Annual NJ Run for the Fallen Honors New Jersey Military Heroes and Their Loved Ones

Each year in September, in an apolitical reflection of remembrance, a team of military runners from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and other locations across the U.S. come together to embark on a 190+ mile journey to honor every New Jersey service member killed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and other conflicts against the Global War on Terror. Each mile is dedicated to a fallen New Jersey Hero and their Gold Star Family, and the run team stops every mile, at each Hero Marker that is placed in the days before the event, to present a flag and personalized biographical card to waiting family members, friends, and comrades, with the goal of creating a 190+ mile memorial trail through New Jersey. The run team carries three flags, plus an individual flag with an attached bio card for each Hero. Upon arrival at a marker, the fallen service member’s bio is read aloud, the individual flag is placed, and the team salutes and steps forward to greet loved ones before continuing their journey to the next marker. The public is encouraged to come out and bear witness to this poignant memorial tribute as it passes through each community.

The 2018 NJ Run for the Fallen will kick off on Thursday, September 27 at 8 am at Sunset Beach in Cape May Point, NJ for the four-day run. On Day 1, they will travel north through Cape May Point, Lower Township, Wildwood, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Sea Isle City, and Ocean City. On Day 2, they will run through Somers Point, Linwood, Northfield, Pleasantville, Absecon, Galloway, Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, Stafford, and Long Beach Island. Day 3 continues through Stafford, Barnegat, Ocean Township, Lacey, Berkeley, Beachwood, Pine Beach, Toms River, and Brick. On Day 4 – Sunday, September 30, which is National Gold Star Mother/Family Day – the runners will pass through Mantoloking, Point Pleasant, Brielle, Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Oceanport, Shrewsbury, and Lincroft before finishing at the New Jersey Gold Star Family Monument on the grounds of the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Holmdel, NJ. The monument is a beautiful tribute that was dedicated in September 2015 as a place of remembrance and reflection to honor the sacrifices of those families who have lost a loved one in defense of our country in all wars and conflicts.

The final day of the event includes the “Last 5-3-1 Mile Run,” which is an opportunity for others to run alongside the core team of 24 active military runners for the last five miles through Holmdel on their way to the finish and closing ceremony. Those who participate have a chance to honor and remember our NJ Heroes and to show support for all military men and women who continue to walk in harm’s way. Participants may choose the distance (five, three, or one mile) they would like to run and will be asked to stop at each of the remaining Hero Markers to pay respect to waiting family members, friends, and comrades with honor and dignity.

T-shirts are available on the event website; runners’ own shirts may be worn as long as they have no political messages or any offensive comments or images. New this year will be memorial bracelets that will be given to the first 100 people who register to join the final leg of the run. Each bracelet will be engraved with the name, rank, date of loss, and hometown for each fallen hero. The bracelets will be randomly distributed and individual requests cannot be accommodated. There is no registration fee, but you are asked to kindly consider making a donation. If you would like to join the “Last 5-3-1 Mile Run,” you should be at the start location at 963 Holmdel Road in Holmdel (at the intersection of Spring Valley Drive and Holmdel Road) no later than 3:30 pm that Sunday. The actual time that you will set off is dependent on when the team arrives there. Transportation will be available to the start from the NJ Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The volunteer committee of NJ Run for the Fallen is seeking sponsors and donations to help offset the cost of event expenses and to assist in providing support, hope, and healing to those who grieve the death of a loved one, regardless of relationship or circumstance. Although they try to get as many services and provisions donated as they can, there are some things – such as accommodations for the Core Run Team and Gold Star Family members, event t-shirts for the runners, escorts, and Gold Star Families, and nutrition supplies, etc. – that they also have to purchase.

When the run first began in 2009, it was just two days. Sadly, the number of fallen heroes continues to rise. In 2011, it had to be extended to three days and in 2015, was extended again to four days. This means that the necessary expenses to enable the run continue to increase dramatically, as well. In 2017, NJ Run for the Fallen mailed more than 1,500 t-shirts to Gold Star Families at no cost to them; provided almost 300 hotel rooms to Gold Star Families and the military run team at no cost to them; covered the rental costs of three RVs to transport the run team, plus food, drinks, first aid supplies such as ice packs, bandages, etc., and countless other items. Throughout the year, the organization also provides help, including possible financial assistance, to Gold Star Family members who may find themselves in need.

For more information about NJ Run for the Fallen, including all of the names on the Wall of Honor, maps for the Hero Marker locations, the run route and timeline, ways to donate, and other updates, please visit www.njrunforthefallen.org or look for New Jersey Run for the Fallen on Facebook.