Run honors NJ servicemembers killed in Iraq, Afghanistan Published Sept. 10, 2010 By Airman 1st Class Dennis L. Sloan 87th ABW/PA JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Servicemembers from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will embark on a 140-mile run to honor New Jersey servicemembers killed in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The "N.J. Run for the Fallen" will kick off Sept. 25, 6 a.m. at the Cape May Lighthouse. Each runner will run 6 miles in pairs, and will pass flags onto another two runners until the finish point is reached. The runners will cover 140 miles before finishing at the N.J. Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in Holmdel, N.J., Sept. 26. A memorial ceremony will be held at the conclusion of the ceremony run 3 p.m. With the man who started the N.J. Run for the Fallen on a deployment in Afghanistan, Master Sgt. Robert Grant, 305th Maintenance Squadron first sergeant, took over planning this year's event. Every mile of this run is marked with a photo of a fallen servicemember and where and when they were killed. At the end of the two-day run across N.J., we invite anyone who wants to come out and support our servicemembers as they run the last 6.2 miles to the N.J. Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, said Grant. "This is the second year of the run and we are looking to get more supporters so we can honor theses men and women who died for our country," said Grant. The memorial run was started by Master Sgt. Bubba G. Beason, 438th Air Expeditionary First Sergeant Wing in, Afghanistan. The inaugural N.J. Run for the Fallen was last year and was a great success, said Beason. "I started this run after I ran a memorial run for servicemembers killed in Iraq," said Beason. "A group of Gold Star Moms thought it would be nice that sons and daughters killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq to be remembered. So with that thought in mind, I started a state-wide run across N.J. for servicemembers that lost their lives in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom." Every mile of the race is marked with a fallen servicemembers photo and a small bio, said Beason. It's a great feeling to honor those that did not get to come home. It's great to have Gold Star Moms out there cheering us on. All proceeds after event expenses will be donated to the Gold Star Mothers National Monument Foundation. A Gold Star Mother is a mother who has lost a son or daughter in the defense of our country. For more information and to find out how to participate and support the team, visit the NJ Run for the Fallen website at www.njrunforthefallen.org.