JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Service members participated in a 24-hour remembrance at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, March 25 and 26, to honor those who lost their lives while serving with the U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party.
At JBLE, 221 U.S. Service members and families walked a total of 1,351.2 miles in the rain to pay tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
This year's event was the third annual vigil held at JBLE, and the fourth annual event Air Force-wide. Along with memorializing those who have fallen, the event also served as a fundraiser for the Air Force TACP Association, which provides support to injured veterans, those who suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder, or family members of the fallen.
TACP is a special operations field whose specialists are known for their ability to bring firepower to the battlefield in the form of artillery and air strikes. Along with ensuring specific ordnance is delivered, they develop combat-related skills such as map reading, weapons mastering, and survival, escape and evasion techniques.
This year's event was organized by Master Sgt. Daniel Waugh, Air Combat Command TACP training manager and former 11-year TACP specialist. While as an active duty TACP Airman in 2006, he was wounded in battle and awarded the Purple Heart medal.
"We were on a mission in Baghdad when our vehicle took rocket-powered grenades," said Waugh. "While breaking contact to get out the area, our vehicle then was hit by an improvised explosive device. I was knocked unconscious, had a blown out eardrum and fractured a couple of vertebras."
Initially, Waugh refused to get medically evacuated out of Baghdad because he didn't want to leave his fellow Airmen behind.
"I hid my issues over the last eight to nine years, causing me to get disqualified from TACP and succumb to numerous surgeries to include a spinal fusion in December 2014," said Waugh.
Due to that surgery, Waugh wasn't able to run during the vigil, however, he still completed 50 miles.
"This event holds a special meaning for me because I was deployed with a fellow TACP member, Brad Smith, who died in January," said Waugh.
Chief Master Sgt. Mark Hurst, 633rd Air Base Wing command chief, came out to participate in the walk and do ceremonial push-ups. Hurst said he spent a small portion of his Air Force career in the Special Operations field.
"We share a history," said Hurst. "Every one of those guys are my brother and I try to remember them every day, not just today."
In conclusion, Hurst wants to remember all those who have fallen, not just those who served in TACP.
"Throughout our career we have the opportunity to serve with some great men and women, and in that process people give the ultimate sacrifice," said Hurst. "I hope that people realized that what we do is dangerous."
In total, world-wide, 5,153 runners ran a total of 37,037.7 miles and raised a total of $131,390.40 in remembrance of TACP's past and present Airmen.