Fort Campell, KY – The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) held the Run for the Fallen in remembrance of fallen Soldiers at Fryar Stadium, Fort Campbell, KY, September 23rd, 2023.
The community event welcomed Soldiers and their families and family and friends of fallen Soldiers to volunteer for a run on base. The routes of the run passed the memorials of each brigade and welcomed participants to stop and spend time at these memorials.
The run provided two separate routes for participants to take. One route ran for 1.4 miles, while the other was 3.2 miles. It was a family-friendly, non-competitive event, with many participants choosing to walk the route with their families. Before the run, hundreds of participants lined up in front of the inflatable starting arch, with families of fallen Soldiers in the lead.
“The purpose of the run is to honor those that we lost, be it surviving family members, friends, or loved ones,” said Staff. Sgt. Joel Reyes, the voice of the eagle assigned to 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “We run to honor those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Col. Philip Kiniery, deputy commanding officer-operation of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), delivered a speech welcoming and thanking everyone who attended the event. Families, friends, and Soldiers gathered in Fryar stadium prior to the run, meeting and talking with representatives from their respective units.
Holding the Run for the Fallen provides families an opportunity to come together, form bonds, and support each other. Kim Cody, wife of the commanding officer of the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Col. Clinton Cody, expressed her amazement and pride at the turnout for the community event.
“I think it’s a good way to build more camaraderie among those that have lost loved ones,” said Reyes. “It’s an honor for me to be able to narrate something like this and pay tribute to those who have paved the way for the rest of us to keep freedom alive.”
Soldiers and volunteers helped keep the roads clear of cars and provided snacks, water, and directions to the participants as they ran. At the end of the run, volunteers offered snacks and drinks to those finishing.
“I think the most important thing is to never forget what the fallen sacrificed for us and to carry that into what we do for those that are still around us today,” Reyes shared.
