KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Team Kirtland members held a 24-hour Prisoner of War/Missing in Action remembrance run on Sept. 19–20, reaffirming the U.S. military’s enduring promise: You are not forgotten.
The annual POW/MIA run is a solemn tradition that symbolizes the nation’s commitment to account for service members still missing from past conflicts. Over the course of 24 continuous hours, the POW/MIA baton and flag were carried around the installation without pause, with more than 230 Airmen and civilians alike running in one-hour shifts to honor those who never returned home.
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 81,000 Americans remain unaccounted for. Behind each of those names is a family that continues to wait for answers, and a legacy of service that deserves to be remembered.
“This event is more than a run; it is a reflection of our Air Force family’s strength and our ability to come together in unity and purpose,’” said Col. Justin Secret, 377th Air Base Wing and Installation commander.
The run began with Kirtland’s First Sergeants leading the opening shift and concluded with Kirtland’s First Sergeants carrying the flag from Kirtland to the New Mexico Veterans Memorial for a closing ceremony.
First Sergeants, often called the “first shirt,” are enlisted leaders who serve as the heartbeat of their squadrons. They look after the health, morale, and welfare of airmen and their families, ensuring the force stays strong and ready. Because of their role as trusted mentors and caretakers, it is especially meaningful that Kirtland’s First Sergeants will begin and end the 24-hour POW/MIA Vigil Run.
“Though our POW/MIA service members may be far from us, they are still tethered to us—by memory, by honor, and by love,” said Secrest. “Every step we took during this run tugged on that invisible thread, reminding us that they are still with us.”
Whether participants ran one mile or several, or simply came to support, each contributed to keeping the memory of missing and captured service members alive.
“Let us live our lives in a way that honors their sacrifice,” said Secrest. “And let us continue to keep the promise—you are not forgotten.”