FLETC 10K Team Takes First Place at Savannah River Bridge Run

Seven Federal Law Enforcement Training Center runners ran away with the First Place Team Award at the 2005 Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run, billed as “The South’s Toughest Bridge Run,” a challenging 10K (6.2 miles, or 49.7 furlongs) across the Talmadge Bridge.
 
Led by Physical Techniques Division Branch Chief Skeet Brewer, the seven-member team included Aaron Ford (US Secret Service), Dan Journey (US Customs and Border Protection), Eric Nelson (FLETC PTD), Chris Nicholas (US Secret Service Uniform Division), Keith Rile (US Secret Service), and Patrick Fetter (FLETC PTD).  Mr. Journey also garnered 3rd Place Men’s 50-54 age group.  Another FLETC runner, Linda Thomas (US Air Force OSI), took 2nd place in her age group in the accompanying 5K race.

The team hit the streets of historic downtown Savannah early Saturday morning on Dec. 3 for a warm-up run in sub-freezing temperatures, before taking their place near the front of a field of over 5,000 runners.  Although they initially managed to stay together for the first 1.5 miles on the flat terrain of downtown, the Talmadge Bridge’s 5.5 percent grade, climbing 196 feet above the Savannah River, soon stretched the pack out considerably. 
After crossing the bridge twice, the runners faced a gradual climb for nearly a mile before finishing at the convention center amid an appreciative and cheering crowd.
 
Staggering through the post-race area filled with tables of bottled water, food, and complimentary tokens, it soon became apparent that the FLETC team had a chance at placing in the Critz BMW Team Challenge.  With a combined time of 5:15:30 --a team average of 45 minutes, 04 seconds—the FLETC runners were soon called to the winner’s circle.  Each received a lovely, yet sturdy, pocket-sized multi-function tool on a BMW logo key ring.

Training in the MLETP is delivered by a dedicated staff of experienced instructors, many of which have more than twenty years of experience in the field of maritime training.  The MTB instructors bring tremendous credibility to the programs through their wide variety of background experiences and occupations, which range from the U.S. Coast Guard, State and Local Marine Law Enforcement agencies, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Secret Service.

The MLETP has a long history of providing basic and advanced vessel operations and tactics training to marine law enforcement officers from Federal, state and local, and numerous foreign law enforcement agencies.  The program was first implemented at the request of the former U.S. Customs Service, in 1984, to provide vessel operators a basic knowledge of boat operations, handling skills and tactics.  The program has evolved over the years into what many agencies consider a phase of their basic training program for vessel-operator positions.

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