Michael Bradley, 13th ASOS tactical control party Airman.

"We push really hard and that's not just because we want to do better than the guy running next to you, but it's because you want to do better for him," said Bradley.

This event hit especially close to home for some considering former 13th ASOS leader, Maj. David Gray, was killed in action in the fall of 2012.

"(I) miss him, but I'm honored to be able to have called him my friend, to serve our country with him and to be honest with you, just known him," said Senior Master Sgt. Adam Vizi, 13th ASOS tactical control party Airman.

"Major Gray's moto was to never quit and he was always first to be across the finish line," said Vizi, adding that he was always the first to come in to work and was the last to leave.

In all the TACP team finished strong with a total of 84 participants, who helped run a combined total of 724 miles raising $1,225 locally contributing to the total $150,000 collected world-wide for the TACP association.

 

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