Pictured left to right at the Army Ten- Miler event are: Master Sgt. Zachary Rios, Capt. Elena Spielmann, Maj. Josh Barlow, Maj. Stephen Roy, Sgt. Jumaris Maduro, Sgt. Sylvester Blue, and Team Captain Staff Sgt. Jonathan Serrano. (Courtesy Photo)
WSMR represents at Army Ten- Miler event
Seven Soldiers represented White Sands Missile Range at the Oct. 13 Army Ten-Miler in Washington D.C.
Participants included Team Captain Staff Sgt. Jonathan Serrano, 3-6 AMDTD, Master Sgt. Zach Rios, SOF-TEC, Sgt. Sylvester Blue, 3-6 AMDTD, Sgt. Jumaris Maduro, RFO Garrison, Maj. Stephen Roy, TRAC, Maj. Josh Barlow, TRAC, and Capt. Elena Spielmann, TRAC.
“Everybody is as ready as they can be,” Serrano said as they got ready to leave for the event. “A couple of us are in the number one spot.”
Started in 1985, the Army Ten-Miler takes place each October in Washington, D.C. to promote the Army, build esprit de corps, support Army fitness goals, and enhance community relations. All race proceeds benefit Soldier MWR programs.
Serrano said because everyone came from a different unit and they are in various places, he came up with a training program about 10 weeks out that way they could all be on the same page.
He said on average individuals ran 20 to 25 miles a week. That varied based on how everyone was feeling. He said they have been doing distance runs, speed runs and intervals.
Serrano said it is important to participate in events like the Army Ten-Miler to showcase the abilities of WSMR Soldiers and the role WSMR plays in the Army.
He said there hasn’t been a WSMR team in a long time and it helps to get the WSMR name out there and at the same time show Soldiers what the Army has to offer.
Rios said the team is coming together to show what WSMR is all about.
“Hopefully we go there and win it,” Rios said.
It looks like the team took 16th place overall for active-duty mixed team.
Rios said the team has been training for 10 weeks and every Saturday they come together to see how far they’ve come in their training.
Rios said he’s been doing various runs and even went to Fort Bliss to participate in the Commander’s Cup. He participated in the 10K and came in second place for his age group.
“I feel pretty confident,” Rios said. “Last time I did the Army Ten-Miler was in 2008.”
Rios is the senior enlisted advisor at SOF-TEC and works with Director Maj. Chad Clay.
SOF-TEC is the 1st Special Forces Command’s (Airborne) base of training and development, providing special forces Soldiers with realistic and challenging training scenarios and as a critical test site for new and emerging technology, tactics, and strategic command initiatives in large scale combat operations and irregular warfare.
In March of 2021, the WSMR community welcomed SOF-TEC to the area. Today, in addition to six “Sage Eagle” exercises a year, SOF-TEC hosts MARSOC and AFSOC tactical training events, as well as Special Forces detachment-level training and testing.
Miriam Rodriguez
WSMR Public Affairs