39th APS honors their fallen
By Staff Sgt. Justin R. Norton, 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
/ Published May 07, 2019
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 39th Aerial Port Squadron conducted their 5th annual Port Dawg Memorial Run here, May 4.
Air transportation specialists, who often refer to themselves as port dawgs, across the globe participate in the memorial run every year to commemorate the deaths of their fellows who died while serving their country. Five port dawgs lost their lives last year.
Maj. Emily Barry, the 39th APS commander, asked her squadron to remember Master Sgt. Kelly Bartholomew, a 39th APS specialist, who died in 2017 and urged them to share his story with those who never had the privilege of knowing him.
“Once we lost a member, these runs became more poignant for us,” said Tech. Sgt. Teresa Black, the 39th APS ramp supervisor who coordinated the run this year. “Losing him was rough. We lost him to an illness and the unit hasn’t quite been the same without him.”
Air transportation specialists are responsible for safely and quickly coordinating the transportation of people, valuable supplies and cargo to locations all around the world.