Agents honor those who served

  • Published
  • By SA Anthony Parkinson
  • AFOSI Det 104
Twenty-six point two miles; why would anyone want to run that?

The men and women of AFOSI Det 104, headquartered here found a very good reason to do just that as they competed in the eleventh annual United States Air Force Marathon Sept. 15.

In mid-August, four agents began talking about running in the marathon which is held in September to commemorate the founding of the Air Force as a separate military service on September 18, 1947. Agents Carolyn Rocco, Anthony Parkinson, Elizabeth Richards, and Dave Yeager decided to make the 780-mile drive to Dayton, Ohio, to compete in honor of OSI agents killed in the line of duty. They ran for Special Agents Lee Hitchcock, Raymond Round, Harrison Pulliam, Rick Ulbright, Daniel Kuhlmeier, Ryan Balmer, and Matthew Kuglics.

"They have given their lives for the Air Force and their country," Parkinson said. "Sacrifices like that should not be forgotten."

The team wore a specially designed T-shirt, listing the names of the agents listed on the back in their honor.

"This wasn't about our team, but for all of AFOSI because we all pay our respects to those who have given so much," he said.

Each team member ran a leg of the marathon ranging from five to eight miles. As the final member of the team approached the last 100 meters of the run, he looked up and found himself flanked by the other three members of his team. All four team members were to cross the finish line together, finishing 18th out of 123 coed teams and overall 59th out of 248 teams with a final time of 3 hours, 44 minutes and 13 seconds.

AFOSI Det 104 provides criminal and counterintelligence services to USAF activities at Eglin AFB and Hurlburt Field, Fla.