LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The first Wounded Warriors Relay Run concluded April 5 with overwhelming success and support from Team Lackland and the San Antonio community.
The 15-mile relay or individual run was held to raise money for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The race took runners on a scenic route through New Braunfels, ending at Startz Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial.
Victor Barnwell, 59th Neurology Flight, started the event, feeling a need to bring together the surrounding military and civilian communities.
"I felt like I had a calling to bring more unity between the civilian community and the military community, and this is what happened," Barnwell said. "Everyone just jumped on board from the beginning and helped me out."
The race attracted 350 runners from Lackland, Brooks City Base, Randolph AFB and the local civilian communities. A group of 80 students from San Antonio College also raced.
Team Lackland had 156 members sign up and participate.
The race netted $12,386 to donate to The Intrepid National Armed Forces Rehabilitation Center, which provides military servicemembers who have suffered debilitating injuries a place to undergo rehabilitation and remain on active duty. The center hopes to help military members to eventually return to their duty station.
Barnwell, who is also a pastor and a retired member of the Air Force, felt that he had to do something to help this group of military personnel.
"I just knew there was something I was supposed to do," said Barnwell.
Mike Evans, 737th Training Group, who knows a group of wounded veterans which participates in the quarterly basic military training run, agrees that this is an important cause.
"These guys deserve everything that we can give them, they are heroes. Their hearts are huge and their attitudes are fantastic," said Evans.
Evans helped orchestrate a large number of Team Lackland members' involvement in the race.
The injured veterans that run with the trainees were wounded in either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom
As a member of the 737th TRG, Evans feels the need to celebrate and aid the wounded veterans as a way to set an example for the trainees at Lackland.
"These guys are moved by the veterans. We are talking about 4,000-5,000 trainees moved by their participation," Evans said. "Hopefully, it also wakes them up a little bit."
37th Training Wing senior leaders, Brig. Gen. Len Patrick, 37th Training Wing commander, and Col. Eric Wilbur, 37th Training Wing vice-commander, were also moved by the fundraiser's cause and decided to participate on a team with Chris Sharp and Capt. Kellie Courtland, both assigned to the 37th TRW.
"The Air Force sometimes has a reputation of having our leaders lead from the back. So, it's good to see our top dogs, our top commanders, leading from the front instead of from behind, to dispel that notion," Evans said.
Lackland's Jason Logue finished first in the men's individual race with a time of 1:46:52.
Yvonne Mata was the first woman to finish the individual race, clocking in at a time of 2:11:34.
The relay team that finished in first place was comprised of Zach Foulk, Gabriel Lucido, Efrain Velasquez and Victor Viesca. They finished with a total time of 1:20:38
General Patrick's relay team finished 13th overall with a time of 2:06:04.
"These are our brothers and sisters and we will do whatever we can to help them out," Evans said.