The 1st Cavalry Division Hosts Virtual Army Ten-Miler

Photo By Staff Sgt. Tiffany Banks | Troopers with the 1st Calvary Division participate in the 36th annual Army Ten-Miler Oct. 16, 2020. Due to COVID-19 the run moved from the traditional Washington D.C. location to a virtual event. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. Tiffany Banks)  

FORT HOOD, TX, UNITED STATES

10.16.2020

Story by Sgt. Jason Greaves 

1st Cavalry Division

Fort Hood, Texas. -- Troopers with the 1st Calvary Division participated in the 36th annual Army Ten-Miler Oct. 16, 2020. Due to COVID-19 the run moved from the traditional Washington D.C. location to a virtual event.

“Participating in the virtual Army Ten Miler this year was a way to build esprit de corps and support a high level of physical fitness across the Division,” Said Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Kenny, command sergeant major, 1CD . “It was also an opportunity to be part of history; this is only the second time in the 36 year history the race was not run in D.C.”

Registered runners could run anytime between Oct. 11 and Oct. 18, 2020 by using the ten miler’s Runner Experience app. The 1CD Team planned, coordinated, and outlined the route to help soldiers have a safe and accurate route to run their 10 miler.

“ I would have loved to go to D.C., but with COVID, it’s great to participate virtually,” Said 2nd Lt. Kelsey Dewolfe, fire directions officer, Alpha Battery, 2nd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, “We really made an effort to get a lot of our soldiers out here and ended up with 42 members of A Btry. I definitely wanted to run with them and make it more of a battery event.”

Dewolfe was the first female to come through the finish line at a time of one hour and 24 minutes.


Capt. Matthew Thwaites, assistant operations officer, 3rd Brigade, 1CD, was the first runner to cross the finish line.

“We've been pretty physically and socially separated here for the last six or seven months, and this is a good time to come together and build a sense of community.” Said Thwaites.

Bringing people together and creating a sense of camaraderie and morale is important in building cohesive team dynamics.

“COVID mitigation measures are all around out here.” said Thwaites. “There's hand sanitizer everywhere, they take everybody's temperature and we get screened going in and out of every building. We’re doing the best that you can, it was just good to bring everybody together build some Esprit de corps.”

• Date Taken: 10.16.2020
• Date Posted: 10.21.2020 17:14
• Story ID: 381448
• Location: FORT HOOD, TX, US