MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE — September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month and Malmstrom Air Force Base is celebrating it.
On Friday, a 5K run was held on base. While the run celebrated the month, it was also meant to serve as a show of support for all airmen.
The run was organized by the base's Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
"What we want to do is make sure no matter where we are, that everyone feels included and knows that they have force support behind them,” explained Staff Sergeant Destini Vance, one of the event organizers.
Thirteen people took advantage of a beautiful afternoon and got blasted with powdered paint, flipped tires, carried sand bags, and got sprayed with water from a firetruck as they ran through a 5K course on base.
"It was great. A lot more difficult than I thought it was going to be. I started out a little faster than what I would've liked, but it was still a lot of fun. Getting to those obstacle courses at the end, firefighters spraying us, it was a good time,” said 2nd Lieutenant Jared Barnett after finishing the run.
Runners wore lanyards with the names of service members and their achievements.
"I'm very ecstatic about it knowing that we have people that care and who are able to participate n things like this knowing that, as an Air Force family, we have an actual family outside of our normal families. So that's what makes me happy,” Vance said.
"We just had a Commander's Call about this because a couple days ago it was the 10 year (anniversary of the repeal of) 'Don't Ask Don't Tell.' We were kind of celebrating that and now the heritage of these men and women, being parts of different cultures and everything, it's awesome. I'm prior enlisted, too, and this is one of the best bases with all inclusion,” Barnett said.
