Photo By Tech. Sgt. Chandler Baker | Members of the Royal Air Force Regiment pose for a photo with Major Shawn Chamberlin,...... read more read more
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Several Royal Air Force airmen from the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force Regiment celebrated the Regiment’s 75th anniversary by biking from Alaska to the southern tip of South America.
The bike ride, known as Exercise Diamond Rock, was split up into six legs comprised of eight airmen in each leg. The third leg came through the United States after starting in southern Canada biking their way to the U.S./Mexican border.
“Our leg started two years ago,” said Flight Sgt. Ian Jones, the leader of leg 3. “We trained in the United Kingdom over the two years. We started with 30 people, then ended up with nine, so we had one in reserve.”
After the ride that lasted 51 days, 2,774 miles, and 192 thousand feet of elevation changes biking from Banff, Canada to Antelope Wells Border Station, New Mexico, the airmen stayed at Kirtland to recover before they returned to the United Kingdom.
The Royal Air Force Regiment, created in 1942, is a unit of the Royal Air Force that specializes in air, ground, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense. The unit is responsible for training the Royal Air Force airmen in first aid, weapons handling, and CBRN skills.
Major Shawn Chamberlin, a student at the School of Advanced Nuclear Deterrence Studies, was a U.S. exchange officer to the regiment before being assigned to Kirtland. Chamberlin facilitated the RAF airmen’s stay at Kirtland.
“It’s tremendous the feat these guys accomplished,” Chamberlin said. “You’re talking about carrying all of your gear and your bike, camping out in the woods, cleaning yourself with whatever you have in your bag, and just going the next day. Hats off to these guys.”
While on the ride, the members of the leg were treated with good hospitality throughout North America. Many people they came across did anything they could to help them out.
“We got a call one day from one of the U.S. border guards offering to take us all to the beach one day,” Jones said. “But at that point, we all were on our schedule. But the treatment we received from the Canadians and Americans alike was incredible.”
The Royal Air Force, the oldest independent air force in the world, is planning a similar way to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. For more on the bike ride, check out the Regiment 75 Facebook page.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 09.12.2017 12:30 |
| Story ID: | 247910 |
| Location: | KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Hometown: | BURY SAINT EDMUNDS, SUFFOLK, GB |
| Web Views: | 91 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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