One airman will run to remember the 23 military members who died during his deployment.

A local mother and her friends will run in honor of her son and others in his unit who were killed in the war.

A colonel will run in the memory of war casualties with ties to his Ohio roots.

Vandenberg Air Force Base will launch A Run to Remember on Monday morning as a locally conceived way to honor more than 4,770 service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 17-day event also will raise about $24,000 for organizations that assist wounded veterans.

“There are more than 4,700 people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the liberties that we do in this country,” said Col. Richard Boltz, commander of the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and director of the Joint Space Operations Center. “This is just a small way to honor them and to benefit the men and women who have been injured ... .”

Along with remembering fallen military members, the event serves as a fundraiser, with runners asked to give $5 per mile.

For every war casualty in Iraq or Afghanistan, another eight military members have been injured, prompting fundraising for organizations that assist wounded veterans, officials noted.

Advertisement

The war zone is close to home for those assigned to Vandenberg. From California's Central Coast, airmen directly assist troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan by ensuring satellites are ready to support missions and other activities.

“This is a way for us to connect to them. We're here at Vandenberg - nobody's shooting at us. We have a very safe and comfortable lifestyle,” Boltz said, noting that Vandenberg has also made sacrifices with 200 people currently deployed around the world. “This gives us a connection with our brothers and sisters who are serving around the world, who are sacrificing.”

Monday morning's first runner at the base track will be Vandenberg's highest ranking office, Lt. Gen. William Shelton, the commander of the 14th Air Force and the Joint Functional Component Command for Space.

Military members, civilians, contractors and retirees, families and others will run from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until Nov. 10. The final stretch will last 29 hours, finishing with airmen across the base gathering to run in formation, ending at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 with a closing ceremony in front of the 14th Air Force headquarters building.

Run to Remember organizers say nearly 900 slots had been filled as of Friday, leaving thousands of other slots open for runners.

“This is an opportunity for the airmen of Vandenberg, but really it's for the greater Vandenberg community - retirees, civilian personnel, even people in the local communities,” Boltz said. “If they want to run, we have a Web site where they can sign up for specific time slots. If they want to sponsor people to run for them, we'll do that.”

“It's not just people wearing the uniform right now; it's a team involvement,” said Master Sgt. Anthony Calfo, from the 614th Air & Space Operations Center, adding that organizers hope for participation from beyond the borders of Vandenberg.

Participants don't have to run - walkers or even someone in a wheelchair can join the effort, organizers added.

An inability to get to Vandenberg or take part at the assigned time should not be an impediment, Boltz said, because the program is flexible enough to allow participants to run when and where it's convenient. Run organizers should be contacted to ensure the participation is noted, however.

While access to Vandenberg is restricted, civilians who want to participate and don't have a pass can contact the base public affairs office to arrange entrance, officials said. The public affairs office can be reached at 606-3595.

Noncommissioned officers from the 14th Air Force approached Boltz, a physical fitness buff, with the idea for the memorial run and fundraiser.

“I was just floored. I just thought to myself, this was the perfect way to honor the sacrifices that those men and women have made,” Boltz said.

Organizers also decided to present runners cards with photos and biographies of the people they are honoring.

“It really cements in your mind the sacrifice that has been made,” Boltz said.

October 18, 2008