Though thousands of miles apart, Army 10 Miler brings troops together

Photo By Spc. Mary Gonzalez | Sgt. Long Tran, 48th Combat Support Hospital based at Forward Operating Base Salerno, crosses the finish line in first place at an Army 10 Miler run at Bagram Air Field, eastern Afghanistan, Oct. 5, 2008. The Army 10 Miler is held annually at Washington, D.C. and begins at the Pentagon.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

10.05.2008

Story by Spc. Mary Gonzalez 

Combined Joint Task Force 101

By Spc. Mary L. Gonzalez
Combined Joint Task Force - 101

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - A voice came over the speakers, calling for all the Army 10 Miler runners to take their place on the starting line. After a brief moment of stillness, hundreds of glowing stripes raced by, made visible by the occasional headlights of passing vehicles on reflective belts.

Though deployed to Bagram Air Field, in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. troops are kept in touch with their brethren stateside by conducting their own Army 10 Miler, Oct. 5, 2008, like the one held annually in Washington, D.C.

Army 10 Milers are being held at other locations in eastern Afghanistan, said Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Wilson, the BAF Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center non-commissioned officer in charge and coordinator of the event at BAF.

For one runner, this was an event he didn't want to miss. Even if that meant travelling in the wee hours to BAF from Forward Operating Base Salerno.

"I just got here at four o' clock this morning on a C130," said Sgt. Long Tran, 48th Combat Support Hospital based at FOB [forward operating base] Salerno. "Got off the plane, and me and my buddy that works here [at BAF] got changed right away."

An hour and a half later, the 22 year old Chesapeake, Va. native was on the starting line. Exactly an hour and a mere 50 seconds later he was crossing the finish line in first place.

"I've done this run in the states before, and this was a great opportunity to run it again," Tran said. "I did the Army 10 Miler back in October 2006 [in Washington, D.C]."

During this previous run, Tran placed 25th, he said, proving himself well above the rest out of the thousands that ran that day.

Something that might be in the works for future Army 10 Milers are races coordinated more closely with those being held back home, said Wilson, to even compare top times from several different locations and reveal an overall champion.

• Date Taken: 10.05.2008
• Date Posted: 10.06.2008 08:10
• Story ID: 24564
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF