Three ROTC branches at the University of Colorado where La Cañada Flintridge resident Nick Koeppen is a leader in the U.S. Air Force ROTC marked Veterans Day by taking part in a 24-hour vigil run honoring service men and women who went missing in action and those who were prisoners of war.

The run was held at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 at Gate 5 of Folsom Field and ended the following day at the same time just before the Buffaloes took on the Arizona Wildcats inside the stadium.

The event was open to civilians and was organized by Air Force Detachment 105’s honor group, the Arnold Air Society. Cadet Koeppen was made a member of the honor society earlier this year.

Koeppen was the chief organizer for the run. He said the event has been a fixture at CU’s Veterans Day celebrations since 1991.

“It’s like a memorial,” Koeppan said of the run. He said that the run especially honors servicemen and women who were POWs and MIAs, recognizing their sacrifices while honoring their dedication.

Koeppan estimated that about 50 to 70 people participated.

Runners met at the Air Force Detachment lounge inside Folsom. Running started outside the lounge, as each volunteer was asked to run for 30 minutes anywhere on campus or around Boulder. Once those 30 minutes were up, volunteers returned to the lounge and another crop of runners started another interval.

Koeppan, a graduate of La Cañada High School, said volunteers completed anywhere from a single run to 16.

Contributed by Al RESTIVO

  AL RESTIVO