|
WASHINGTON, DC – Every year, the Army Ten-Miler attracts runners from all walks of life, of varying experience levels, from all over the world. With 24,000 participants come many stories about endurance, achievement, passion and patriotism. Two teams that embody this are the Gold Star Wives team and 05 Gold Star Wives, named after their organization, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., a non-profit membership organization. Membership is comprised of military widows and widowers who have lost a spouse on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or from a service-related disability.
Made up of sixteen women from all over the country, the team members have all lost a loved one due to war, past or present. They are coming together for the Army Ten-Miler to show unity among the different branches of the military. United, they run in honor of their husbands. Many do not have a lot of running experience and for some, this will be their first time running a 10-mile race. Team member, Ami Reece, has never ran more than a 5K in her life. October 9 is the 5-year anniversary of the loss of her husband, so running the Army Ten-Miler the day before will be an achievement of strength and honor. Now a single mother, she has dealt with loss and has persevered. “It will be more of an emotional race rather than a competitive race for us – a sort of healing process for all of us who are at different stages of healing. Without Gold Star Wives, I would have missed out benefit-wise and support-wise.”
Another team member, Alicia Ober said, “I am running this race in honor of my late husband, Lt. Peter Ober. Running this race, in his honor, allows me to demonstrate his strong values of discipline, loyalty, tradition, and the physical challenge of doing something that many people would not do. Pete's sense of honor, strong work ethic, and integrity are what motivate me in life as well as in running these 10 miles. We had a shared passion for physical exercise and a drive for being active - we always welcomed the opportunity to motivate others.”
Ober adds, “We are running the Army 10-miler to demonstrate our loyal support for our military and our appreciation of the sacrifices made daily by each of them. We are a group united because of loss but also because of love of our country and the love of our husbands who volunteered to protect our lives at any cost and ensure the freedoms we have today.
Major Army Ten-Miler sponsor, Health Net Federal services, has donated team uniforms to the Gold Star Wives teams. Their HOOAH Tent on race day will also serve as a meeting place for the teams. “Health Net Federal Services is honored to run with the Gold Star Wives who are running in memory of their fallen heroes. Celebrating health and fitness of military service members and their families is a mission the Army and Health Net share and support,” commented Steve Tough, President, Health Net Federal Services.
About Gold Star Wives
Gold Star Wives of America, Inc. is a non-profit membership organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress as a unique organization. There are currently 10,000 members nationwide, with over 60 active chapters. Gold Star Wives work actively to maintain and increase the benefits available to the military widows/ers.
About Health Net Federal Services
Health Net Federal Services, a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT), has a long history of providing cost-effective, quality managed health care programs for government agencies including the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. As the managed care support contractor for the TRICARE North Region, Health Net provides health care services to over 3 million uniformed services beneficiaries, active and retired, and their families.
About the Army Ten-Miler
The 22nd Army Ten-Miler takes place on Sunday, October 8. Association of the US Army (AUSA) and KBR are the co-lead sponsors for this year’s event. This Army tradition annually attracts runners of a variety of experience levels from all over the world to run a course that starts and finishes at the Pentagon and passes such national landmarks as the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the Capitol. Race weekend activities include a two-day Race Expo presented by Spring! by Dannon, clinics and a press conference. Race day features the Health Net Federal Services Youth Runs, the 94.7 Post Race Party featuring bands, entertainment and a live broadcast, the HOOAH Tent Zone, and the Health Net Federal Services Youth Activity Zone complete with Army racing displays, inflatables, the GEICO Gecko, and much more. For more information on DC’s premier running event, visit www.armytenmiler.com.
|
Know someone else who's interested in running and triathlon?
