30 Days of Ruck 'N' Run®
Each day in June, I promised to run the Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56K to honor a Veteran/Service Member.
I challenge those who read this to dedicate at least one ruck or run to Honor Those Who Serve(d).
Click here to dedicate a day of the year to honor them.
Thirty Veterans/Service Members, total min of 104 miles, and a total min of 750 each exercise on route.
What I learned was, no matter what pain I felt, what dark thoughts I had, I will not give up. Even if I had to crawl the last mile.
What motivated me was known that what I felt during the run, isn't anything as hard as some of the hardships the person I was honoring went through. Being able to participate in this 30 challenge was the least I could do for the freedom that protected by the service members I was do it for.
I didn't do this to bring awareness to Ruck 'N' Run® or raise money. I did this to share the passion I have and the stories shared to me.
From being in the Infantry to balancing the ledgers, to performing search and rescue to recruiting future soldiers. Every job and place in the military is important. All have their own sacrifices.
Was this difficult? Yes. I never gave up, just like these people below, never did.
Thank you all for your service and sacrifice.
I Ruck 'N' Run® in honor of:
SSG Travis Strong USA
Day 1 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignments:
SGT Lorraine Young USA
Day 2 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June
Job/MOS:
76J: Medical Supply Man
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignments:
FT Mc Coy, WI
6th MEDSOM Yongsan, Korea
FT Dix, NJ
Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC
PO2 Jeremy Neal USN
Day 3 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
OTA3: Ocean Systems Tech
STG: Sonar Tech
BM2: Boatswain’s Mate
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignments:
JMF St. Mawgen, UK
USS Carl Vinson
MIUWU114 reserves at Whiteman AFB
ACB1 Kansas City reserve center / San Diego
SGT Ed Fox USMC
Day 4 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June
Job/MOS:
Trained Communications, Combat Photography
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignments:
Midway and Iwo Jima Ed Fox was serving on Midway with the 6th Defense Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, at the time of the Battle of Midway, 4-6 June 1942. His post was a machine-gun bunker on the south-eastern shore of Sand Island, the larger of the two islands situated at the southern end of the Midway Atoll lagoon.
If the United States Pacific Fleet had been destroyed at Midway in accordance with Admiral Yamamoto's plan, the Japanese would have launched amphibious landings from the southern side of Midway Atoll. Ed Fox's bunker would have faced an intense barage from the guns of Japanese warships and would have been directly in the path of crack Japanese assault troops when they stormed ashore to capture the last American-garrisoned base west of Hawaii.
CPL Kelly USA
Day 5 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
11B: Infantry
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
CPL Kelly took a bullet to his hip and broke 11 bones during combat.
Ft. Benning
Ft. Polk
Ft. Bliss
1/1 3-41 in RGT.
DC south and DC east Afghanistan
D-Day
Day 6 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
SSGT Robert Shimonski USMC
Day 7 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
6114: Helicopter Mechanic
Numerous MOSs with active duty and reserves
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Many places and deployments
PO1 Brandon Cone USN
Day 8 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
MT1: Missile Tech
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
USS Kentucky
TRF Bangor
USS Michigan
CSM Lamont Christian USA
Day 9 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
Post Command Sergeant Major of the premier training base and Army training center of Fort Jackson, South Carolina
Drill sergeant and a former commandant of the United States Army drill sergeant academy
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Basic Training at Fort Jackson, SC
Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee, VA
Fort Bragg, NC
82nd Airborne Division
18th Airborne Corps
United States Army Special Operations Command
25th Infantry Division, HI
Infantry Training Center, Fort Benning, GA
The Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, SC
CPL Joseph DuBrul USA
Day 10 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
11B: Infantry
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Fort Bragg
Afghanistan
SGT Eric Rader USMC
Day 11 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
0431: Embarkation Specialist
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Camp Lejeune and Cherry point. 12 years
6 Combat Deployments
1 to Kuwait (the start of the war)
2 to Iraq 🇮🇶
3 to Afghanistan 🇦🇫
SGT Nick Ibarra USMC
Day 12 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
2311: Ammunition Technician
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Camp Pendleton, CA
Fallujah, Iraq
MWD Conan USA
Day 13 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
Special Operations Military Working Dog (SOMWD) in the US Delta Force
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
1st SFOD-D | Delta Force
Syria
Several Middle East missions
Flag Day/U.S Army’s Birthday
Day 14 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
1SG Tom Jennings USA
Day 15 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
35Z5V: Intelligence Master
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Ft Hood - 1st Calvary Div
Ft Bragg - 3rd Special Forces
Ft Lewis - 1st Special Forces
Ft Benning - 75th Ranger Regiment
Bosnia
Kosovo
Malaysia
Afghanistan (multiple)
Iraq (multiple)
MSG Tim Davies USA
Day 16 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
11B5X: Infantry/Drill Sergeant Identifier
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Neckersulm, Germany
Ft. Carson, Co.
