Task Force 38 troops coordinate JBB runs

Photo By Master Sgt. Jeff Lowry | Soldiers with D Company, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment run as a group in a 5k-run that was sponsored by its battalion at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Sunday, May 23.  

JOINT BASE BALAD, IRAQ

06.01.2010

Story by Staff Sgt. Jeff Lowry 

Task Force 38

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Headquarters Company, Task Force 38 and one of its subordinate units, 3rd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, coordinated two different running races here in May that boosted the morale of the units' Soldiers, and reminded them of home and family.

On May 8, more than 20 Indiana Army National Guard Soldiers with the headquarters company competed in a remote, 500 Festival Mini-Marathon; the main one took place in Indianapolis. Nearly a dozen more Soldiers volunteered to run a water point at the halfway mark here. According to race officials, more than 600 troops and civilians competed in the 13.1-mile Iraq race.

"It's a big event, and a tie to back home. It's a little bit of home for me," said Command Sgt. Maj. John Watson, the unit's command sergeant major and Indianapolis native, who has run nearly 25 races here.

He ran eight 500 Festival Mini-Marathons in Indianapolis, but this was his first remote mini, and according to Watson it was a special event.

"I thought it was really neat the 500 Festival committee donated all the goodies - the start line banner, the signed banner, the T-shirts, hats, and finishers medals," said Watson, who finished first among the headquarters Soldiers in one hour, 52 minutes. "It was really cool they did that for all the service members here."

Watson also commented that this race was big event for his unit.

"We're in the 11th month of our deployment and the 10th month of our time here in Iraq. It's just another major event as we get close to drawing down our mission," said Watson.

He also said since the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon is a hometown and home state event, it was a significant race for himself and his troops.

"Because it was home state event it really meant a lot to me," said Watson. "Our Soldiers showed their Hoosier pride; a lot of them had their sights set on [this race] a long time ago."

During the race one Soldier drew inspiration from himself and his family, back home in Indiana.

"I ran the Mini today as 'Team Schnieders,' - three miles for myself, three miles for each of my (two) boys, and my wife got the last four in honor of Mother's Day. That motivated me to continue to run, never walk, even when the pain told me to stop," said Indiana Army National Guard Sgt. Andrew Schnieders, a Task Force 38 command assistant, who ran nearly 30 races while serving here in Iraq.

He also said he was proud of his fellow Soldiers who ran, walked or hiked the race here.

"I think the event was a success for every 38th Combat Aviation Brigade Soldier who participated today, as a group we should all be proud because everyone finished," said Schnieders, of Mooresville, Ind.

Indiana Army National Guard Master Sgt. Renee Anker, of Wolcott, Ind., and the unit's medical non-commissioned officer in charge, said the race brought the entire unit together.

"It was an event that brought all the sections together, and they worked as one," said Anker who was in charge of running the water point.

She also coordinated volunteers who helped make Indianapolis 500 inspired decorations for the unit's water point, which included a race car made from used, plastic water bottles and a winners' circle-like water stand with a black and white checkered design.

"I knew I wanted to make a car," said Anker of designing the unit's water point.

Another Hoosier Guard Soldier was inspired at the end of the race when the last of the Headquarters Company, TF 38 Soldiers crossed the finish line more than three hours after the start.

"I'd like to dedicate this next song to all Indiana Soldiers," said Capt. Richard Uggen, of Hartford City, Ind., and a task force battle captain, who took the public address microphone in hand and then sang "Back Home Again in Indiana."

Uggen tied the JBB remote run back to the main run in Indianapolis and all the May festivities in Indiana's capital.

"Since we were doing the Mini-Marathon, and it goes with the Indy 500, it just seemed a natural thing to do. It seemed appropriate," he said of singing the song that traditionally starts the Indianapolis 500 race.

While Indiana Guard Soldiers worked together on the May run that reminded them of home, the 3-158 Soldiers, nicknamed the Stormriders, coordinated and sponsored a 5K-run of their own on May 23.

"It's a lot of moving pieces to coordinate, but that's what make it fun," said 1st Lt. Lisa Becker, Crete, Ill., and a B Company platoon leader.

According to Becker, who coordinated the event for the battalion, there were an estimated 600 participants for that race as well.

"There were probably about 100 to 150 Stormrider Soldiers who ran the race," said Becker. "I had 35 volunteers, who helped with the race. These volunteers served as road guards, water point workers, national anthem singers, the MC, and they also handed out T-shirts."

Besides coordinating and sponsoring the run, the battalion's Soldiers benefited from running in the event too.

"We are committed to the Soldiers and their welfare," said Army Command Sgt. Maj. Trefus Lee, of his unit's Soldiers. "We are a team and a family of Soldiers; the run was important because it allowed us the time to re-focus on the unity within the battalion and continually build camaraderie and unit cohesion."

Lee also said the run helped the morale of his troops and brought a family-like atmosphere to the unit.

"This 5K-run allowed our Soldiers the opportunity to reunite as a team and most importantly as a family committed to one goal." said Lee, of Cleveland.

For the Hoosier Guard Soldiers, despite being thousands of miles from Indiana, the Mini-Marathon provided a chance for them to continue traditions that reminded them of home, and for both units, the runs bonded the Soldiers together as one.

• Date Taken: 06.01.2010
• Date Posted: 06.01.2010 11:11
• Story ID: 50652
• Location: JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