TEAM VETERAN LEADER ADVENTURE RACING

















 

        

Soldier races to honor Missouri’s Fallen Heroes

Veteran Leader Quarterly, Pittston, PA. 26 Sep. The fourth running of the Midwest's premier adventure race, the Berryman Adventure took place September 25-26, 2004. Starting deep in the Ozark Mountains near Steelville, Missouri, the 2004 Berryman Adventure took teams through 36 hours of continuous competition in the beautiful and rugged mountains of the Ozarks. Coed teams of four, pairs, and soloists tested their skills, their endurance, and their determination to push them through this grueling course.

For most racers, the event was all about the physical challenge and the thrill of competition.  For one racer, who confronted the course alone in solo competition, the reasons went much deeper. Marc Hoffmeister of Team Veteran Leader raced in tribute to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines of Missouri who have given their lives in the global war on terror. 

Hoffmeister dedicated this race to the twenty service members from Missouri who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the principles of freedom for which our nation stands.  Every step, every drop of sweat, every drop of blood upon the course was a tribute to the memory of our service members. 

The race began with a 6 mile paddle around Council Bluff Lake and then a 12 mile trek to navigation points distributed around the perimeter of the lake and on Johnson Mountain.  Racers followed the run with a 40 mile mountain bike through the Mark Twain National forest along the Ozark and Berryman trails.  A short 4-6 mile orienteering course greeted racers as they emerged from the rigorous mountain bike course.  Hoffmeister managed a 3rd place finish in his division, completing the course with a time of 16 hours and 36 minutes. Nearly twenty hours later, the last of the teams completed the course.

. “Perhaps the greatest reason I do this is to let the families of these men and women know that they are not alone.  We share their grief and their pride.  The headlines may fade, but our gratitude will not.” Hoffmeister is familiar with the sacrifices of war.  An active duty Army officer himself, he only recently returned from a year deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

It is a small tribute from a fellow soldier, but Hoffmeister hopes his efforts bring the names of our fallen warriors closer to those who they defended. This race was dedicated to the honorable service and selfless sacrifice of the following service members. Read their names and remember…freedom is never free.

Name

Age

Hometown

Service

Date of loss

Location

Staff Sgt. Daniel L. Kisling Jr.

31

Neosho

US Army

30-Jan

2003

Afgh

Sgt. Donald Ralph Walters

33

Kansas City

US Army

23-Mar

2003

Iraq

Spc. Joel L. Bertoldie

20

Independence

US Army

18-Jul

2003

Iraq

Spc. Joshua M. Neusche

20

Montreal

US Army

12-Jul

2003

Homburg

Cpl. Dallas L. Kerns

21

Mountain Grove

USMC

5-Jul

2004

Iraq

Spc. Jonathan P. Barnes

21

Anderson

US Army

26-Jul

2003

Iraq

Sgt. Nicholas M. Hodson

22

Smithville

USMC

22-Mar

2003

Iraq

Pfc. Jeremiah D. Smith

25

Odessa

US Army

26-May

2003

Iraq

Sgt. Ryan M. Campbell

25

Kirksville

US Army

29-Apr

2004

Iraq

Sgt. Travis L. Burkhardt

26

Edina

US Army

6-Jun

2003

Iraq

Staff Sgt. Jamie L. Huggins

26

Hume

US Army

Oct. 26

2003

Iraq

Capt. Benedict J. Smith

29

Monroe City

US Army

Nov. 7

2003

Iraq

Spc. Kenneth A. Melton

30

Westplains

US Army

25-Apr

2004

Iraq

Sgt. Philip J. Svitak

31

Joplin

US Army

4-Mar

2002

Afgh

Pfc. Jesse A. Givens

34

Springfield

US Army

1-May

2003

Iraq

Spc. Michael C. Campbell

34

Marshfield

US Army

19-May

2004

Iraq

Staff Sgt. Trevor Spink

36

Farmington

USMC

10-Jul

2004

Iraq

Tech. Sgt. William J. Kerwood

37

Houston

USAF

Nov. 23

2003

Afgh

Sgt. 1st Class Richard S. Gottfried

42

Lake Ozark

US Army

9-Mar

2004

Iraq

Sgt. Melvin Y. Mora

27

Columbia

US Army

6-Jun

2004

Iraq

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