The ROA-U.S. FreedomWalk Festival 2004: from Washington to the Netherlands and back

Noncompetitive walkers from 15 states and three countries came together to walk trails around the nation's capital city over the weekend of October 22-24, 2004. The walkers included individuals, families and youth groups who collectively completed almost 500 different trails, ranging in distance from three miles to 27 miles.

The purpose of the weekend is to provide a noncompetitive physical fitness challenge in association with the office of the surgeon general of the United States. These volksmarches, or "people's walks;' gave participants the chance to pick challenging distances to cover on foot each day. After a 10-kilometer (six-mile) warm-up walk around the U.S. Capitol building on Friday, the challenge began Saturday morning.

As the sun rose over the horizon, two dozen walkers started from the Purple Heart Memorial at the entrance to George Washington's home, Mount Vernon. Their goal was the ROA Minuteman Memorial Building, 44 kilometers or about 27 miles away. At that building, participants choosing the 6, 12-, or 21-kilometer (3-, 7-, or 12-mile) trails gathered for an opening ceremony, which included welcoming comments from RADM Ken Moritsugu, USPHS, and deputy surgeon general of the United States.

Other guests included the assistant air attache from the Royal Netherlands Embassy, the president of the American Volkssports Association (AVA), the president emeritus of the Japanese Walking Association, leadership of the National Capital Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, and a team from the Verband der Reservisten der Deutschen Bundeswehr (VdRBw) (the German Reserve Forces Association). The Navy JROTC unit from Green Run High School of Virginia Beach, Va., was the honor unit for the event. The cadets assisted in ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknowns and at the National Law Enforcement Memorial.

Saturday's four trails visited the monuments and memorials around Washington. This gave the walkers the chance to reflect on the American freedoms that are represented by the buildings and memorials they passed, and to reflect on the men and women who sacrificed to create and sustain those freedoms.

Members of veterans groups staffed the checkpoints for Saturday. The Reserve Enlisted Association was at the Navy Memorial. The Women's Military Aviators staffed the checkpoint at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery. ROA Chapter 1 staffed a checkpoint near the Washington Monument.

Sunday's four trails of 6, 12, 21, and 32 kilometers reflected the international friendship that the United States shares with others. This year's co-host nation was the Netherlands. Participants on the 21- and 32-kilometer trails went into the embassy, thus "walking from the United States to the Netherlands and back. "Those who covered 32 kilometers officially walked the Netherlands Friendship Trail from the embassy to the Netherlands Carillon near the Marine Corps Memorial in Virginia, before returning to the ROA headquarters building. Students from the Center for International Studies and Languages of CD Hylton High School, Va., staffed those checkpoints in addition to the checkpoint at the Goethe Institut (German Culture Center) in Chinatown.

Cadets and adult members of the National Capital Wing of the Civil Air Patrol served as communications and transportation aides throughout the city. They also served in the ceremonies in many different functions.

The four teams that completed requirements for the Unit Award were the Air Force JROTC unit from Old Bridge High School, N.J.; the NJROTC unit from Green Run High School, Virginia Beach, Va.; the NJROTC unit from Landstown High School of Virginia Beach; and the VdRBw unit from Germany. Green Run High School is the only group to complete the Unit Award every year of the program. For the second year, Reservists from Germany joined the cadets and walkers on the trail. They, too, completed the requirements for the Unit Award, which included two days of at least 21-kilometer trails.

Already, the organizational committee is planning the 2005 event for October 21-23. Tour groups from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are planning to be there--including bobbies from Sussex who will walk in uniform through the streets of Washington, D.C. Everyone is hoping you will be there too!

COPYRIGHT 2004 Reserve Officers Association of the United States
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group