ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --
Team Robins will remember and honor the sacrifice of
America’s prisoners of war and those missing in action during the Robins
POW/MIA organization’s annual recognition ceremony Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. in the
Museum of Aviation’s Hangar One
The ceremony’s guest speaker will be ex-POW, and retired
Chaplain (Col.) Robert G. Certain. Certain was a B-52 Stratofortress navigator
flying over 100 missions during the Vietnam War before being shot down on
December 18, 1972. He was later released on March 29, 1973 after being held as
a POW for 100 days.
Upon return Certain became a chaplain until he retired in
1999. The ceremony is one of many events being held at the base in honor of the
National POW/MIA Recognition Day. This day is observed annually, on the third
Friday in September and was established by Congress in Section 1082 of the 1998
Defense Authorization Act. It is one of only six days the POW/MIA Flag can be flown.
According to event coordinators, a 24-hour Vigil Run will
kick off the recognition beginning at 3 p.m. Sept. 14 at the museum.
Time slots are currently available for the run, which
invites participants to sign up in 15 minute or longer increments. The goal is
to keep the baton/flag moving for the entire 24-hour period of time leading up
to the ceremony.
Participants are welcome to bring their office, flight,
section, division, branch, family or pets, and may walk or run at their own
pace.
For more information on the ceremony, contact Tech. Sgt.
Neil Smith at niel.smith8.mil@mail.mil. To sign up for the run contact Staff
Sgt. Denea Fayall at denea.fayall@us.af.mil.