How The Army Got Involved | The Army's Trek | A Picture From Iraq

Note: On November 22, 2005 we received the following e-mail message from Aaron Lohr in Iraq:

In early October 2005 we received an e-mail message from Mr. Aaron Lohr, a U.S. Army Operations Specialist stationed in Iraq. Although halfway around the world in a war zone, Aaron read about our Run/Walk Across America journey through an online news article and was inspired to do this virtual trek with some of his fellow soldiers. He wrote the following encouraging note to the students:

Hello kids. My name is Aaron Lohr. I am a soldier in the United States Army currently serving in Iraq. I read about your virtual run across America in the Missoulian (newspaper). I think it is an amazing thing you guys are doing. I am not going to say good luck on accomplishing your goal. I am going to say congrats. See, I was kid growing up in Missoula MT and I know you kids aren't just going to try and reach your goal. I know you will succeed in it. So congrats, and keep up the hard work. Will follow you the entire way. Thanks for the inspiration you have also given me. Supporting you always...
- SPC Aaron J. Lohr, U.S. Army Operations Specialist.

The students were truly encouraged by Mr. Lohr's note, and he also wrote to Paul and Vicki Staso, the trek's organizers:

I read the recent article in the Missoulian online about the virtual run across America that the kids are doing. I was greatly impressed with the idea and the enthusiasm in which the kids seem to have for the project. I am a Missoula native and was interested in using your idea in motivating some of my soldiers into getting up and running a little more by placing a challenge to them - to try and match what your students do.

We began communications with Mr. Lohr and soon afterward the soldiers began their virtual trek with the students. When the soldiers began their run the students were about 300 miles into the journey. It did not take the soldiers long to catch up to the students and now they are virtually pacing next to them, averaging about 80 miles per week. We are all looking forward to Spring 2006 when Mr. Lohr will visit Missoula and be able to stop by the school to run and walk with the students!

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The soldiers began their virtual trek in early October 2005 and are pacing right along with the Russell Elementary 4th and 5th grade students. There are 20 soldiers participating in the virtual trek and they have received approval from the U.S. Army chain of command to run 2 or 3 days per week together to acquire mileage for the trek - depending on how busy they are. Mr. Lohr writes, "The students can not only pretend to be running across the country, they can imagine me and the rest of the guys running right there along side of them. We think of it as parade security."

Mr. Lohr also wrote, "Everybody keep running and we will see you at the end (if you will save a seat on that plane from Delaware to Missoula for a couple of Army guys)."

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Pictured below are 13 of the 20 U.S. Army soldiers in Iraq who are participating in the virtual Run/Walk Across America.

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