JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
Over 6,000 people honored prisoners of war and missing in action service members during the fifth annual POW/MIA 24-Hour Remembrance Run Sept. 19-20 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.
The Airman's Run kicked off the event at 8 a.m. Sept 19 and it concluded with a POW watch parade 24 hours later.
The run gave Airmen the opportunity to honor the more than 83,000 Americans that have been missing or prisoners of war since World War II.
Utilizing six tracks on JBSA-Lackland and one additional track on JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, participants ran in shifts while carrying a POW/MIA baton. Once they completed their shift, they transferred the baton to the next designated runner. The names of those missing in action were read aloud at each track.
Staff Sgt. Sean Okeefe, 323rd Training Squadron, coordinating the event for the second consecutive year, said he was extremely impressed with the amount of participation. He was humbled to have coordinated his last POW/MIA run before leaving for a permanent change of station to Barksdale Air Force Base, La. in January
Okeefe said that the estimated $21,000 raised from the sale of black POW/MIA t-shirts during the run would be donated to the National League of POW/MIA Families.
"I'm glad that I was able to give back to not just the JBSA community, but to our fellow service members who paid a very high price for our country," he said. "It was a very humbling experience for me."