Warrior Mud Run tops expectations Published June 19, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Tong Duong 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- A run to remember or an event in remembrance, take your pick, but more than 140 Wolf Pack Airmen 'slid' to a finish, during the 8th Fighter Wing's first Warrior Mud Run at the fitness center, June 8, 2013. This event honored the late 1st Lt. Josh Hovies,* whose passing in April 2013 impacted many within the Wolf Pack family. Hovies was one of the original committee members for this event, which was organized by Kunsan's Company Grade Officers Council, Airmen Committed to Excellence and NCOs across the wing. "First lieutenant Hovies' passing was a great lost to the 8th Fighter Wing, and the focus for this event was to honor him and everything he would have wanted this event to be," said Col. S. Clinton Hinote, 8th Fighter Wing commander. "This has been a great event, and we've had so much fun today. We are doing this for a great cause and to raise money for a wonderful charity and to support our wounded warriors." The mud run was designed to create a memorable, challenging, yet fun and safe experience for all. Featuring nine obstacles, participants encountered three low-crawl mud pits, a Humvee push and even a station offering South Korean delicacies to break up the monotony of running, mud and pain. It even featured a slip and slide finish. "The 1.88 mile course had a bunch of obstacles which involved running, low crawls, and eating Kimchi, bugs (silkworm larvae) and fish heads (dried anchovies) ... it was a good time," said Senior Airman Samantha Magante, 8th Maintenance Squadron electrical environmental journeyman, with a chuckle. When asked which part of the course was the most challenging, it was the Air Force Sergeants Association booth, Magante said. "One of the hardest courses was answering Air Force history questions," she said. "If you got it wrong, you and your partners had to wheel barrel down one way then leap frog back, and then answer another history question." For Magante and others, participating in this event was extremely fun and they would do it again in the future if they had the chance. "We had three or four other teams constantly around us and even though we were all hurting, everyone was laughing and having a fantastic time," she said. With the success of the event, wing leadership would like to see more events like this available to Wolf Pack members. "It has been a great day for the Wolf Pack. All of the events were well thought out, and everyone did a great job today," Hinote said. "It's a great way to combine fun and fitness and that's what we are going to be about while we are here. We have to be 'fit to fight tonight,' but at the same time we will have a lot of fun as we get fit, and we will do it together as a team." *Through the efforts of 1st Lt. Josh Hovies, the planning committee secured the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) as a beneficiary for funds raised by the event. At the request of 1st Lt. Hovies' family, all funds raised will be donated to SOWF in his honor. As of June 8, 2013, the Warrior Mud Run event raised more than $2,600 of their $3,000 goal. http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/wolfpackwarriormudrun/wolfpackwarriormudrun Ranked in the top two percent of all charities rated by Charity navigator, SOWF supports the military's special operations forces and families through scholarships, family services, and wounded special operations forces support. Web site: http://www.specialops.org/