Serious runners only please
We are assembling a small group (20 maximum), of active or former military personnel or dedicated athletes to comprise a core team of runners committed to a 3-day 164 mile tribute run from Milledgeville to Ft Benning. The run has a specific timetable for each marker throughout each day. Runners need to be flexible, willing to run on any given day and when needed. RAIN OR SHINE.
Runners will run approx. 1 mile for every Georgia fallen military hero who died while serving during the current war on terror, stopping to salute and give tribute by name at every Hero Marker, briefly greeting family, friends and comrades who may be waiting nearby. Stopping no longer than 90 seconds each.
Each runner must be physically capable of a consistent 8-9 minute mile for 2 mile legs. Core teams will regularly rotate over the 3-day period. We are not looking for quantity of runners but a solid team dedicated to the remembrance of those who gave their lives and their families. A specific pace must be maintained in order to timely greet waiting families.
If you are interested in becoming a part of our core team or be a
drop-in runner contact us at georgia@honorandremember.org. Runner Coordinator Amber King amberjking@hotmail.com
Meet This Year's GEORGIA
CORE RUN TEAM
Amber King
Team RWB Deputy Chapter Captain Warner, Robins GA and Team GARFTF the past 4 years. I am a proud Patriotic civilian supporter of our service members and families. My connection to service members comes from a family of Veterans: Grandfather-Navy WWI Veteran, Dad-Army Vietnam Veteran, and Brother-ARMY Ret. MSG 5th group SF.
Having a passion for serving families of service members, I wanted to be able to give more, to do more for our Gold Star family members and Fallen Heroes, but was limited in my running capabilities. This year provided that opportunity as I had the honor and privilege of serving as the GA RFTF Run Coordinator.
As the Run Coordinator, it was incredibly inspiring to see how a group of individuals, strangers at that, came together seamlessly to honor our Fallen Heroes and Gold Star Family members. It was clear that NOTHING was going to prevent these runners from fulfilling our mission-to Honor and Remember heroes at every hero marker, every mile. Over the course of 164 miles, this group of strangers truly became family sharing an emotional journey that included hugs, tears, pain, and smiles as we spoke the names of each Fallen Hero.
Richard Harris
I am a US Navy veteran and almost all the males in my extended family have served at least one active-duty enlistment (Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force). When I heard about Run for the Fallen and that it would pass through my area, it sounded like something that was worthy of publicity. Since I publish a weekly newspaper and I’m a runner, I figured the best way to learn about it was to see it up close.
So, I arranged to spend part of a morning running and talking with the participants. I was very impressed, which led me to become a core runner the following year. I was blown away by the experience. I didn’t realize that it would mean so much to the families of the heroes we were honoring. Having the opportunity to meet and talk to parents who lost their children at a young age in the service of our country was a humbling experience.
Losing their loved ones forever altered the rest of their lives, too, and they want them to be remembered. As a country, we owe these families a debt we can never repay, but we can make sure they know they are not forgotten and that they are appreciated. The personalized Honor and Remember Flags that are presented to families are a great way to show them some love and for them to have something to display at home in memory of their loved ones.
I would love for our fundraising to reach the point that we can present these flags to every family who hasn’t received one. In addition to carrying out the mission of Run for the Fallen, it has also been fun to get to know the other runners and form friendships with people who are diverse in many ways, but also have a lot of in common, including love of country.
Steve Aylesworth
I retired from the Air Force in 2014 after 28 years of service, 14 years in Active Duty and 14 years in the Reserves. During my years of Air Force service, I deployed to Afghanistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates in support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Enduring Freedom.
I grew up in Homestead Florida, but have called Warner Robins Georgia my home since 1993 when I was stationed at Robins Air Force Base. I have worked for Lockheed Martin for the past 17 years on a contract that support the depot maintenance at Robins AFB. My passion for running has been instrumental in completing 9 marathons and over 30 half marathons.
