SAN ANTONIO – 20 special tactics airmen Friday grabbed their rucksacks and began a march of 830 miles from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland to Hulburt Field, Florida, in honor of fallen airmen who have been killed in action since 9/11.
The march began around 2 a.m., and by 6 a.m. the airmen had already traveled roughly 14 miles. The airmen's plan is to travel into five states in 11 days, ultimately reaching Florida by March 4.
The men marching are paying tribute to Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, who was killed in Afghanistan back in November, among others.
"We do this march every time, and honor every service member in our formation that gets killed, so it’s not just for Dylan but for the 20 killed in action since 9/11," Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Guilman said. The trek to Florida is meant to keep all their legacies alive."
The airmen said strategy is key in treks like this and that both nutrition and timing are crucial. The airmen split into 10 teams of two and will average roughly 12 miles a day.
To view the airmen's progress on their trek live, click here.
And they are off! These airmen began their march to Florida dark and early this morning. 830 miles, in honor of those killed in action. pic.twitter.com/Zfniw5vsOk
— KSAT Max Massey (@MaxMasseyTV) February 22, 2019
We are on our way. #TXtoFL. 830 miles. 5 states. 11 days. Honoring our fallen and our Gold Star Families. Keep track of us here: https://raceday.me/v/75ea11 Come out and support. Line the streets. Fly your flags. Have a toast to them. Love America. 👣⚡️🇺🇸 #NeverForget #HonortheFallen “May we all grow old together and never die, so we may tell the stories of why we fly. The blood, the sweat, the tears we give... First there...that others may live.” Cheers. #AFSOC
Posted by Air Force Special Tactics on Friday, February 22, 2019