FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Jan. 29, 2015) -- For some, a cold and rainy Saturday morning could mean staying in bed, but not for the 19 Soldiers who lined up at Hilton Field, vying for a spot on this year's Fort Jackson Bataan Memorial Death March team.
The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation hosted a 16-mile qualifier ruck march to determine who will represent Fort Jackson in the 26th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March. A five-member team will travel to White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, March 22 to defend Fort Jackson's title in the co-ed division of the 26.2-mile Bataan Memorial Death March.
"Last year, we had a co-ed team compete, win and (the team) also set a new record for the march," said Mike Elkins, chief of FMWR's Community Recreation Division.
The march honors the U.S. Service members who defended the islands of Luzon, Corregidor and the harbor of the Philippines in World War II. American and Filipino soldiers were captured April 9, 1942, by Japanese soldiers and forced to march days without food and water. Of the 76,000 captured, only 54,000 made it through the Philippine jungle alive.
First Sgt. Ricardo Gutierrez, Moncrief Army Community Hospital, is a veteran on the team and was first to cross the finish line Saturday. He said the Bataan Memorial Death March experience is unbelievable.
"You really have to be out there to actually experience the march and meet the veterans who marched (in the Philippines)," Gutierrez said. "The first time, I went by myself just to try it out and I had no idea what it was like. Then, I was able to meet a veteran who walked the miles. It was just an awesome experience."
Gutierrez recalled his experience during last year's march.
"As you're going through the march and you hit the four-mile marker and then the 16-mile marker, you start to ask yourself, 'What am I doing here?' and then you see the veterans who actually walked nearly 90 miles without food or water, who saw their battle buddies die," he said. "You begin to rethink the situation."
During the march, each competitor is required to wear a ruck sack. Male Soldiers must have a 25-pound pack, and female Soldiers carry 15 pounds. The ruck sacks are weighed before and after the march.
"Most of our female competitors have a 25-pound pack. They are really serious about being an equal team player," said Mike Garcia, chief of sports, fitness and aquatics with FMWR.
He praised the spirits of everyone who participated in the event.
"Everyone did really well out there on Saturday," said Garcia. "All of our competitors are really motivated and take the competition seriously."
Col. Traci Crawford, commander of MACH, attended the qualifier with MACH Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Sloan to show her support for the Soldiers participating.
"This is tremendous, and it's just phenomenal," she said. "This also shows our Soldiers' physical abilities and their mental toughness."
The names of the team members will be announced at a later date.
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