Armed Forces Eco Challenge - 2002 

 

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The Air National Guard Alaska PJ's and the super woman from the active duty USAF have won the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge again. The team consisted of three PJ’s from the 210th RQS (Kullis ANG) Ken Fournier, Dave Shuman, Jon Davis and one woman from the USAF active duty (Elmendorf AFB) Becky King. This years Armed Forces Eco-Challenge actually had two first place teams. The other winning team was from the U.S. Army.  The pre-race press release and the team profile is posted below:

 

ARMED FORCES ECO-CHALLENGE™

ANNOUNCE 2002 TEAM SELECTION
America’s Armed Forces to Compete for a spot in Eco-Challenge 2002 

 

 

ANCHORAGE, Alaska July 17, 2002 — Can the returning 2001 AFEC Champions, Team Speedy Mail, hold off this year’s tough roster of competitors?  The outcome remains to be seen as race management announced today the selection of the military teams chosen to compete in the 2002 Armed Forces Eco-Challenge™, the official US military qualifier of Eco-Challenge®, the world’s toughest Expedition Race™.  All competitors are in, or have served in, a branch of the American military.   

The four-member mixed gender teams begin their around-the-clock expedition race on August 12, 2002 and will travel over a grueling 250-mile course in remote Alaska.  The winning Armed Forces Eco-Challenge team will go on to represent the American military in the Eco-Challenge global race which is being held in Fiji, the “Crossroads of the Pacific,” this October.     

News Article - part 1

News Article - part 2

2002 Armed Forces Eco-Challenge Teams:

Team 1st Special Forces Group Chapman/Hogan – Army

Team Speedy Mail – Air Force

Team Allied Spirit – Army

Team Survival, Inc. – Air Force

Team Arctic Adventurer – Air Force

Team SCAAR – Army

Team ARSOF Lilly – Army

Team Tom Wood Flyers – Air Force

Team AT&T Wireless – Marines

Team Total Force – Air Force

Team Bates Uniform Footwear NPS - Navy

Team TriWest National Guard – Air Force

Team Flatiron – Marines

Team TriWest Army – Army

Team Ford/Marine Corps – Marines

Team TriWest Mountain Home – Air Force

Team Gear Up – Air Force

Team TriWest Navy – Navy

Team Marines – Marines

Team VVnW - Army

Team Raider 04 – Marines

Team Williams – Air Force

Team Semper Paratus – Coast Guard

 

 

 

COMPETITOR

AGE

RESIDENCE

PROFESSION

EXPERIENCE

MSgt Kenneth Fournier

 

 

TEAM CAPTAIN

40

Moody AFB, GA

 

 

Pararescue

QUALIFICATIONS:

2001 Armed Forces Eco-Challenge – 1st Place

2001 Eco-Challenge New Zealand – 12th Place

1999 Eco-Challenge Argentina

Triathlons:  Emerald Coast, Tinman, Osan (Korea)

Mt. Hood, Mt. Trudor, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Washington, Mt. Truchas

Twice named Air Force Special Operations Command Pararescueman of the year

US Pararescue School instructor in rock climbing, glacier travel, backcountry skiing, rope systems, navigation, weapons and tactics

Military Kayaking course, Wolf’s white water course

SSgt David Shuman

31

Anchorage, AK

 

 

Pararescue

QUALIFICATIONS:

Armed Forces Eco-Challenge 2001

Eco-Challenge New Zealand 2001

Mt. Taylor 40-mile quadathlon

Summit Denali

1st Force Recon/Member

Instructor – Mountain Warfare Training Center

Air Force Pararescue / Member

1st Marine (Ground Force) into Kuwait

1LT Rebecca King

23

Anchorage, AK

Communications Specialist

QUALIFICATIONS:

Armed Forces Eco-Challenge 2001

Eco-Challenge New Zealand 2001

Little Susitna 50K; 9th Place

Johnny Davis

28

Anchorage, AK

 

 

Pararescue

QUALIFICATIONS:

Union Nationals – road Racing

Denali

NE Cross Country Championships

Unicycled Tour de France

Member Tips Bar Bowling Team (E Class Champs)

Graduated PJ School

Airman Leadership School

Airman of the Quarter

 

ABOUT THE TEAM:  Team Speedy Mail, once again made up of three pararescuemen and a Communications Specialist from the United States Air Force, is returning to enjoy another race through Alaska’s Wilderness.  Three of the original members are back with one new addition.  (Skip still likes us-or so he says-he’s just having an adventure of his own, sending his daughter off to college!)

Captain Ken is coming back to Alaska for another dose of pure sunshine and a rendezvous with the mosquitoes.  After 9 years as a pararescueman, 2 ECOs and 1 AFEC, Ken has decided that he just can’t get enough of adventure.  Quick with a smile, Ken soaks up all that life has to offer, noting that “There are only moments in life-and you’ve gotta enjoy every one of them.”

Dave ‘if my mouth isn’t moving something is wrong’ Shuman is the team’s most talkative and lively member.  Sometimes shocking, his comments keep Speedy Mail laughing throughout the course.  As a Marine and now an Air Force Pararescueman with extensive experience in racing and mountaineering, Dave’s ready to add one more challenge to the list.

Rebecca ‘almost always smiling’ King is back for another round ‘with the PJs’.  Meeting volunteers, competitors, and local townspeople while traveling through spectacular areas with friends has lured her in again.  Now addicted to endorphins, she and a few friends have started an adventure race series in Alaska, and are planning an attempt on Denali in June of 2002.

Jovial Johnny, also known as Bronco, is the team’s newest member.  As a Combat Controller turned Pararescueman, a semi-pro road racer, and an experienced mountaineer, Bronco has the background and athletic prowess to do anything from unicycling the Tour de France to racing in the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge.

While generally carefree and fun, Team Speedy Mail does maintain focus during the race and lives by Shackleton’s motto, “Through Endurance We Conquer.”  Persevering through all conditions is just more enjoyable when you work as a team and focus on the brighter side of every experience.

The USAF Pararescuemen are part of an elite force that has less than 300 men military-wide.  The physically and mentally demanding Indoctrination Course graduates on 5-10% of its applicants.  They are considered the best rescue specialists in the world.  Their motto is, “These Things We Do that Others May Live.”  The past years’ events have taken the lives of several close friends and fellow Pararescuemen.  Once again, the team is dedicating their race to all pararescuemen who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

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