Visible and invisible combat wounds didn't stop Allied Forces Foundation troops from visiting the United States for the Marine Corps Marathon.
As the sun set and the chilly night breeze swayed the willow trees surrounding the grounds of Buck Keyes American Legion Post 28 in Triangle, Va., wounded veterans from around the world huddled together to reflect on the journey that led them to the United States.
More than 100 former troops – many of them visibly wounded – from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, Georgia and Ukraine traversed from their homes to Washington, D.C., with the same mission: to represent the Allied Forces Foundation and participate in the 41st annual Marine Corps Marathon.
“It was such a heartfelt moment that they had together,” said Dave Stein, commander of the Department of Virginia. “They love coming here, they are really amazed at how we act here as veterans and how we treat all veterans. They enjoy the camaraderie that we have with each other.
"One thing that you will find among all Legion posts is the dedication we have for all veterans, both in America and abroad. We appreciate what our allies do for their countries.”
Still stretching out marathon aches and pains, the foreign allies were welcomed into Post 28 on Halloween for a celebratory dinner sponsored by Azalea Charities. Legionnaire and Azalea Charities President Douglas S. Taggart attended the event on behalf of the nonprofit organization. George Lussier, Post 28 adjutant, expressed his gratitude to Azalea Charities for their assistance in making the annual dinner a success year after year.
The trip to America was especially meaningful for Clove Smith, a British Army retiree who was injured in Afghanistan in 2010 after 10 years of service to his country. The double amputee received last-minute notice that he could participate in the Marine Corps Marathon. Although the veteran had less than three weeks to prepare, he excitedly accepted the chance to represent his country.
“I’m all for challenging myself,” Smith said. Although he has competed as a hand cyclist in a handful of marathons in Europe, Smith said that nothing could really prepare him for the terrain he encountered throughout the nation’s capital.
“There were around 400 guys competing on hand bikes, and we were all talking and cheering each other on,” Smith noted. “Marines were on the streets with words and messages of support. They gave us high fives. It was a fantastic experience.”
In Stein’s eyes, tear-jerking experiences like Smith’s are what the Allied Force Foundation’s trip to America was all about.
“We want to show our veteran allies from overseas that we care about them,” Stein said. "Most people don’t get to see the tales and experiences we bring to each other because they don’t get to interact with them on the level that we do. We sat down and talked to them during dinner and they opened up about the experiences they go through – they are just like the things that we go through. We all gained a little more insight into what it is like to be a veteran in different places.
“When you walk away at the end of the day, you just sit back and think, ‘Wow. This is one of those experiences that you will only run across once in your lifetime.'"
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