Annual Workout Commemorates Fallen Airman

by Capt Tamara Fischer-Carter
HQ AFSPC Public Affairs

10/10/2012 - PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- "There is no greater love that can be displayed than for a person to lay down their life for others," said a chaplain six years ago over the coffin, draped in a large American flag. Airman 1st Class LeeBernard E. Chavis was carried toward the plane by six pallbearers, looked on by the 18 distorted faces of members of Chavis's flight, who stood in two neat rows facing the casket.

On Oct. 14, 2006, Chavis, 21 years old and a member of the 824th Security Forces Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., was killed by sniper fire while he tried to keep civilians away from a suspected bomb in the streets near Baghdad.

Six years later, Air Force members at Peterson AFB and around the world are still commemorating the annual anniversary of his death in a unique way.

Chief Master Sgt. Jason France, former 820th Security Forces Group operations superintendent at Moody AFB, now at Hill AFB, Utah, designed the Chavis workout, a CrossFit style workout the group did together in Chavis' memory.

"The workout is tough by design. It has to be in order to pay proper respect to Airman 1st Class Chavis. We owe him that. The workout isn't only about the physical challenge though," said France. "You're going to have to show a lot of heart, dig deep and rely on the Airmen to your left and right to get through it. Staying focused on what the workout represents will help carry you through. The memory of a fallen warrior is a powerful motivator."

Former Security Forces member, Staff Sgt. Heather Ruhlman, now 21st Space Wing paralegal, was there when Chavis was killed. Ruhlman was deployed to Iraq, like Chavis, with the 824th Security Forces Squadron performing duties as a member of a U.S. military police training team supporting Iraqi police.

"Chavis and I were in the same squadron, the 824th SFS. He was our lead as the .50 cal turret gunner, and I was .240B Gunner and rode primarily in truck number two," Ruhlman said.

"We were on patrol that day, driving home from our daily trip to our police station. We came up on Iraqi policemen in the road who seemed to be needing assistance with a possible IED. We cordoned off the area quickly."

"I was riding in the trail vehicle that day. We weren't there long when a shot was fired. It was pretty hectic after that."

"It wasn't until we reached the cache that I found out that Chavis had been shot by a sniper. Chavis had been standing up in the turret ensuring traffic did not enter into the cordon," Ruhlman said.

"I started a Facebook event last year, and shared it amongst my friends who shared it out to their friends," Ruhlmann said.

Last year, 400 people across the globe accepted the workout invitation sent by Ruhlman. For every person who RSVP'd "yes" on Facebook, there were handfuls of others who did the workout with their squadrons.

On the 6th anniversary, Ruhlman is again sending the invite in hopes of getting an even bigger response this year.

"I never thought in 2008 when we first did this workout together that years later we would be doing it at our new homes spread across the world. There are members of the unit who are not even in the military anymore who go and do the workout," Ruhlman said. "It's nice to know so many still take the time out to remember our fallen Ghostwalker."

All are invited to meet Ruhlman at 7:30 a.m. on Oct. 16 on the basketball courts outside the Peterson AFB fitness center for a group workout in Chavis' memory.

For anyone still interested but unable to attend, the Chavis workout consists of 150 burpees (or an up-down with a push-up), a one mile run and 150 squat thrusts.

"The exercises that are in this specific workout are pretty simple; you don't need any equipment or anything to do them," Ruhlman said. But she warned everyone to be ready for a tough workout. "It does suck really bad," she said.

In addition to this annual commemoration, A1C Chavis was commemorated in 2007 in a 191-page book titled, "Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery" by Rick Atkinson.