Mainz, Germany
Ft. Benning, Ga.
Ft. Myers, Va
Ft Benning, Ga
Infantry Platoon
Sergeant Drill Sergeant Instructor
The Old Guard ANCOC Instructor
SSG Corey Mack USA
Day 17 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
79T: Recruiting
42A: Human Resources
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Missouri and Kentucky Army National Guard various units
MAJ Adrienne Spadavecchia USA
Day 18 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
15B: Army Aviator
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Afghanistan 1-135th ARB- TF Reeper 2013-2014 as Apache Helicopter pilot,
Kuwait, 2019-2020 Deputy Commander 1107th Theater Aviation Sustainment Group-TF24
CPT Luis Reyes USA
Day 19 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
31A: Criminal Investigations Division
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Fort Riley, KS
Fort Leonardwood, MO
Fort Bliss, TX
PO1 John Medvec Sr. USN
Day 20 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
HT: Hull Tech
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
USS Puget Sound AD-38
USS Charleston LKA-113
COMNAVMILPERSCOM
USS Ajax AR-6
Naval Station San Diego, CA
USS Cape Cod AD-43
SPC Charles Leibert USA
Day 21 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
12N: Construction Engineer
88M: Truck Driver
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Ft Knox, Ky
SFC George Fuller USA
Day 22 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
13M: Multiple Launch Rocket Systems Crewmember
56M: Religious Affairs NCO
31B: Military Police
79V: Army Reserve Career Counselor
Other positions:
Advanced and Senior Leader Course Instructor
Senior Drill Sergeant
Wounded Warrior Liaison
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Fort Sill, OK
Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Fort McNair, DC / Andrews Air Force Base
Camp Buehring, Kuwait
Al Kindi Base, Mosul, Iraq
SN Nicholas K Andersen USN
Day 23 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
BM: Boatswain’s Mate
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
WW2
Served on board the USS LST 593 from sept 1943-1945
CPO Timothy Brennan USCG
Day 24 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
Damage Claims and Budget Administration
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Cape May, Nj - Boot camp
Yorktown, Va
Gran Marias, Mn
Sailisaw, Ok
South America
Iraq
Sector Milwaukee, Wi
8th District Coast Guard New Orlean Training Team, Damage Claims and Budget Administration
SSG Keith Hurlbut USA | SPC Nikki Hurlbut USA
Day 25 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
SSG Keith Hurlbut
92Y: Unit Supply Specialist
12N: Horizontal Construction Engineer
68W:Combat Medical Specialist
SPC Nikki Hurlbut
21E: Heavy Construction Equipment Operator
12N: Horizontal Construction Engineer
92A: Automated Logistical Specialist
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
SSG Keith Hurlbut-
OIF
OEF
Spartan Shield
203rd Engineers
1107th AVN GRP
SPC Nikki Hurlbut-
294th EN & B Co 1107
SSGT Charles Chambers USAF
Day 26 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
57170: Fire Protection Supervisor
AFSC: Crash Rescue
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Little Rock AFB Arkansas
Osan AB Korea
San Vito AS Italy
Ramstein AB Germany
Falcon AFB Colorado
Kuwait
Saudi Arabia
UAE
PO2 John Brown USN
Day 27 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
AM2(AW): Aviation Metalsmith
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Boot camp Great Lakes, Illinois
A School Pensacola, Florida
C School Virginia Beach, Virginia at N.A.S. Oceana
VFA-32 squadron
U.S.S. Harry S. Truman CVW-3
N.A.S. Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Marseille, France
Paris
Dubai
Bahrain
Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah
N.A.S. Fallon Fallon, Nevada
Several shipboard detachments
SGT Les Shaeffer USMC
Day 28 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
0311: Infantry
8513: Infantry Combat Instructor
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
Camp Pendleton
Camp Lejeune
SGT Robert Willis USA
Day 29 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
31U2P: Signal Support Systems Specialist
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
82nd Airborne Division
Germany Hunter Army Airfield GA
FT Bragg NC
Africa
PO1 Sue Woods USN
Day 30 of my Ruck 'N' Run® 5.56k 30-day challenge for June.
Job/MOS:
DK1: Disbursing Clerk
Posts, Duty Stations, Orders, Assignment:
San Diego, Ca - USS Acadia (AD 42) - toured all over the Pacific
Knoxville, Tn
New Orleans, La
Jacksonville, Fl – USS JFK CVN 79
Denver, Co - Training and Administration of the Reserves (TAR)
Springfield, Mo