Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Meillettis Gardner | Mike Ehredt and Capt. Tyson Behnke of Company Commander of 814th Engineer Company,...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. – First Maneuver Enhancement Brigade Commander Col. Bret Van Camp and 17 of his soldiers volunteered to joined Mike Ehredt in the Project America Run II on Nov. 4. The group ran with Ehredt through Deridder starting on HWY 190, to support him in his efforts to honor U.S. service members who served and lost their lives in Afghanistan.
For each mile, a Flag was place with a service members name, rank, age and hometown to honor their service.
Van Camp started the run with Ehredt on Nov. 4. He ran one mile on the rainy Saturday morning with Mike and placed the second flag of the morning.
The weather did not deter the 1st MEB soldiers or Ehredt from accomplishing his desire to honor U.S. service members.
The jogging stroller Mike pushed carried the flags and any food or wet weather gear he might need while running.
One of volunteer runners recognized a unit crest on Mike’s jogging stroller which he pushed as he ran along the route.
“It’s a small world,” said Capt. Tyson Behnke, Company Commander of 814th Engineer Company, 46th Engineer Battalion, 1st MEB.
Behnke was excited to see the unit crest 54th EN Battalion, as it was his first duty station. The discovery that both Mike and Behnke were in the same unit, years apart, led to reminisce of the past.
Ehredt said he spent most of his time in Germany building soccer fields for the Germans as an E-4, in the 80s.
“I definitely felt a since of camaraderie,” said Behnke. “He (Mike) said he needed some luck so he put that pin on his buggy there.”
Ehredt said that while his run has been worthwhile, he is glad to see the end in sight.
“It's nice to be in my last state,” said Ehredt. “Texas is a long way from Minnesota, (where he began the run). It was good to have a company of Military Police today and company the last three days from Fort Polk, and it was well received.”
Other units on Fort Polk also volunteer to run with Mike through out different areas surrounding Fort Polk.
“These guys help today putting down flags,” said Ehredt. “I look back at the flags I saw today, and its just oiling the lamp that burns the light of freedom.”
Ehredt’s personal tribute to over 6,550 fallen U.S. servicemen and women started on the border of Canada, North of international Fall, Minn., and is scheduled to end on Veterans day, in Galveston, Texas. He would have placed 2,140 flag, in honor of those who died in Afghanistan.
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 11.13.2012 10:02 |
| Story ID: | 97686 |
| Location: | LA, US |
| Web Views: | 188 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 1st MEB joins run for those who paid ultimate sacrifice, by SFC Meillettis Gardner, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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