"Wear blue" has meet-ups at Fort Benning

FORT BENNING, Ga., (April 8, 2015) -- Each Saturday runners meet in front of the National Infantry Museum united in a "Circle of Remembrance" as they prepare to set off on a journey as part of "wear blue: run to remember."

"'Wear blue' serves as a living memorial for the Soldiers we lost and the ones who are currently serving," said Michael Pixley, Fort Benning's meet-up leader. "That in itself is breathtaking. It's so big. It's something even more unique than the monuments we have built on our post or around the nation.

"(The Circle of Remembrance) is a light prayer," Pixley said. "For people who don't have a name in mind to dedicate their run to, we have ... names of fallen Soldiers we can hand out."

Pixley said the last several runs have had special meaning for him.

"In the last couple of months, former colleagues (have) passed," he said. "So, the last several runs have been personal for me."

According to the "wear blue: run to remember" website, the nonprofit organization was founded in 2010 by Lisa Hallett and Erin O'Connor at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, following the death of Hallett's husband, Capt. John Hallett, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2009.

Lisa Hallett, a lifelong runner, turned to running to help her work through her grief and loss. In so doing, she shared her passion to live and honor her husband's sacrifice with others and created an active remembrance by honoring the service and sacrifices of the American military.

"Wear blue" creates a space for all members of the community to support and remember in a healthy and life affirming way.

Starting informally as a group of Army wives from the 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Brigade Combat Team, who were running to work through a very difficult combat deployment, "wear blue" grew into a nationwide vision. Blue shirts are worn as a tribute to the 5th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. SBCT, currently the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Since its inception, "wear blue" has added two more national chapters in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Springfield, Virginia, but the organization currently has 18 informal running meet-up location across 13 states, which includes Fort Benning, and abroad to include Wiesbaden, Germany.

Informal meet-ups give those not in a national chapter location an opportunity to run with people who have the same goal, Pixley said.

Fort Benning's meet-up starts at 8 a.m. every Saturday and follows the River Walk route, he said.

Pixley said the pace is a conversational pace without set distances and is as long a runner wants to run or walk for.

"We are just there for each other ... camaraderie," he said, adding a "wear blue" shirt is not required.

"(I didn't have one at first)," Pixley said. "It's the spirit of it. You don't need material to think about the greater picture."

The purchase of a "wear blue" T-shirt allows the member to have the names they run for printed on the back alongside a boot print made up of 41 stars for the 41 fallen Soldiers in the 5th Bde., 2nd Inf. Div. SBCT, deployment to Afghanistan; the deployment that motivated the organization's first steps, Pixley said.

"For the fallen, For the fighting, For the families," is embedded in the boot print, he said.

Eric Brew, a "wear blue" member, said he was introduced to the organization at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and has continued to run with the Fort Benning informal meet-up group.

"It's a fantastic organization that does what's right to remember our fallen brothers and sisters," he said. "We are here to run, get closer to them ... and just to reflect and feel closer to our friends."

With roughly 5,000 members, Pixley said "wear blue" has a goal to get 10,000 runners globally for Memorial Day.

"It's nationwide," he said. "'Wear blue' wants to get as many people out there ... and dedicate that day's run to somebody they know."

"Wear blue" can be represented in other races runners participate in, as well, Pixley said. He said he ran for five people in last year's Army Ten-Miler.

Pixley said for those "wear blue" runners participating in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race July 4 in Atlanta, he will post a meet-up time and place on Fort Benning's meet-up Facebook page for the Circle of Remembrance.

For more information about the Fort Benning meet-up, email Pixley or Wendi Brew at fortbenning.wearbluemeetup@gmail.com.

For more information on "wear blue," items for purchase, other location meet-ups or Facebook addresses, visit www.wearblueruntoremember.org.