CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — For most people, the perfect Saturday morning doesn’t start at 3:30 a.m. with a 12.4-mile ruck march. But Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID)/Republic of Korea – U.S. Combined Division (RUCD) are not most people.
An event originally intended for 100 participants quickly grew to nearly 13 times that number, including hundreds of 2ID/RUCD Soldiers. In total, nearly 1,300 service members gathered at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Aug. 29, 2026, answering an early morning alarm for the chance to complete the Royal Danish Air Force March and earn its coveted medal.
Among them was Pfc. Nain Martinez, a first-term combat camera Soldier assigned to 2ID/RUCD and new to the Korean Peninsula.
“For my first ruck outside of BCT and AIT, it was very meaningful to me,” Martinez said. “It was everyone coming together, having fun, supporting one another, checking up on one another … something that a community really is.”
For Martinez, the march became more than a physical challenge. It also offered an opportunity to connect with the community around him and become more comfortable in a new environment.
“I’m not much of a social person. I hide behind my camera because I don’t know how to involve myself, and that’s the only way I know how,” Martinez said. “But this time around, I had people come up to me, ask what I do and how I do it, if I enjoy it. It brought me closer to a new environment I was scared to go into.”
The Royal Danish Air Force March, also known as the Danish Flyver, combines physical endurance with camaraderie and community building. Participants must complete 20 kilometers, or 12.4 miles, while carrying a ruck weighing at least 22 pounds. There is no time limit, allowing participants to focus less on the clock and more on completing the challenge.
Staff Sgt. James Dixon, also assigned to 2ID/RUCD, used the event as an opportunity to train and challenge his Soldiers while building confidence and teamwork.
“The best part was my Soldiers from start to finish,” Dixon said. “Being able to teach them how to set up and pack their rucks, then watching them overcome such a difficult challenge and earn their first foreign award.”
While the march ultimately drew nearly 1,300 participants, it started with a much smaller goal.
Staff Sgt. Sammie Robertson, a 2ID/RUCD Soldier and the event organizer, said interest initially spread through word of mouth.
“Most of the people that were on it originally, they were like, ‘Hey, I know somebody.’ They invited their friends,” Robertson said. “First sergeants reached out with their people. From there, other people started hitting me up.”
Then social media accelerated the event’s growth.
“I don’t know if you know the Gritty Soldier, but he did a post,” Robertson said. “After that, people started direct messaging me. That’s when it took off.”
The Gritty Soldier, who is a former 2ID Soldier, is a social media personality known for tactical fitness coaching and mentorship. He shared information about the march with his online audience. Robertson credited the post with helping transform what began as a 100-person event into one of the installation’s largest ruck marches.
“It does feel pretty awesome that my post about the event drove so much participation,” the Gritty Soldier said. “But only because it proves to me that the Army, as an organization, is filled with hard chargers, like me, doing what they can to be better every day.”
For Robertson, however, the event’s significance went beyond participation numbers. The Danish Flyver offered Soldiers an opportunity to test themselves while relying on the encouragement of those around them.
“You may not think that you can necessarily do this,” Robertson said. “Even with no time limit, 12 miles is 12 miles. Then you have your friends who are like, ‘Hey, we can do this all together.”
Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Rivera, 2ID/RUCD Division Artillery command sergeant major, saw that camaraderie firsthand as Soldiers encouraged one another mile after mile.
“What stood out to me was the camaraderie I saw during the march as groups of Soldiers pushed each other, counting down the miles, reading off the pace and sharing stories along the way,” Rivera said.
One moment near the end of the course particularly captured the spirit of the event.
“At the 11-mile point, I heard a private telling others in the group that they were almost there and that he was proud of them,” Rivera said. “That summed up the whole experience for me in two words: commitment and pride.”
As participants crossed the finish line after 12.4 miles, Robertson remained there offering encouragement and congratulating those completing the challenge.
For some, the march meant earning a foreign award. For others, it was an opportunity to test their endurance or build confidence. But across nearly 1,300 participants, the Danish Flyver ultimately became something larger, a shared challenge built on teamwork, resilience and camaraderie.
“You have a goal you achieve together,” Robertson said. “I think that’s what it’s all about.”