Photo By Sgt. 1st Class John Healy | Two students catch their breath after completing the Summer Fun 5k, held June 14,...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas - Fort Hood is a magnet for interesting characters. Tucked away in the hidden corners of a sprawling military metropolis, it takes something special to draw them out. For a taste of the madness, come out to one of the monthly 5k runs hosted by Fort Hoods Department for Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation. You’ll see costumed vets with their families in tow, huffing and puffing it up Old Ironsides while a retired sergeant major shouts running cadence at them with a big red bullhorn. It’s his bullhorn. He brought it from home.
That retired sergeant major is Rodney Riley, who now works as the Facility Manager for DFMWR on Fort Hood.
“We set this up on a monthly basis so that we can have some kind of entertainment for the families,” said Riley.
This month’s theme is Summer Fun. Runners were encouraged to wear beach attire and other accouterments, which most took to with gusto. Parents, if you’re the type that derives great pleasure from embarrassing your teenage children in public, look no further than coconut bikini tops.
The running events hosted by Fort Hood DFMWR still manage to draw their share of serious runners. This month’s winner crossed the finish line at 17:40, and if those six-minute miles don’t make you jealous, Spc. Jorte Hernandez, a fueler in the 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, is 40 years old.
Hailing from El Salvador, Hernandez has been running for about three years, but “not like every day,” he says.
“It’s just training,” said Hernandez, like it was easy. “So long as you eat healthy and take care of yourself you can do it. Everybody can do it, its just discipline.”
Don’t let the stiff competition scare you. These are family events at heart, and plenty of newcomers still come out to play, like Sergeant 1st Class Terrinita Smith, the III Corps Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention Officer.
“This is my first time ever running 3.1 miles without stopping in my whole life,” declared Smith.
Smith got her first taste of a 5k in April during a walk/run organized to celebrate the life of Killeen SWAT officer Robert Hornsby, who was killed in action last July.
“I think it’s really fun,” said Smith. “I think I’m getting in better shape, and at 43 years old I’m excited to say.”
The fun runs at Fort Hood are frequented by a host of regulars. One such group is easily distinguished by their bright red T-shirts.
Team Red White and Blue is a veteran’s organization pioneered by Maj. Michael Erwin, a teacher at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
“Basically what we do is connect veterans with the community,” said Stefani Stephens, a member of Fort Hood’s chapter of Team RWB. “That way they don’t get lost in the mix.”
With a mission statement like ‘enriching the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity,’ Team RWB has found the MWR 5k’s to be the perfect place to make a difference in the lives of Soldiers and Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress.
“It’s really a good outlet for folks who are struggling,” said Stephens. “The transition between military and civilian life is a difficult one, especially with all the deployments that everybody’s been through in the past 10 to 12 years.”
There is no cure-all for PTSD. Each individual has to find their own way of coping with the depression and anxiety with Post Traumatic Stress.
When Stephens left the military, she needed help. Her first stop was at a hospital in San Antonio, where she entered the inpatient PTSD program.
“I was medicated, and it wasn’t helping,” said Stephens.
Stephens wasn’t ready to give up yet. She was introduced to Team RWB in April 2013, and has since gone on to help the organization grow here at Fort Hood.
“I’ve always been a runner,” said Stephens. “I don’t take medication any more. I don’t go to counseling or any of those kinds of things, because I do this instead.”
When the last of the runners crossed the finish line, the results were tallied and trophies awarded, then everyone headed home for a well-earned shower, no doubt ready to rinse and repeat the whole process at next month’s Freedom Run 5k, to be held July 4th at the Harvey Functional Fitness Center.
To register for the Freedom Run visit Fort Hood MWR’s website at hoodmwr.com. Or, you could always come out just to enjoy the show.
For more information about Team Red White & Blue visit their website at teamrwb.org.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 06.18.2014 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 133487 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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