Team Incirlik reflects on September 11, 2001

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Anthony J. Hyatt
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Team Incirlik came together for multiple events Sept. 9-11 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Incirlik's Airmen Committed to Excellence Council, which consists of Airmen in the first four enlisted ranks, coordinated the 9/11 Remembrance 5K run and a retreat ceremony Sept. 9. The 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron coordinated a Combat Endurance Challenge Sept. 10.

"The purpose for this event was to spark remembrance for all of the lives lost and lives given by all of those first responders who served our country that day," said Airman 1st Class Andrea Adler, 39th LRS support-agreement administrator and A.C.E. events coordinator. "During the run, an Airman came up to me and told me that he wanted to quit after the first mile; but he kept pushing himself because all he could think about was how much harder it must have been for the Americans in the Twin Towers, Pentagon or Pennsylvania 10 years ago - not only them, but the first responders who pushed themselves to go inside those burning buildings knowing they might not come out alive.

" Hearing that really made me feel like we served a purpose," she said.

The top three finishers in the 5K run in the male and female categories are as followed:

Male

First place: Senior Airman Todd Scarbrough, 39th LRS, 20:15
Second place: Chief Master Sgt. Avery Jones, 39th LRS, 21:03
Third place: Senior Airman Aaron D'Angelo, 39th Civil Engineer Squadron, 21:15

Female

First place: Staff Sgt. Kali Gradishar, 39th Air Base Wing, 24:35
Second place: Tech. Sgt. Regina Page, 39th ABW, 27:41
Third place: Staff Sgt. Arionea Adams, 39th ABW, 28:57

More than 65 Airmen stood in formation at the end of the duty day to salute the U.S. flag as it was lowered during a special retreat ceremony held in honor of 9/11.

"A.C.E. has been organizing this retreat ceremony for at least two years now, and it's a great way to ... (provide) a few moments of remembrance and reflection on an event that literally defined our generation, as the John F. Kennedy assassination defined our parents'," said Senior Airman Sara Warner, 39th Comptroller Squadron and A.C.E. president. "I'm just proud that I was able to work on a project as important as this - especially since it was the 10th anniversary."

The Combat Endurance Challenge, an annual fundraiser event hosted by the 39th LRS, is a competition consisting of six events. Teams compete against each other in events that include a sit-ups and push-ups contest, sandbag carry, litter carry, ruck-sack carry, and an Airman's Manual questionnaire.

"The purpose of the event was to help hone our fitness and combat skills to stay fit to fight while raising money for the (National September 11 Memorial and Museum)," said Tech. Sgt. Erik Evans, 39th LRS and CEC coordinator.

As a nation gathered to remember Sept. 11, Team Incirlik also honored those who lost their lives that day and in the years that followed, as well as all victims of terrorism.

Many Airmen are currently deployed around the world supporting joint and coalition forces. These Airmen stand alongside fellow service members in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.