MOODY AIR FORCE BASE — Meeting challenges is the norm for Tech Sgt. Kenneth Fournier, 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base. He has devoted most of his military career to being one of the Air Force’s elite pararescuemen (PJs).

Last year, Fournier, team captain, and three other Air Force members were pushed close to their physical limits when they competed in the first Armed Forces Eco-Challenge race in Alaska. The race was over 150 miles in length and involved trekking, mountain biking and negotiating frigid waters in inflatable pack rafts.

The other members of the team were Senior Master Sgt. Skip Kula, Tech Sgt. David Shuman and 1st Lt. Rebecca King; the only female member of the team. To be eligible for competition, each team had to have at least one female member, Fournier said.

The race is sponsored by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and is designed to assist family members and friends in coping with the loss of a military service member who has died while serving their country.

Fournier said his team will be competing in the race in memory of two PJs who were killed saving others’ lives. The two PJs honored are Staff Sgt. Douglas Eccleston, 920th Rescue Group, who died on Dec. 7, 2001, while performing a rescue mission 1,000 miles off the coast of Florida. His heroic action successfully saved the life of a critically ill sailor.

The second PJ honored was Moody AFB’s Senior Airman Jason Cunningham, 38th RQS, who was killed in action during Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan. Cunningham was credited with saving 10 wounded soldiers before dying of wounds he sustained during the battle.

Fournier knew both men, especially Eccleston, with whom he trained with years ago, and considered him as one of his best friends. Cunningham had just arrived in the 38th RQS, and Fournier had little time to get to know him. “He was a young guy in the career field; a good troop and real motivated — a great guy,” Fournier said.

The year’s adventure race is scheduled once again in Alaska with TAPS sponsoring it.

Last year 25 teams competed from all branches of the military, excluding the U.S. Coast Guard, and Fournier’s team, aptly named “Team Speedy Mail” finished the grueling course in about two and half days with only 30 minutes of sleep, taking first place. The team’s first place finish also assured them a spot in the International Eco-Challenge Race that was hosted in New Zealand later that year.

It was during that international race that Fournier and his team, who were named “America’s Air Force” made history. They finished 12th overall in the competition out of 75 teams. It was the highest finish for a military team in the history of the international adventure race, Fournier said. Another impressive statistic was Fournier’s team finished fourth out of 34 American teams that competed in the race.

Despite all the hardships Fournier and his team faced last year, they are geared up and ready to go for next month’s competition which starts on Aug. 12 and ends on Aug. 17. This year there is already talk that the race will be longer and harder, because his team did it so fast last year, Fournier said. There has also been an increase of teams about 40 teams scheduled to compete this year. There are going to be some changes this year, and one of the changes will be not going with the whitewater rafting.

“They’re putting a lot more of the pack raft in,” Fournier said. “There will be more weight for longer distances. They have extended the length of the course, too.”

One team member will not be returning for this year’s competition. Senior Master Sgt. Skip Kula will not be attending this year’s competition due to a family commitment, Fournier said. However, another PJ has already filled Kula’s position. Tech Sgt. John Davis, 210th Rescue Squadron, Air National Guard, Alaska, has already been training with Shuman and King in preparation for the race. Fournier has been unable to train with his three team mates. Fournier, like many of his PJ brothers a





t Moody AFB, has been involved with Enduring Freedom.

Fournier said he feels very confident about the the upcoming competition especially when his team will be defending its title. However, he admits it has been hectic and difficult with all that that has happened since Sept. 11. The team is still trying to get its sponsorship paid up, he said.

Training still remains a problem even for King, Davis and Shuman, who are up in Alaska together. Units such as the 210th are pulling the missions that the 38th would have normally been involved with prior to Enduring Freedom.

“They have been deployed a lot, and they’re really getting hit heavy,” Fournier said.

Some things have changed as far as the Armed Forces Eco-Challenge is concerned, but one thing that that hasn’t changed from last year, and Fournier and his teammate are dreading most, are the mosquitoes.

“I heard they are going to be worse this year,” Fournier said laughing. “They’re just nasty little flying piranhas — or Al Qaida mosquitoes.”

Fournier wouldn’t make any predictions for this year’s competition.

“We’re going to go have a good time again,” he said. “There so many things that can go wrong. A bike breaks down, a twisted ankle. We just need to go in and enjoy the race and do the best we can as a team.”



To contact reporter Rip Prine, please call 244-3400, ext. 237.