Kunsan runs 24-hours in recognition of POW/MIA

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Brittany Y. Bateman
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Kunsan Airmen and Soldiers participated in a warrior run here Sept. 16 in recognition of POW/MIA day carrying the POW/MIA flag for 24 hours.

In the United States, National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed on the third Friday in September. It honors those who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.

This day was established by an Act of Congress, by the passage of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act. It is one of six days the POW/MIA Flag can be flown.

The POW/MIA flag was first recognized by Public Law 101-355 in 1990.

The day was broken up into 12 two-hour shifts.

Col. Scott Pleus, 8th Fighter Wing commander, carried the POW/MIA flag during the warrior run and then passed it off to Chief Master Sgt. Scott Delveau, 8th Fighter Wing command chief, who started the 24-hour process. The event finished the next morning at 7 a.m. for reveille and then passed off to the company grade officers who carried it to the Kunsan 2011 Combat Dining-in.

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[Editors note: Information contained in this article was derived from the Department of Veterans Affairs website at http://www.va.gov.]