Air Force Marathon is a ‘full go,’ base commander says

‘We’re not in a public health emergency,’ base commander says in video

Col Christopher Meeker, installation commander at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and commander of the 88th Air Base Wing, said the base is taking seriously local rising COVID counts — but not at the expense of outdoor gatherings or the upcoming Air Force Marathon.

In a video posted Thursday on social media, Meeker and Chief Master Sgt. Lloyd Morales, the air base wing’s chief master sergeant, said outdoor events may continue and indoor gatherings of up to 250 people are permitted.

And the Air Force Marathon will be conducted normally, the commander also said. “It’s going to be a world-class event, bigger and better than it’s ever been,” Meeker said.

He encouraged viewers to register to run and volunteer for the marathon and its associated races.

“The senior leaders all the way up to Air Force headquarters understand that we are in a different place than we were a year ago,” Meeker said.

Wright-Patterson moved to Health Protection Condition (HPCON) level Bravo from the less stringent Alpha July 3 in response to rising cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations in area counties. On July 18, it moved again to HPCON Charlie before requiring workers on base to wear masks.

But the base is not in a public health emergency, Meeker said.

“All the things we’ve put in place are due to local indicators in compliance with Air Force policy to preserve our mission readiness,” he said.

The marathon and associated events are scheduled for Sept. 17. To register and for more information, go to https://www.usafmarathon.com,

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