Logistics Airmen 'march' to honor fallen chief

by Capt. Mark Graff
65th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

3/7/2014 - LAJES FIELD, Azores -- Airmen from the 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron honored unit heritage and a fallen chief master sergeant during a physical training session here, Feb 28.

The formation run, known as 'Eddie's March', honored Chief Master Sgt. Eddie Speight, formerly of the 65th Supply Squadron at Lajes Field. Speight died suddenly of a heart attack in 1996 during a basketball game at the base fitness center. The North Carolina native was 36 years old.

Speight's legacy is a source of squadron pride, said Master Sgt. Casey McKinney, 65th LRS fuels and information service center section chief.

"We made the decision to call it Eddie's March simply because it started and ended at (Building) T-610, now known as 'Eddie's Place'," McKinney said. "Chief Master Sergeant Speight is still fondly remembered today by our local national (employees)."

Francisco Homem, a 33-year 65th LRS Portuguese employee, remembered Speight as a 'people person.'

"He was one of those awesome flight chiefs," said Homem, 65th LRS logistics manager. "He was a very nice person, who took care of his people."

Maj. Billy Shaw, 65th LRS commander, spoke about the chief prior to the run.

"Major Shaw started the run off with a little bit of history about Chief Speight and his contributions the 65th Supply Squadron as well as the 65th Air Base Wing. (We were) pumped up from Major Shaw's speech and... we took off on a 4.4 kilometer formation run," said McKinney.

In all, 35 Airmen from the logistics squadron participated in the unit physical training event. The Airmen gathered for a social event afterwards and toasted their predecessor.

Honoring Speight at a PT session was suggested by 65th LRS Airmen, McKinney said.

"This idea evolved from a suggestion brought up in our monthly PT meetings," said McKinney. "We were in the market for something challenging and outside the norm.

"This is just how we PT," the master sergeant said. "This session was more involved than others and verged on becoming a full-fledged event, but at its core, this was just PT. If our members come to us with a good idea, we do everything we can to make it work."