I am proud to say that 2 of those marathons was the Boston Marathon, in 2015 and 2017. I became a core runner for the Georgia Run for the Fallen in 2021 where I made a decision to run the annual event as long as my legs will allow me to run. I have also run the South Carolina Run for the Fallen in 2022 with plans to continue to run that event annually.
Cindy Godfrey
I am a proud, Patriotic citizen of the great USA. Having lived most of my life in the military town of Warner Robins, I’ve always had a deep appreciation and admiration for all the men and women who served and are serving in our Armed Forces. When I started running in 2019.
I was always looking for ways to use my running to give back to my community. Memorial Day 2022, while running in the #WearBlueRuntoRemember event to honor our Fallen Heroes, Amber K. & Steve A. sparked my interest in GARFTF. Later that year, I was able to participate in the GARFTF 3-day run to Honor and Remember our Fallen Heroes.
That event moved me in a way that I can’t adequately put into words. I did not fully understand how Honoring and Remembering our Fallen Heroes meant so much to their families. Meeting those families, hugging them, offering our sincere gratitude, remembering their loved one, and encouraging the family members was so special.
The friendships established between the Core Runners were also amazing. We are a Family! My future goals include always Honoring and Remembering our Fallen Heroes, reaching out to our Fallen Heroes’ families, keeping in touch with my Core Runner Family, trying to recruit new Core Runners and being ready each year for the GA event!
Gary and Joshua Monk
Gary a military veteran, who retired from the Air Force in 2004 after serving 22 years active duty. I have continued to serve our country since as a contractor and civil servant, taking great pride in assuring the mission of the Air Force is carried out. While I was never deployed.
I had the opportunity to serve through several wars and recall the honor, pride and heroism of my fellow service members as well as the sadness when those were captured or killed in action. In July 2022, I received an email concerning Georgia Run for the Fallen, a 3-day 164-mile journey across Georgia to honor and pay tribute to Georgia’s fallen heroes. I knew I had to be a member of the team and volunteered as a Core Runner. I had no idea what to expect. However, I will never forget the first time I met a family of one of our heroes; the sadness on their faces as they held a picture of their son killed in action.
You could sense the emptiness and void in their lives. The ultimate moment of these three days is when I had the opportunity to share the final day with one of my sons, Joshua Monk. He joined me for 24 miles that day, running 6, reaching out to those in mourning with words of encouragement and hugs. This made a lasting impression on him, talking to his friends and writing an essay on his experience. I plan on supporting Georgia Run for the Fallen/Honor and Remember forever.
I hope that you will join us.
Larry Carpenter
I have not served in any branch of the military, but I do understand where my freedom begins and ends.....with the lives of the brave men and women that paid the ultimate sacrifice or put their lives on the line to protect our freedom.
No matter how hard I try, there are still days or even moments throughout the day that I take my freedom for granted. I believe this is true for everyone, even our military personnel. There are moments where we enjoy the pleasures of our lifestyles and don't always think of why we can enjoy those simple pleasures.
Whether it is the anniversary of 9/11, Veteran's Day, Pearl Harbor, or just an ordinary day, participating in the GA Run For The Fallen is just one way to remind myself that we should not take our freedom for granted. Too many military lives have been sacrificed to preserve our freedom. Let's honor the fallen! (plus I enjoy running!)
Christopher Sutter
I started running a few miles during America's RFTF for my Uncle, Lcpl Richard Furlong Sutter, one I never knew as he was killed in the vicinity of Khe Sahn, Vietnam in 1968 before I was born. On the fifth mile I was running from the Georgia line, I encountered my first Gold Star family, before then honestly it was but running miles and calling out names. But this family was a mother with two daughters and a son. The kids were all about my own kids age and it struck me as I hugged them that but for the grace of God this could have been my kids sitting on the side of a Georgia Road. Since then I have run many miles and have developed a special friendship with many of the families who have lost soldiers to PTSD. So I run for those who cannot....both those we lost and their families. I run the first 22 miles of each day symbolically for those we have lost to PTSD and if I cannot do it straight I hit that number by the end of the day as a testament to these families that I stand with them and will never forget. A Simple thing, carrying a flag, but yet a simple thing that has so much meaning, is done with both the legs and the heart, and in so doing I find Peace.
