PHOENIX — It was a brisk early spring morning in the New Mexico desert as more than 7,200 participants anxiously gathered for the opening ceremonies of the 28th Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. To add to this year's distinction, it marked the 75th Anniversary of the original Bataan Death March during WWII.
This was the highest number of participants ever registered for the march. Among them was a small group from the Arizona Army National Guard participating in a Strong Bonds event. Strong Bonds is a unit-based, chaplain-led program that assists commanders in building individual resiliency by strengthening the Army family. The core mission of the Strong Bonds program is to increase individual Soldier and family member readiness through relationship education and skills training.
Chaplains from the Arizona Army National Guard identified this event as an opportunity for Corps Strengthening under the Strong Bonds Program. Since the Strong Bond program was introduced into the Arizona National Guard, the Arizona Guard's Chaplains Corps has built on the program's success by identifying unique ways to connect with Service members and their families.
"The spirit is the unseen part of every individual from which conviction, passion, belief and endurance comes from," said Chaplain (Maj) Johnathan Lockhart, a Chaplain with the Arizona Army National Guard and Strong Bonds Coordinator. "Crisis, difficulties, and challenges are often the best way to reveal what is on the inside and to build spiritual strength. An event like this helps strengthen the spiritual formation, builds unit cohesion through teamwork, helps identify the importance of emotional and mental control, all while engaging in a physical challenge."
Carrying a heavy load
Due to the many demands and stresses of those in the medical field, this strong bonds event focused on caring for the caregiver, and encouraged members of the medical corps to participate. As the role of combat medics and others in the medical corps of the Army become more important to the increasing survival rate of combat casualties, the questions of who cares for the caregiver is being asked more frequently. While a host of new studies on the effects of combat trauma on soldiers are currently ongoing, there is little research being done into how combat medics, who see extreme physical trauma close-up, are reactingdifferently than their non-medic counterparts.
The Bataan Memorial Death March is a challenging 26.2-mile march through the high desert terrain of the White Sands Missile Range. Regularly identified as one of the top ten hardest marathon length events in the United States, the route represents just a fraction of the ordeal both Filipino and American Soldiers survived or paid the ultimate sacrifice for the service of their country, and sends a reminder to the marchers of the pain and suffering felt during the actual event in 1942.
Preparation to participate in this event began months before. The Chaplains and Service members committed to their participation and began a training regiment that would condition them for this grueling event. Each of the participants can select the division in which they will compete, which are outlined by the event organizers. Most elected to register for the Military Heavy, standard military uniform with 35-pound rucksack, Military Light, standard uniform with no rucksack required or civilian light.
"For those who want to participate in this event must first meet certain prerequisites," said Chaplain (Maj) Christopher Melvin, coordinator of the Arizona Army National Guard's Strong Bonds Program. "They must all be currently service Guardsmen in good standing with their unit, and must have all passed their most recent Army Physical Fitness Test and height and weight requirements. They must also commit to participating and maintain a progressive self-training regiment that prepares them for the upcoming challenge."
Keeping with the theme of the march, remembering the fallen, many of the participants had pictures of those they were honoring pinned to their rucksacks. Some marched to remember Bataan survivors who could no longer gather at the starting line, fallen brothers and sisters in arms lost in every conflict since World War II, and the service of family members and loved ones.
The Chaplains contacted Kevin Herzinger, Survivor Outreach Services Coordinator for the state of Arizona, to help identify gold star families of service members from Arizona who would be interested in the photo and biography of their loved one being carried during the march. The SOS office was able to help identify 15 service members who would be honored during this event.
Making the long haulThe weekend of the event, Chaplains and support staff confirmed the lodging and transportation for the participants and make the 380-mile drive from Phoenix to White Sands Missile Range. For this year's event, participants stayed in a youth center at a local church in Las Cruces, N.M. Aside from the fellowship and a good pre-race meal, the Chaplains engaged the group with curriculum from the 7 habits series and how each of these habits can be applied to real world problems and challenges.
Sgt. Jorge Hernandez, training non-commissioned officer in charge of the Arizona National Guard Medical Detachment, had participated in other Strong Bonds events in the past, but it was the first time he had participated in the Bataan Memorial Death March. He explained how this event pushed him to his limits and when you get outside of your comfort zone, you truly find out about yourself and what you can accomplish.
"Strong Bonds provides the tools to cope with the days to day life stresses," Hernandez said. "In events like this you get an opportunity to apply those tools in a real life setting. In my case I referred back to the Strong Bonds program and started with the end in mind and knew that giving up was not an option."
Spc. Christina Anderson, a combat medic assigned to the Arizona National Guard Medical Detachment, had served 8 years active duty stationed at Fort Bliss before joining the Guard. She had always been interested in participating in the Bataan Memorial Death March and was attracted to this Strong Bonds event for that reason.
"Just as the Strong Bonds program explains, many of life's problems are more psychological rather than physical," Anderson said. "When dealing with any unknown challenge, such as Bataan, you have to get outside of your own head and focus on the small steps it takes to overcome the big challenge."
Unique Strong Bonds events such as the Bataan Memorial Death March, rim-to-rim hikes of the Grand Canyon, and others have contributed to the success of the Strong Bonds program connecting with Arizona Guard members. Strong Bonds is introduced early on in a Guard member's career, usually during the recruit sustainment program, and carried on through unit training events, family seminars, and singles events.
"Our focus with the Strong Bonds program is to build effective and health relationships," Melvin said. "These are not just husband and wife, but also professional relationships that make service members more effective in dealing with the challenges of life. Events like this one help build teamwork, communication and trust within the working group."