Fort Bragg Soldiers compete in Bataan Memorial Death March

WHITE SANDS MISSLE RANGE, N.M. - Sixteen Soldiers from the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade traveled to White Sands Missile Range, N.M., March 21, to participate in the grueling 26.2-mile 2010 Bataan Memorial Death March.

The intense and challenging footmarch covered a marathon's length of sandy, mountainous terrain in honor of the World War II troops who defended the Philippine Islands of Luzon and Corregidor. Tens of thousands of Soldiers, Sailors and Marines were forced on a 61-mile march by their Japanese captors, with more than 11,000 men dying on the way to prison camps. It was in remembrance of these fallen comrades and their sacrifices that the Soldiers from the 95th CA Bde. participated in the march.

"The march is pretty intense, but what keeps you going is your team and knowing that what you are going through does not even compare to what the POWs suffered during World War II," said Capt. Stacey Lyon, assistant operations officer for 97th Civil Affairs Battalion and one of the participants in the event. "Anytime you can do something to honor the sacrifice that our brothers and sisters in the military have made, it is a privilege."

The participants were:

Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 95th CA Bde. Team:Aca,!A..Staff Sgt. Nicholas Thompson,Aca,!A..Sgt. Nicholas Ranstad,Aca,!A..Pvt. Jeremy Duckworth,Aca,!A..Sgt. 1st Class Eric RouseAca,!A..and Staff Sgt. Adam Eldred

96th CA Bn. Team:Aca,!A..Capt. Thomas Geisinger,Aca,!A..Sgt. 1st Class Richard Swartz,Aca,!A..Capt. Kenneth Brady,Aca,!A..Maj. Cody Button andAca,!A..Sgt. 1st Class Mark Moore

97th CA Bn. Team:Aca,!A..Capt. Stacey Lyon,Aca,!A..Staff Sgt. Audrey Coleman,Aca,!A..Capt. Carla Thomas,Aca,!A..Sgt. 1st Class Alison Windmiller andAca,!A..Sgt. Chyanne Thomas

Maj. Christopher Jackson from the 97th CA Bn. was an alternate for the teams.

All three teams competed in the Military - Heavy division, which required participants to carry a rucksack weighing no less than 35 pounds. The HHC, 95th CA Bde. Team came in 13th out of 41 teams in the Male - Heavy category, with the 96th CA Bn. Team in 17th place. The 97th CA Bn. Team finished 3rd in the Female - Heavy category.