Photo By Airman 1st Class Kiora Brooks | U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Leah Chavez, Air Force Reserve Command senior enlisted advisor, participates in the opening one-mile run at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, June 5, 2026. The challenge was open to all fitness levels and modified versions of the challenge were also offered to participants. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kiora Brooks) see less
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Andrews honors a hero’s legacy with Murph Challenge
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — Members from across Joint Base Andrews participated in the Murph Challenge, a fitness event hosted in locations around the world to honor a fallen hero’s legacy, on June 5, 2026.
The Murph Challenge was created by Dr. Joshua Appel, a former U.S. Air Force pararescue team lead. It was hosted for the first time at his CrossFit gym in honor of U.S. Navy SEAL Lt. Michael P. Murphy, who was fatally wounded after exposing himself to enemy fire in order to transmit a call for evacuation, saving his team during an operation in Asadabad, Afghanistan.
The challenge starts with a one-mile run, followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats and ends with another one-mile run. The challenge is intended to be completed while wearing a 20-pound weighted vest or body armor.
The event was open to all fitness levels and challenged service members across the installation to test their limits. U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Patricia Tye, the Andrews Medical Group En-Route Patient Staging System flight chief, helped host the event.
“This is a hard workout, and going into it there is a mental block.” said Tye. “You have to be determined to pass through that mental block. When you’re actually going through it, that’s when you look to your left and your right and you’re surrounded by people who are encouraging you, that helps you finish the challenge.”
The Air Force Chief’s Group and Wounded Warrior Project sponsored the challenge, and the top three male and female participants were recognized at the conclusion of the event.
The Murph Challenge is a reminder of Murphy’s sacrifice, dedication and legacy.
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