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Remembering a fallen hero

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Tori Schultz
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  "Liberty is a precious gift whose benefits we all enjoy every day, but too often we give little thought to the price paid for it," said Lt. Col. Marlyce Roth, 6th Communications Squadron commander.

Maj. Raymond Estelle II was one of nine people killed in action April 27, 2011, by an Afghan Air Corps pilot, during a deployment with the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, where he served as the communications advisor for the Afghan Air Force.

The men and women of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., commemorated Estelle, who served as the 6th CS chief of maintenance support from Feb. 1999 to Jan. 2001, with the first annual 6K run and weight lifting competition. More than 200 participants were able to join in on the event Jan. 16.

"We [6th CS] wanted an event that reflected Estelle; he enjoyed working out so we decided on a 6K run ,"6" for 6th Air Mobility Wing and 6th CS, and a weight lifting competition," said Roth.

The weight lifting competition consisted of bench press for the males and leg press for the females. They were split up into different weight classes with winners in each division.

"This annual commemoration of a fallen hero is something we [6th CS] can do to ensure Maj. Raymond Estelle II is remembered for his sacrifice, to ensure his family is assured they are still part of our Air Force family, and to remind people that every son and daughter who has fought for our freedom deserves to be remembered," said Roth.