Special Tactics Memorial March
Twenty Special Tactics Airmen will ruck from Medina Annex at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas to Hurlburt Field, Fla., to pay tribute to Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin who was killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 27, 2018, and in honor of the other 19 Special Tactics Airmen who have been killed in action since 9/11.
Elchin, along with U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Ross and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, were killed in action when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Ghazni Province,... read more
Twenty Special Tactics Airmen will ruck from Medina Annex at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas to Hurlburt Field, Fla., to pay tribute to Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin who was killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 27, 2018, and in honor of the other 19 Special Tactics Airmen who have been killed in action since 9/11.
Elchin, along with U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Ross and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, were killed in action when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, Nov. 27, 2018, while deployed in support of OPERATION Freedom’s Sentinel. U.S. Army Sgt. Jason McClary died later as a result of injuries sustained from the IED.
Historically, Air Force Special Tactics plans a memorial march when a member is killed in action.
Special Tactics Airmen begin their training at Medina Annex, together, and become combat ready upon graduation of the Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field, thus the march route mimics the training passage our Airmen endure.
This is the 5th Special Tactics Memorial March since 2009 and since it originated as the “Tim Davis Memorial March.” The march was renamed to honor all fallen Special Tactics Airmen in 2011 to the “Special Tactics Memorial March.”
The Special Tactics Airmen will depart Medina Annex on Feb. 22, 2019 and they are scheduled to arrive at Hurlburt Field, Fla., on Mar. 4, 2019.
The journey takes the Airmen across five states and 830 miles.
A memorial baton inscribed with each of the fallen Special Tactics Airman’s names will be carried throughout the way to honor the fallen:
Master Sgt. William McDaniel, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 22, 2002
Staff Sgt. Juan Ridout, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 22, 2002
Technical Sgt. John Chapman, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Mar. 4, 2002
Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Mar. 4, 2002
Staff Sgt. Scott Sather, Special Tactics Combat Controller, April 8, 2003
Capt. Derek Argel, Special Tactics Officer, May 30, 2005
Capt. Jeremy Fresques, Special Tactics Officer, May 30, 2005
Staff Sgt. Casey Crate, Special Tactics Combat Controller, May 30, 2005
Senior Airman Adam Servais, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 19, 2006
Technical Sgt. Scott Duffman, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 18, 2007
Technical Sgt. William Jefferson, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Mar. 22, 2008
Staff Sgt. Timothy Davis, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Feb. 20, 2009
Senior Airman Daniel Sanchez, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Sep. 16, 2010
Senior Airman Mark Forester, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Sep. 29, 2010
Technical Sgt. John Brown, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Aug. 6, 2011
Technical Sgt. Daniel Zerbe, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Aug. 6, 2011
Staff Sgt. Andrew Harvell, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 6, 2011
Capt. Matthew Roland, Special Tactics Officer, Aug. 26, 2015
Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 26, 2015
Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Nov. 27, 2018 show less
