The Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA) Chapter 371 is proud to host the 2nd annual Ruck March put on by Seymour Johnson’s 5/6 group which is comprised of stellar Technical Sergeants and Staff Sergeants. The march will be held September 13th in commemoration of POW MIA Memorial Week. The course, beginning and ending at the Bryan Sports Complex will be 12 miles and will take participants through downtown Goldsboro to Elmwood Cemetery where Marine PFC Dan Bullock’s head stone lies. Bullock was the youngest of all the armed services to be killed om the Vietnam War. This year’s event will honor both PFC Dan Bullock and Captain Peter Cleary. Captain Peter Cleary was an F-4 pilot who was shot down in 1972 over Vietnam and declared MIA. In February 2002 his crash site was located and his remains were positively identified. He is now buried in Arlington National Cemetery
The event is open to the public. Participants can register as an individual or a team at https://raceroster.com/events/2021/49548/21-powmia-ruck-march.
Your individual or team registration will include a POW/MIA shirt and set of keepsake swag. Face masks are encouraged for those who are not vaccinated as we are taking precautions to keep everyone safe during this event. Check-in will be open on 6:45 to 07:45 AM.
“AFSA is an organization that lobbies for the military members past and present. Not only do we work hard at keeping those rights that our service members have earned but we also ensure that we remember those who have walked before us to pave the way. Every year we have a week set aside to honor our POW/MIA brother and sisters. This year is not different. We will be hosting a 12-mile ruck march which will require the individual to ruck with 15 % of their body weight in canned goods. None of our military endeavors would be possible if it wasn’t for the local communities rallying around to support us on a regular basis. One way we can give back and say thank you is by donating all of the canned food collected from the ruck to United Way to help restock the local food pantries. It’s not much but AFSA appreciates all the help that these pantries have provided not only the local community but also those military members that have needed the help.”, said coordinator Nikki Bowers
The canned foods from the race will be donated to Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Wayne Uplift Resource Association. “We are honored to work with AFSA for this event and appreciate they are filling the ruck sacks with canned food to be donated to our local nonprofits.”, said Sherry Archibald, Executive Director at United Way.
