Hundreds of Airmen and their families banded together to participate in the third Annual Gold Star Family Ruck March in honor of fallen servicemembers and their families here at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. on May 18, 2013. The purpose of the event was to bring awareness to the base and its community about Gold Star Moms and their families. Although fallen servicemembers are the ones who ultimately pay the price with their lives for our nation, their families are left behind with holes in their hearts. The Gold Star Moms program brings families together to gain strength from one another in a time when they are suffering most. "This event is for a great cause," said Senior Airman John Krueger, 22nd Airlift Squadron. “This is for so much more and I’ll definitely be back out here next year,” he said. “I wanted to honor all the families who have lost a loved one,” said Staff Sgt. Steven Kreidler 60th Medical Operations Squadron. “It’s a good way to keep them alive. It felt good,” he added. The participants walked or ran the 10k (6.2 miles) long a course that winded through Travis AFB. There were three different divisions to participate in: military heavy, which consisted of the ABU uniform and a 30 pound backpack; military light, which included members in uniform without the backpack; and a civilian division. Participants could walk, run, or even crawl during the event. Some participants competed alone, while others joined forces and competed in a four-man team. Senior Airman Tyler Saulsgiver, 60th Civil Engineering Squadron, participated in one of the four-man teams. “It was tough,” he said. “We trained every Friday for two months. It was an experience for sure.” Maj. Daniel Craig, 60th CES, ran alongside his wife, a civilian, and their baby in a jogging stroller. “This was my wife’s first 10k and what better way to do it than do it for the Gold Star Moms,” he said. Each participant was fitted with a laminated sheet of paper that include
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