ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Kirtland Air Force Base will honor America’s prisoners of war and those still missing in action with its annual 24-Hour POW/MIA Vigil Run beginning Friday.
The event will start at 10 a.m. on Sept. 18 at Kirtland Air Force Base and conclude at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 19 at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial.
The vigil begins with opening remarks from Col. Justin Secrest, commander of the 377th Air Base Wing, followed by Kirtland’s First Sergeants carrying a flag and baton to officially launch the run.
For 24 continuous hours, airmen, military families, and community members will participate in a relay-style run and walk. Organizers say the flag will remain in motion the entire time, never stopping and never touching the ground.
Participants will rotate in one-hour shifts, passing the flag and baton from one team to the next. Military officials say the exchange symbolizes a shared commitment to remembering and honoring those who never returned home.
According to Kirtland Air Force Base, more than 81,000 Americans remain unaccounted for from past conflicts, making the annual vigil an important part of the military’s effort to ensure those service members are not forgotten.
The event is held in conjunction with the Department of Defense’s observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, which is recognized each year on the third Friday of September.
Officials say Kirtland’s First Sergeants were selected to begin and end the run because of their role as senior enlisted leaders who support the health, welfare, and readiness of airmen and their families.
The public and media are invited to attend portions of the event, including the opening ceremony and Saturday’s concluding ceremony at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial.
