CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Soldiers and Airmen with 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team “Bulldogs,” 1st Armored Division (Rotational) conducted a road march to honor fallen service members during an 8th Annual Tactical Air Control Party Association 24-Hour Challenge at Camp Humphreys, March 28-29.
The TACP Association is a veteran run 501(c) 19 non-profit organization that raises funds to support Air Force TACP members and their families.
“It's a great event,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Lawton, native of Olympia, Washington, and joint terminal attack controller, 3rd ABCT. “We do it annually to support the TACP Association, which supports the family members and the community of injured and fallen TACPs in times of need.”
The TACP Association 24-Hour Challenge is a run/ruck event open to all services to show their support; and another opportunity to build camaraderie across the joint force.
“I'd say it's for a great cause, and it kind of just brings everyone together since we work with the Army,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Charles Ashton, native of Edmond, Oklahoma, and JTAC for 3rd ABCT. “We just go out to the different brigades we're working with, let them know (about the event), and if people are on Air Force bases, they (other services with similar events) do the same thing.”
Advertisement for the TACP 24-Hour Challenge at Camp Humphreys was conducted across all social media, Armed Forces Radio, flyer dissemination, and word-of-mouth.
“For me, it's a way to support the military as a whole, shed some light on the event, especially when it comes to wounded warriors and families of fallen Soldiers,” said U.S. Army Capt. Bielosa Aworh, Cincinnati, Ohio native and civil affairs planner,3rd ABCT.
For most Soldiers and Airmen, this is not the only remembrance event they’ve done to show their support to those who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice.
“I've done the Bataan Death March twice before,” said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Charles Koch, native of Anacoco, Louisiana and provost marshal officer,3rd ABCT. “So this is another opportunity for me to walk and remember the fallen.”
Preparation for an event of this magnitude is no easy feat. However, since being physically fit is a requirement of service members as a whole, the TACP 24-Hour Challenge is not an unattainable goal.
“The mental part’s pretty easy… I mean, you know it's going to be rough, so you just get through it,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Justin Lauro, native of Springfield, Virginia, and psychological operations planner, 3rd ABCT. “The physical part is just day-in and day-out sticking with your physical fitness plan, and it prepares you for this. So you're ready when you have to do something big.”
For eight years Soldiers and Airmen have supported the TACP’s 24-Hour Challenge, which helps the association continue to assist wounded Airmen and Families of fallen heroes in the TACP Community.