Johnny Butler
Core runner starting in 2018 with America's RFTF, helping complete a one-day segment in Indiana as well as traveling to Washington D.C. for day 120, the final mile into Arlington National Cemetery. A son of a Vietnam Veteran, a patriotic citizen who volunteers with Indiana Patriot Guard Riders, among other endeavors.
What keeps me wanting to continue to be a part of Honor and Remember, particularly the Run for the Fallen, is Lance Corporal David K. Fribley, U.S.M.C., Killed-in-Action on 23-Mar-2003. His dad was my track coach and today, Coach and his wife live about a mile from me. I run with the flags up for David and for all of those who have given their life for our Freedom, to never Forget, to Honor and Remember each and every one of them.
SMSGT Mike Taylor
I've been in the Air Force for 26 years and have enjoyed running for most of my career. I was asked if I would volunteer for a Georgia Run for the Fallen event. I haven't run anything longer than a 10k in quite a few years, but I figured, why not, it's a great reason to run. Needles to say, when I showed up for the first day, I was a little nervous. However, after the first couple of miles of running with the team and hearing each others stories, I knew we could push through anything. The pain and fatigue the runners felt was nothing in comparison to the sacrifices made by our brothers and sisters in arms and their families. I've met some lifelong friends and many heroes along the way and look forward to running for those who can't again in 2020.
sfc cuong le'
We will miss LeLe in 2020, as he is currently deployed to Kuwait, but he will continue to be part of Team Georgia. I am SFC Lé. I’m an active duty Soldier serving in the Army for over 16 years. I’ve had multiple combat deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m an all-around athlete. I doing CrossFit, biking and running with friends. I participate in the Georgia’s Inaugural RFTF in 2019 through Team RWB. I chose to run with RFTF because I have experienced many loss of friends through the years. It never gets any easier when you see or hear the news of someone you have served with has passed away. RFTF has given a purpose and opportunity to remember and carry on their legacy and not let it be forgotten. To connect with Gold Star families and friends. I had no idea what to expect before doing the RFTF. Once I did the RFTF, my experiences, emotions and mindset have changed as what RFTF really meant and why each run, volunteer and family members do what they do. We start out as strangers and by the end, we bonded and became family!
Chris Hawkins
A 24-year AF Veteran who recently retired in July 2019. I learned about RFTF from my fellow Team Red, White, and Blue (RWB) member Amber King who helped to organize the Georgia RFTF. I joined Georgia RFTF as a crew member because of Amber and found out that A1C Jason Nathan who was stationed with my husband and I in England was going to be honored. I was able to Run Jason’s mile and since no family members were present, I was honored to receive the flags at his marker. My husband and I had known for quite some time that Jason was buried right up the road in Macon, but had not mustered up the courage to make the trip. The weekend following RFTF we bought some flowers, drove to Macon, and finally visited Jason. It was a very emotional moment for both of us, we left behind his flags and the paper bearing his name read at his mile marker, so his family would know that he is not forgotten. I am truly honored to have been a small part of this amazing tribute to our nations fallen heroes and am very grateful to have met so many dedicated runners and crew members who ensured that their sacrifices will not be forgotten! Thank you for letting me be part of this honorable tribute, I cannot wait till GARFTF 2020!
Dara Grady
The manager at NWI Veterans Village, a Permanent Supportive Housing program for veterans in Gary, Indiana. One of my close friends and running partners is a Gold Star Sister. She told me how meaningful her first RFTF experience had been, so I felt honored and excited when she asked if I wanted to join her through Indiana during America's RFTF. There is no other community group like supporters of our American military and veterans. They are unwavering in their dedication, strength and kindness. I was thrilled to join the Indiana core team again, where I met Chris Conley from the Kentucky RFTF family. One Hero Marker led to another, and from there I met Christopher Sutter. The next thing I knew I was proudly carrying Georgia's state flag, to honor and remember with another amazing state team. I look forward to joining the RFTF team in future runs.
