Photo By Sgt. Maria Kappell | Zombie children occupy one of the obstacles during the zombie run at the Lightning...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — Soldiers and families outran the zombie apocalypse that plagued the Lightning Ranch here, Oct. 26.
The 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment hosted the unit’s first ever Zombie Run to help replenish the Family Readiness Group funds for the upcoming holiday season. The event was open to soldiers and families throughout the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.
The event had a large turnout, and the fact that it was all ages and all ranks made it a great family event, said Lt. Col. Bill Dowling, the 4-5ADA commander.
The participants were faced with the challenge of navigating their way through a course just over a mile long, dodging zombies and obstacles along the way. Each team running through the course was able to purchase ammunition, in the form of foam darts, to throw at their zombie foes to better their chances of being a survivor when they reached the finish line.
Staff Sgt. Justin Herburger, a platoon sergeant from Charlie Battery, 4-5 ADA, and a veteran zombie race runner, was one of the few who came out of the race a survivor.
“It was shorter than the races I’m used to, but it was long enough to have fun with. It was intense,” he said.
In comparison to the normal slow moving zombies people have become accustomed to seeing on television, the zombies in this race were out for blood — or brains — and sprinted toward potential meal targets.
“The zombies were fast, and they gave no leeway,” said Sarah Herburger, Justin’s wife and teammate in the race.
In addition to the zombies, runners encountered some other characters along the course. Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Hopkins, the first sergeant of Delta Battery, 4-5 ADA, hid in the tree line, revving his weed eater’s engine and shaking the trees as unsuspecting runners raced past.
The teams ran through the course one at a time, and over 200 people participated either as survivors or zombies.
Even the battalion’s command sergeant major, Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Phifer, who had never experienced a zombie run, went through the course. Phifer, expecting to survive, was ambushed by a group of zombies who were able to swipe the flags from around his waist, signifying his defeat.
Many participants, including the Herburgers, look forward to doing something like this again in the future. It was a blast and fun for all of the adults and children involved, the couple said.
“It was great to see the soldiers and families get into the spirit of Halloween and show their support for the unit and the FRGs,” Dowling said.
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 10.28.2013 17:00 |
| Story ID: | 115861 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 93 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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