Two Palmdale natives join 830-mile memorial ruck march

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – Two Palmdale natives have joined 18 other special tactics airmen to ruck 830 miles across five states in honor of the 20 special tactics airmen killed in action since 9/11.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sergeant Nate Wright and Staff Sergeant Patrick Doyle volunteered to ruck with their teammates in honor of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, a special tactics combat controller who was killed in Afghanistan on Nov. 27, 2018.

Elchin’s vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, while he was deployed in support of OPERATION Freedom’s Sentinel, also killing U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Ross and U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond. U.S. Army Sgt. Jason McClary died later as a result of injuries sustained from the IED.

The ruck marchers departed Feb. 22 from Medina Annex at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas. They are scheduled to arrive at Hurlburt Field, Fla. on Mar. 4.

Special tactics airmen begin their training at Medina Annex and become combat ready upon graduation of the Special Tactics Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field, thus the march route mimics the training passage airmen endure.

A memorial baton inscribed with the names of the fallen is carried throughout the ruck march:

• Master Sgt. William McDaniel of Greenville, Ohio, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 22, 2002
• Staff Sgt. Juan Ridout of Oak Harbor, Wa., Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 22, 2002
• Master Sgt. John Chapman of Windsor Locks, Conn., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Mar. 4, 2002
• Senior Airman Jason Cunningham of Camarillo, Calif., Special Tactics Pararescueman, Mar. 4, 2002
• Staff Sgt. Scott Sather of Clio, Mich., Special Tactics Combat Controller, April 8, 2003
• Capt. Derek Argel of Lompoc, Calif., Special Tactics Officer, May 30, 2005
• Capt. Jeremy Fresques of Clarksdale, Ariz., Special Tactics Officer, May 30, 2005
• Staff Sgt. Casey Crate of Spanaway, Wash., Special Tactics Combat Controller, May 30, 2005
• Senior Airman Adam Servais of Onalaska, Wis., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 19, 2006
• Technical Sgt. Scott Duffman of Albuquerque, N.M., Special Tactics Pararescueman, Feb. 18, 2007
• Technical Sgt. William Jefferson of Norfolk, Va., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Mar. 22, 2008
• Staff Sgt. Timothy Davis of Aberdeen, Wash., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Feb. 20, 2009
• Senior Airman Daniel Sanchez of El Paso, Texas, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Sep. 16, 2010
• Senior Airman Mark Forester of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Sep. 29, 2010
• Technical Sgt. John Brown of Tallahassee, Special Tactics Pararescueman, Aug. 6, 2011
• Technical Sgt. Daniel Zerbe of York, Pa., Special Tactics Pararescueman, Aug. 6, 2011
• Staff Sgt. Andrew Harvell of Long Beach, Calif., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 6, 2011
• Capt. Matthew Roland of Lexington, Ky., Special Tactics Officer, Aug. 26, 2015
• Staff Sgt. Forrest Sibley of Pensacola, Special Tactics Combat Controller, Aug. 26, 2015
• Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin of Hookstown, Pa., Special Tactics Combat Controller, Nov. 27, 2018

For more information, updates and to track the Special Tactics memorial ruck march, visit: https://www.facebook.com/AirForceSpecialTactics/ or https://www.instagram.com/air_force_special_tactics/.

 

20 @AFSpecOpsCmd #Airmen will ruck from TX to FL in honor of Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, a #SpecialTactics #CombatController, killed in action in Afghanistan on Nov. 27, 2018.
The march also pays tribute to the other 19 Special Tactics Amn who have been KIA since 9/11. pic.twitter.com/hIidys4vNp

— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) February 21, 2019

[Information via news release from the 24th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs office.]

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