Airmen to compete in international Air Force track meet

Published Aug. 29, 2013
By Staff Sgt. Christopher Robertson
70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Two Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Airmen have been selected for the Air Force Track Team and will soon compete on an international level.

When Senior Airman Alvin Jones II, an 87th Comptroller Squadron travel pay technician who ran track in high school, was recruited into the armed forces, he was enticed by the possibility of being a competitive runner representing the Air Force on a national and international level through the Air Force Sports program.

"I first heard about the Air Force track team through my recruiter," said Jones, an Erie, Pa., native. "He knew I ran track and told me I could also run track in the Air Force."

Jones was initially in disbelief and thought he'd never compete again, but said he looked into it once he got to his first duty station.

"I researched the Air Force track team and got in touch with the coach and found it was actually true that the Air force has a track team and I had the potential to join."

Tech. Sgt. Charity Barrett, who is from Philadelphia and currently works as a defense courier at JB MDL, has a similar story. When she joined the Air Force in 1998, Barrett thought track and field competitions were in her past. As she continued to participate in intramural sports around base, others noticed her talent and suggested she try out for track and field.

"While playing basketball for a team on my base, some team members told me I should try out for the track team because I was very fast," said Barrett.

Jones and Barrett have a real sense of pride having the honor of representing the Air Force in a sport they both love so much.

Both will soon train abroad before travelling to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the first week of September with their new track team to compete in the Allied Track Meet in Munich.

"We are going to compete for the Allied Command Championships," said Jones. Other countries with air force track teams competing include England, Poland, Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. "I have a new special sense of pride serving as an ambassador to five European nations during the Allied Track Meet. The German air force is hosting this event and we are excited to represent our country and our Air Force."