HOHENFELS, Germany -- Air Force Tactical Air Control Party airmen from across Europe gathered at Hohenfels to participate in the fourth annual TACP Association 24-hour run challenge, March 26.
The TACP Association seeks to "Remember the fallen, honor the living, and aid brothers in need," by providing support to TACPs who were wounded and assisting the families of those killed in action.
"The 24-Hour Run Challenge is a great event designed to honor our fallen, build unit camaraderie, get some great exercise, and raise money for the association," said Capt. Skylar Jackson, Joint Multinational Readiness Center Bullseye Observer Coach Trainer Team.
The run started at 6 p.m. on March 26 and continued through the rainy night and all day March 27. At least one member of the team was running the half-mile track the entire time.
"We got a baton going round with the names of the fallen on it, and that hasn't stopped moving since we started," Jackson said.
The challenge is a worldwide event with TACP teams all across the globe participating at the same time.
"We're all going through the same thing," said Staff Sgt. Justin Fuchs. "It snowed at Ft. Drum (New York) so those guys were running in the snow. We can't complain."
Money is raised by pledges from family and friends, and Team USAFE, which stands for U.S. Air Force Europe, raised more than $8,000, with the TACP association raising more than $115,000, according to their Fundly website.
"It's a pretty personal event to a lot of people," Jackson said. "The TACP community is really small --there's only like 2,500 in the Air Force -- so just about everybody knows someone who has been killed."
The association also helps TACPs visit their wounded fellows, and Jackson said the association helped him with travel costs to a fallen comrade's funeral in Boston.
The challenge consisted of two categories -- Team and Ultra. An Ultra team consists of only two runners and at Hohenfels, Senior Airman Trenton Ross and Senior Airman Trey Armond's Ultra Team aimed for a combined mileage of 120 miles.
"Well, we already made 100 miles and we've still got five hours to go," laughed Ross.
Nicknamed the "Air Force infantry" because they spend most of their career assigned to Army units, TACP teams primary duty is to provide close air support to their assigned Army units, directing combat aircraft to increase the capability of ground combat forces.
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