Annual 5K run/walk honors fallen Airman Published Sept. 23, 2015 By Airman Gwendalyn Smith 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The 6th annual, memorial 5K run/walk for Senior Airman Bradley R. Smith was held Sept. 12, at Troy Tri-Township Park. This year had a total of 688 participants. This 3.1-mile run was a time to remember and commemorate the life of the Senior Airman. Smith was on a dismounted area reconnaissance patrol, Jan. 3, 2010, in the vicinity of Badvan village of Afghanistan when his platoon was attacked by indirect mortar fire followed by an improvised explosive device. The initial attack knocked a fellow airman and soldier into a nearby creek, also throwing another soldier 200 meters across the village. Smith disregarded his own safety and went to recover the fallen soldier. After wading through a waist high creek, Smith had maneuvered back to the extraction point. "There was an initial blast that was followed by a firefight," said Kyle James, a TACP member that was deployed with Smith. "The second IED hit and killed Brad and the medic." Paula and Gary Smith, Bradley's parents, discussed doing something to honor their son's brave acts. After much consideration they decided to ask the local community's chamber about holding an annual 5K. "He was very athletic and took care of himself so a run seemed like a good fit," said Paula. "We worked with the city for two months to plan out the race. We couldn't have done it without the chamber." Smith was later awarded the Purple Heart award and also a Silver Star medal for his brave acts and his representation of the Air Force core values: integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.