FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- More than 300 runners participated in a special Run for the Fallen 3.1 mile "Night Glow Run" held across the Fort Irwin Aug. 28, 2015. The run honors service members who lost their lives while serving in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and their families. In remembrance of the fallen, runners are encouraged to wear blue.
Hundreds of spectators lined the route at sunset to cheer and encourage the runners as they made their way through the winding route across post. As a sign of remembrance, participants were encouraged to wear blue.
The idea for the special "Night Glow Run" came from Ms. Kara Johnson, merchandise coordinator at the Fort Irwin Exchange and was a new twist on a familiar event to make it more enjoyable and memorable for the runners. The color blue is designated as a sign of solidarity with the fallen and a symbol of compassion for families by a runners group called "Wear Blue".
Wear Blue is a national non-governmental, all inclusive support organization that promotes running as a way to remember fallen military members and their families. The organization promotes runs to remember and seeks to build running communities that honor the service and sacrifice of the American military. Their goals include acting as a support network and a bridge between military and civilian communities, according to their website.
The event was coordinated by Capt. Yesenia Byrne, Chief, Managed Care/Clinical Service Division at the Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH). Byrne was instrumental in publicizing the event and organizing volunteers to help during the run.
"Every step we take is a living memorial that remembers the lives that were sacrificed, their families and those Soldiers still fighting," said Byrne to the assembled crowd of spectators and runners before the race. "It's our honor that Fort Irwin hosts the "Wear Blue" community run to remember the fallen."
During the opening dedication ceremony in front of the Exchange, the name of each service member killed in the month of August was called out by the runners in a special tradition known as the Circle of Remembrance. Afterwards, runners called out the names of those they personally running to remember -- their husbands, wives, parents, siblings, battle buddies, neighbors and friends.
Large photographs of fallen service members as well as American flags lined the route in honor of the fallen. A special tribute called the "Wear Blue Mile" -- which was not a full mile but designated as the stretch that ran through Fort Irwin's town center was lined with an abundance of flags and photos honoring the fallen.
Runners crossing the finish line were greeted by fellow runners and congratulated by happy spectators and supporters, also in blue and many stood together for group photos.
"This event really exceeded expectations, and not only the number of people from every part of the community who turned out for it." said Byrne. "I really shouldn't have been surprised at all because this is so typical of the Fort Irwin community, the National Training Center and my Weed Army Community Hospital colleagues."
Byrne paused in thought before continuing. "Maybe it's because our post is so isolated out here in the Mojave -- we don't just work together, we celebrate together, we mourn together, we run together and we remember together."
ABOUT THE WEED ARMY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Weed Army Community Hospital (WACH) is part of the United States Army Medical Department Activity, better known to service members by its acronym MEDDAC.
The WACH on Fort Irwin is home to approximately 300 health care professionals and medical staff providing 24/7 support to the National Training Center (NTC), one of the U.S. Army's largest training areas with over 1,000 square miles of maneuver areas, state of the art training facilities and ranges, with airspace restricted to military use.
Fort Irwin's isolation makes it an ideal site for a variety of NTC training and an exercise, consequently the Weed Army Community Hospital is a vital pillar in support of the NTC and Fort Irwin community.
A new $160 million, 216,000 square foot hospital, currently under construction, is scheduled to replace the Weed Army Community Hospital in the fall of 2016. The opening of the new facility will mark a significant milestone in the United States Department of Defense commitment to delivering the best possible healthcare to all service members and their families, and underlines the importance of the NTC and the role MEDDAC personnel and facilities play in support of service members and their families at Fort Irwin.
To learn more about the people and facilities of the Weed Army Community Hospital and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin visit the official NTC website at www.irwin.army.mil
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