NEWS

Daily News Top Stories Breaking News World Politics Business Growth Minute Health Food & Wine Women Women in Business Opinion Letters to the Editor High Tech Sports Horoscope Entertainment Entertainment Goss Music Features Books Poetry Movie Reviews Home & Garden Industry States UFOs Environment Education SupportOurTroops Middle East South Asia Cartoons NewsBlaze Blog Most Read

WIRES

Eworldwire Marketwire PRNewswire Send2Press Marketwire Canada 24-7 Pressrelease Newswise PR.com Realwire ACNNewswire Business Wire Africa Press NewsBlazeWire

OTHER

About Us Contact Us Feedback Writers Editors Link to Us Advertise Sitemap

Soldiers in Iraq Join Kansas City Citizens in Their Fight for Those Suffering

By Spc. Jason Jordan  

1st BCT, 10th Mtn. Div., PAO

Kirkuk, Iraq - On two different sides of the globe, two different groups of people in very different environments have been dedicated for years in struggles they believe in. This Memorial Day, U.S. Army Soldiers were joined by an army of volunteer citizens and the two fought as one for their causes.

Soldiers with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, joined the 21st annual Amy Thompson Run to Daylight - a charity event consisting of two-mile and eight-k events held in Kansas City, Kan., that raises money to help those suffering from brain injuries.

Amy Thompson was a 23-year old college graduate enjoying her life as a third-grade teacher when she was shot twice in the head during an attempted robbery at a neighborhood party on Halloween night in 1986. After awakening from a six-week coma, Amy survived against terrible odds; struggling to live life after a brain injury. Although she fought valiantly for three years, Amy died unexpectedly on Christmas night of 1989. On Memorial Day of 1988, a group of Amy's closest friends and family began the Run to Daylight in her name.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, along with Airmen and civilian contractors on Forward Operating Base Warrior in northeastern Iraq's Kirkuk region - bow their heads during a moment of silence for fallen comrades before participating in a run for charity on Memorial Day. The Soldiers joined the 21st annual Amy Thompson Run to Daylight - a charity event consisting of a two-mile and eight-k events held in Kansas City, Kan., that raises money to help those suffering from brain injuries. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Jason Jordan, 1st BCT 10th Mtn. Div. PAO)

"When run officials in the states contacted us with their desire for us to participate in their charity event, we immediately discovered that our struggles were very much related," said Capt. Peter Hofman, a chaplain with 3-6 FA, who coordinated with Kansas City officials to help make the run possible for servicemen in Iraq, said. "We were very excited to participate in such a noble cause - and with Memorial Day upon us and the fact that service members are suffering brain injuries in explosions - it just all fit. It made sense for us to join their cause."

Run officials in Kansas City were clearly excited about the troop involvement as well; with newspaper articles and a special on the nightly news segment announcing that the runners this year would be joined by service members in Iraq.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, along with Airmen and civilian contractors on Forward Operating Base Warrior in northeastern Iraq's Kirkuk region - stretch and prepare for the 8k event of a run for charity on Memorial Day

"The original plan was to have the Soldiers conduct the run at the same time as the Kansas City runners, but as it turns out, that would be between 5 and 6 in the evening - which would make it somewhere around 110 degrees or higher in the desert," joked Mary Thompson O'Connor, Amy's sister and run official, on a special segment of the city's KMBC-TV news show.

To show their support for the Soldiers on their Memorial Day run, the Kansas City runners ran wearing T-shirts honoring those serving in combat.

The run officials also sent flyers, official city run bibs and T-shirts to those that would be running in Iraq. O'Connor also insisted on providing the battalion with $1,200 in Amazon.com gift cards; to be awarded to the top three male and female runners in both the two-mile and eight-k events.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, along with Airmen and civilian contractors on Forward Operating Base Warrior in northeastern Iraq's Kirkuk region - run towards the sunrise during a run for charity on Memorial Day. The Soldiers joined the 21st annual Amy Thompson Run to Daylight - a charity event consisting of a two-mile and eight-k events held in Kansas City, Kan., that raises money to help those suffering from brain injuries. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Jason Jordan, 1st BCT 10th Mtn. Div. PAO)

Because the 3-6FA Soldiers are stationed on an Air Force Base, airmen also joined the run along with civilian contractors as well.

"There was no shortage of volunteers willing to participate in such a good cause," Hofman said. "The average maximum participation has been 100 people in past events on the base. We were delighted to inform those in Kansas City that 147 people showed up in the early morning hours to participate in the Amy Thompson run."

The male winners for the two-mile race were: 1st place - Spc. David Andrade, with the 10th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division; 2nd place - Staff Sgt. Michael Meissner, with the Air Force's 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron; and 3rd place - Capt. Robert Miller, 3-6 FA.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, along with Airmen and civilian contractors on Forward Operating Base Warrior in northeastern Iraq's Kirkuk region - begin the two-mile event of a run for charity on Memorial Day. The Soldiers joined the 21st annual Amy Thompson Run to Daylight - a charity event consisting of a two-mile and eight-k events held in Kansas City, Kan., that raises money to help those suffering from brain injuries. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Jason Jordan, 1st BCT 10th Mtn. Div. PAO)

Female winners for the two-mile race were: 1st place - Spc. Latoya Taylor, with the 1st Infantry Division's 1st Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment; 2nd place - Staff Sgt. Hope Stephens, 10th BSB; and 3rd place - civilian Christel Carlisle.

Male winners for the eight-k were: 1st place - Capt. Peter Hofman, 3-6 FA; 2nd place - civilian Jeffery Hernandez; and 3rd place - Capt. David Donelson, 1-6th Cav.

Female winners for the eight-k were: 1st place - Sgt. Maria Cordovaleon, 10th BSB; 2nd place - Master Sgt. Carol Lehman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-10th Mtn. Div.; and 3rd place - Sgt. Cecilia Linen, 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1-10th Mtn. Div.

"What better cause could you find for which to volunteer your time," asked 10th BSB's Spc. David Andrade, 1st place runner of the two-mile event. "You are benefiting your body with exercise while participating in a good cause and honoring America's service members. And everyone could use an Amazon gift card," he added.

Both groups of runners on each side of the world held a moment of silence before their run, honoring service members. The 3-6 FA Soldiers spoke aloud the names of 11 members of the 1-10th Mtn. Div. that have died since their deployment began in September - with a moment of silence following each name.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com