GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Navy Lt. Patrick Saluke, a member of the Commissions Support Group at Joint Task Force Guantanamo, ran faster than a goat during the Chief Petty Officers' Association 2nd Annual 5K Goat Run, April 4.
Saluke was able to hold off Air Force Lt. Col. Rodney Furr, a member of the Office of the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, with a time of 17:42.
The run started at Phillips Dive Park and turned around at a point past the pottery shop. There were 124 participants. Furr, who won a 5K race last month, was the runner-up with a time of 17:54, and third place was Air Force 1st Lt. Ryan Silva, who completed the course in a time of 18:40. Jennifer Iosue, a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was the first woman to finish with a time of 20:40.
Saluke, surprised with his victory, said, "I am proud to be able to support the Chief Petty Officers' Association in my first 5K."
Participants trained prior to the 5K, including Furr, who has been training for several weeks.
"I run 40 to 50 miles a week," Furr said. "I also do deep water running while training."
The benefit of deep water running is that there is no impact on joints while running in the water. According to Furr, it works out the same muscles that you use while running.
"In addition to boosting morale and bringing people you work with everyday together to have fun, you are also supporting a good cause by raising money for a scholarship," Navy Chief Petty Officer Thomas J. Buda, a CPOA member, said.
"April 1st, 1893, is the birthday of the chief petty officer rank," Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Rick Kaczmarek, CPOA president, said. "The run is in celebration of the creation of the rank, and we use this as a fundraising opportunity to provide a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior."
An application packet for the scholarship is given to the counselor at the high school. According to Kaczmarek, they disseminate it to all the seniors, who may then apply to a panel that selects the recipient for the scholarship.
"The purpose of the CPOA is to build a tight-knit group of the senior enlisted members throughout all services, and it affords us the opportunity to do community service projects and fundraising endeavors," Kaczmarek said. "Outreach with the community makes our presence known."
Kaczmarek is thankful for everyone's support of the CPOA.
"It is an honor and a pleasure to be able to provide for the community, especially something like a scholarship for someone who aspires to go to college," Kaczmarek said.
For more information about Joint Task Force Guantanamo, visit the Web site www.jtfgtmo.southcom.mil.