SAN ANTONIO – On Sunday morning, Air Force ROTC students from the University of Texas at San Antonio started running from San Antonio to New Braunfels to support prisoners of war and those missing in action.
They worked with other Air Force ROTC students from Texas State University and the University of Texas to take their flag all the way to Austin.
“Thankfully, the weather was cooperating with us,” said UTSA senior Cody Funke. “We’ve had some 32-degree days, we’ve had some 71-degree days, so this was right on track.”
The tradition dates back as far as any of these students can remember and involves passing and making sure the POW/MIA flag always stays blowing in the wind off the ground.
“If we don’t do it, who else does?” Funke said.
UTSA senior Canaan Eggers said the reason they do this stems from the Vietnam War.
“Everyone knows they did not get the welcome home that they deserved,” Eggers said. “But that doesn’t mean that any of the service members who sacrificed life and limb and friends and time don’t deserve honor and respect.”
The UTSA Arnold Air Society Brigadier General Jimmy R Canlas Squadron students take the flag from San Antonio to New Braunfels and pass it off to Texas State.
Those students then run to Kyle before giving it to UT students, who take the final stretch to Austin.
“It’s really, really exciting, especially at this stage before we even joined the military to work towards one goal, especially with universities from just, you know, an hour away, both directions,” said Texas State student Kayden Cuellar.
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