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We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. --Ronald Reagan
Family in the news...Ramstein, Germany
Kelis is receiving his trophy at the Army 10 miler
in Grafenwoehr (Germany). The Col. presenting the award was a Green Beret with HALO and Paratrooper jump wings,
pathfinder, Airborne, a Ranger and Special Ops. Anyone who knows Kelis knows that receiving it from that man was memorable.
He completed the 10 mile race in 57:04, his personal best considering it was the first one he ever ran.
Oh, he was wearing a NAVY t-shirt even though his ID still says AF dependent. (Kel is headed for
the Naval Academy Prep School though his dad is a career Air Force Officer.)
Troops from Italy lead the way in U.S. Army Europe Ten-MilerBy Mark Abramson, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Sunday, June 28, 2009 GRAFENWÖHR, Germany — Soldiers from Italy were
the top active-duty finishers Saturday in the U.S. Army Europe Ten-Miler run. The race was a qualifier for the Installation Management Command’s Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C. The top
six active-duty Army male and female finishers will compete in that race Oct. 4. Staff Sgt. Kirk
Madgic was the top finisher among male soldiers with a time of 58 minutes, 46 seconds. Capt. Stephanie
Feagin led the female soldiers in 1 hour, 5 minutes, 21 seconds The
top finisher overall was former Ramstein High School cross-country star Kelis Secrest, 18. He completed the run in 57:10. Madgic, a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team based in Vicenza, said his finish was a first for him. "I’ve never finished first, not for the Ten-Miler," said Madgic, 44. "I usually try to do a
marathon a year. That keeps me fit. I like to be able to still beat the younger guys, but it is more about personal goals." Madgic, who hails from Palo Alto, Calif., said he expects that his adrenaline will really be pumping when he gets
to Washington, and that should help shave time off the run. Feagin, who is assigned to Headquarters,
U.S. Army Garrison Livorno, will be leaving the Army before the October run and won’t be able to participate. But that
didn’t keep her from having fun Saturday. "I love to run," the 28-year-old from
Cades, S.C., said. "I am happy. I wish I had trained." Feagin said she usually runs
five to eight miles a day, six days a week. Other runners participated just to do it, not expecting
to qualify for Washington. A women’s group called WOW Frau, for Winning Our War, ran to build camaraderie. About half
of the 11 women in WOW Frau have husbands who are deployed. "We as military Army wives have
our own wars," said Jane Balisky, who was clad in a pink shirt, like the other women in WOW Frau. "Running gives
us energy. Running takes away our stress. Our goal was to finish. We found out about the Army Ten-Miler and we said let’s
do it." If any of the top six Army finishers are unable to compete in Washington, they will
be replaced by the next-highest finishers, assuming those runners also beat the minimum qualifying time. Men had to finish the 10-miler in less than 68 minutes to be considered. Women had to finish in 86 minutes or less. IMCOM officials said they were pleased with this year’s turnout — there were 182 entries compared with
117 last year. And they are optimistic about the race in Washington. Last year the men’s
team from Europe finished third against its peers from around the globe, and the women finished ninth. "I think we did a better job this year of publicity," said Jim Mattingly, IMCOM-Europe’s sports,
fitness and aquatics director. "We got additional soldiers back who were deployed last year." This event has become the biggest individual sporting event for IMCOM-Europe, he said. He
added that Grafenwöhr is the ideal location to hold the run because the base’s geography lets IMCOM-Europe have
the course on base. "It is all secure," Mattingly said. "The route is pretty good
— not too many hills, but a few hills."
 Logan Andrew is pictured leaving for work at Romano's
Macaroni Grill in Germany.
Article below has quotes from Dad.
Former 569th
USFPS member honored with plaque from Tucson memorial
by Senior Airman Amanda Dick
Ramstein Public Affairs
6/23/2009 - VOGELWEH MILITARY COMPLEX, Germany -- Two
former security forces members never imagined their paths would cross again years later with the 569th U.S. Forces Police
Squadron.
Eddie Schaeffer of Tucson, Ariz., an architect and former 569th USFPS member, flew to Germany to give
the squadron a paver from a memorial in Tucson honoring another 569th member, Erik Hite, a Tucson police officer who was injured
about a year ago in the line of duty and died a few days later.
"This paver represents a keystone of the design,"
said Mr. Schaeffer, who also designed the memorial. "It's the final stone and connects the person who designed the
memorial to the person for which the memorial was designed."
The architect said in the beginning he wasn't
sure who to give the paver to, but then decided to take it to the place where their paths had first crossed.
"I
didn't know Erik's family and I didn't know Erik through the Tucson Police Department," Mr. Schaeffer said.
"I knew Erik through the 569th U.S. Forces Police Squadron, so for me it only seemed appropriate the missing paver go
there."
Mr. Schaeffer removed the paver from the path at the memorial; a path he said represents the community
giving back to their fallen police officer.
"Erik was a servant of the community for his entire professional
life of 25 years," he said. "People had a way to give back. For $25 dollars they could buy a paver and have it engraved.
These pavers, individually they're stones, but collectively they form a path. This collection of pavers is a symbolic
representation of reciprocating the generosity Erik gave in his professional life," Mr. Schaeffer added.
One
security forces member who recently retired from the 569th and who also served with Mr. Hite here said he recalled what it
was like to serve with him.
"He was what you would consider a good patrolman," said retired Master Sgt.
Daniel Paine, former 569th USFPS noncommissioned officer in charge of investigations. "If you were out on an incident
and you needed help, Erik was one of the guys you wanted to roll out to help you. He wasn't someone who slacked off at
work.
"There are certain people in the police world you want as back up and there are a lot of other ones
you don't. Erik was one of the people you wanted to come out as your back up," Mr. Paine added.
Mr. Hite's
dedication to the job was another reason why Mr. Schaeffer said he brought the paver to Germany.
"To some,
it might seem a little outrageous to take a stone all the way across the ocean, but for me, I believe this is what Erik would
do," Mr. Schaeffer said. "The way Erik did things when he was at work, Erik never took short cuts.
"If
he had to do something a certain way, he did it," the architect added. "Whether it was the easy or hard way, he
did it the right way no matter what. So that's why I've taken the paver, put it on a plaque and brought it here--and
this is where it will stay."
Here at the 569th USFPS, though many of the security forces members are new,
they will always have a connection to Mr. Hite.
"The paver puts a
link between parts of Erik's life," said Capt. Justin Secrest, 569th USFPS operations officer and acting deputy.
"The paver links the memorial there in Tucson and his love for what he did there back to here in Germany to a unit he
spent a part of his life in.
Being in security forces and in law enforcement is, I think, something worthy of admiration
and something to be proud of," Captain Secrest added. "Many of the members stationed here today would never have
known Erik, but yet they still feel a bond because of what we do."
The plaque will be mounted in a
place of honor where security forces members through the ages will be able to stay connected and remember a fellow comrade
who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country. |
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