Ruck March: Dover honors Korean War Vets

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Marnee A.C. Losurdo
  • 512th Airlift Wing
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  A 512th Component Maintenance Squadron member was the first woman to cross the finish line at Dover Air Force Base’s 7th annual Ruck March Feb. 11 at the Air Mobility Command Museum. 

It was Senior Master Sgt. Linda Patosky’s first time participating in the event. 

“Everything was new to me that day,” said the 512th CMS superintendent of jet engine intermediate maintenance. “I just soaked it all in and took off. It was a great run.” 

Her teammates were Tech. Sgt. Andrew Chism, Staff Sgt. Brian Mayle and Staff Sgt. Atkibar Caffee. They were one of 26, four-person teams that strapped on 30-pound rucksacks while walking or running 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles, in battle dress uniform. The 512th team finished in 12th place with a time of 1 hour, 26 minutes, 31 seconds. The time is based off the last team member who crosses the finish line. 

“I was the turtle,” said Sergeant Caffee, 512th CMS non-powered air ground equipment. “I was the slow one. Everyone else on our team was a runner, and I’m a weightlifter. I didn’t realize how hard it would be and that the winning teams actually trained for this.” 

“It’s a great cause and a good test to see what the body can endure because of the distance and weight,” added Sergeant Patosky, who runs six miles every other day.
 
The participants lined up at the AMC Museum at 9 a.m. where retired Chief Master Sgt. Robert Gaylor, the fifth Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, pulled the trigger on a pistol to start the march, which commemorates the 20,000 troops who spent six days retreating 27-miles through the mountains in frigid temperatures during the Korean War’s Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. 

Many teams from different services have competed in the run in previous years. Members from every branch of service, local police forces, and Air Force members from other bases have strapped on packs here to honor veterans of the “Forgotten War.” 

This year, for the second year in a row, the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron team won with a time of 1 hour, 39 seconds. Team members were: Senior Master Sgt. Jan Beck, Staff Sgt. Westley Loignon, Senior Airman Nathaniel Littman and Airman 1st Class Luis Devotto. 

“We trained once a week for the last two months, wearing 40-to-50-pound rucks,” said Sergeant Beck, 436th LRS Material Management Flight superintendent. 

The second and third place teams had times of 1 hour, 6 minutes, 23 seconds, and 1 hour, 8 minutes, 14 seconds. The second place team was the 3rd Airlift Squadron’s Capt. Daniel LeBouef, 1st Lt. Matthew Robinson, Senior Master Sgt. Ronald Mahoney and Airman 1st Class James Ponziano. In third place was the 436th Airlift Wing’s Col. Chad Manske, Lt. Col. Carl Rahn, Maj. Mathew Holm and Capt. Matthew Husemann. 

Although the 512th team didn’t finish in the top three, Sergeant Caffee, the team’s self-proclaimed tortoise, said he accomplished his goal of crossing the finish line. 

“I enjoyed participating in the event,” he said. “It was a great experience. When the veterans came and spoke, I realized why I was there, and I was honored and proud to be part of it.” 

The sergeant said he can’t wait for next year’s Ruck March and has started running to prepare. Maybe next year he’ll be the team hare. (Airman 1st Class James Bolinger, 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, contributed to this article.)