Michael Nease
I have never served in the military, but I am a very Patriotic American. My dad served as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1960-1967 and met my mom at Ft. Benning while he was stationed there (she was in the Red Cross), so this run brings everything full circle for me. I only started running a few short years ago in 2015 and didn’t get serious about it until the end of 2020 when an awesome group of people asked me to join their run family. About a month later I joined the Savannah/Ft. Stewart chapter of Team RWB and met even more amazing people. Through this group, I was introduced and became friends with a Gold Star spouse who lost her husband to suicide in 2018. This had a profound affect on me and the way I view our fallen service men and women and how I viewed life in general. It was through my run family that I was introduced to Run for the Fallen. I have a newfound passion for both running and helping others. I participated in the 2nd Annual May Memorial Marathon, running a total of 60 miles over the course of 9.5 hours during the month in honor of our nations fallen heroes. I’m just lucky enough to have made the connections that I have recently, gifted enough to be able to run, and honored to be able to combine the two into something so meaningful. I now have a reason to run and the miles are no longer just miles. They are inspiration, even when I don’t feel like running. I run for those who can’t. If I can bring any comfort to these families as we run, and let them know that their loved ones aren’t forgotten by saying their names, then I am blessed to be a part of something so special.
Pamela Howe
is an accountant by profession, a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, and she is co-owner of a run specialty store in Savannah, GA called Howe2Run. She started running at the age of 50, participated in her first 5k and then ran her first full marathon after 8 short months. She never looked back and has run countless races to include half marathons, full marathons and ultra-marathons over the last 10 years. Pam is the proud mother of a U.S. Marine and a Diplomatic Security Special Agent. She is devoted to our military and their families and has supported Honor and Remember and the Georgia Run for the Fallen for many years. Running is a very important part of Pam’s life, health and happiness, and she enjoys sharing this with so many others. Participating in the Georgia Run for the Fallen as a core runner is her way of sharing her passion and supporting our Gold Star Families.
Christopher Sutter
I started running a few miles during America's RFTF for my Uncle, Lcpl Richard Furlong Sutter, one I never knew as he was killed in the vicinity of Khe Sahn, Vietnam in 1968 before I was born. On the fifth mile I was running from the Georgia line, I encountered my first Gold Star family, before then honestly it was but running miles and calling out names. But this family was a mother with two daughters and a son. The kids were all about my own kids age and it struck me as I hugged them that but for the grace of God this could have been my kids sitting on the side of a Georgia Road. Since then I have run many miles and have developed a special friendship with many of the families who have lost soldiers to PTSD. So I run for those who cannot....both those we lost and their families. I run the first 22 miles of each day symbolically for those we have lost to PTSD and if I cannot do it straight I hit that number by the end of the day as a testament to these families that I stand with them and will never forget. A Simple thing, carrying a flag, but yet a simple thing that has so much meaning, is done with both the legs and the heart, and in so doing I find Peace.
Edward Duke
Veteran of the United States Marine Corp, joining us in 2021.
Sara Peterson-Knauss
Sara joined the RFTF in 2020 and is a member of RWB in Savannah.
Libby Le Tourneau
Libby Joined the RFTF in 2020. Libby is a member of RWB in Savannah.
laurie king
I am thankful to be joining the Run for the Fallen family as we bring honor and remembrance to Georgia's military fallen and their families.
Debra Powell
I am thankful to be joining the Run for the Fallen family as we bring honor and remembrance to Georgia's military fallen and their families.
This Could Be You
I am thankful to be joining the Run for the Fallen family as we bring honor and remembrance to Georgia's military fallen and their families.