“We are coming to build a living memorial to our Air Force service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Lisa Hallett, one of wear blue’s founders. “It is so powerful for our active-duty military to stand side by side with the families of the fallen and for those families to know they are not forgotten; their loved ones are remembered and they remain a part of a vibrant military community who is with them on their journey.
“That’s what the ‘Blue Mile’ does it – it humanizes the loss of the war and shows Gold Star families that they are not left behind,” she said.
More than 65 personal requests for remembrances from Air Force families have been made to the organization, Hallett added.
wear blue is a running community that unites and supports military and their families, veterans, Gold Star families and civilians through active remembrance and meaningful relationships. The organization was founded following the redeployment of the U.S. Army 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, a unit that, while deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, sustained a significant number of combat losses and casualties.
During that deployment, a group of 5-2 wives and battalion support staff met weekly to run, seeking to create a support network for one another. When the brigade returned, two of those Army wives and avid runners, Lisa Hallett and Erin O’Connor, turned the group into a nationwide vision that now helps thousands heal from and work through the more challenging aspects of military life during a time of war. Lisa’s husband, Capt. John Hallett, was one of four soldiers killed in that unit on Aug. 25, 2009, while returning from a goodwill mission in southern Afghanistan.
Weekly, wear blue athletes meet to honor the fallen and train for endurance events. At the start of their runs, the name of each military member killed on that weekend during the last 18 years of war is called out in a Circle of Remembrance. Then, wear blue runners call out the names of those for whom they personally run – their husbands, wives, parents, siblings, battle buddies, neighbors and/or friends.
This year is wear blue’s first appearance at the Air Force Marathon; it officially has participated in major national races including the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series, the Army Ten Miler and the Marine Corps Marathon.
“We are so proud to be at the Air Force Marathon – we are a ‘purple’ organization dedicated to honoring the service and sacrifices of the entire military,” Hallett said. “The Air Force is a very important part of our nation’s longest war. We want to stand side by side with our Airmen and their families.”
The volunteer commitment on Sept. 21 is not a long one, she pointed out, as the Blue Mile is near the beginning of the race.
“Everyone can be out of there by Saturday brunch,” Hallett said.
For more information and to volunteer, sign up at wearblueruntoremember.org.
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