The Red Bulls

From COB Basra runs in memory of Red Bull MP’s

They were running not for the body or the mind, but for the memories of their battle brothers: Spc. Daniel Paul Drevnick, Spc. James David Wertish and Spc. Carlos Eduardo Wilcox IV.

On the night of July 16, a rocket attack struck Contingency Operating Base Basra and killed Drevnick, Wertish and Wilcox. The loss of those three Soldiers created a ripple effect, changing the lives of Soldiers and civilians from all over.

Over 400 Service members, contractors and civilians participated in a memorial 5k run in honor of the three Soldiers.

“If you every met them, you’d know they’re full of life. They loved every day,” said Spc. Jacob Benson, who was also injured that day.

The overwhelming vividness of the three Soldiers’ lives was much the reason why so many came out.

“I don’t think anyone who’s ever met Wilcox, even for a second, [would] forget his smile, Benson said.”

“Drevnick - he had the biggest heart in the world,” Benson said. “He made everybody laugh. That was like his goal, to make everybody happy around him. No matter what situation, or whatever affected him, his worry was his fellow Soldiers.”

“Wertish, he came in late, but he grew. He grew like roots on a tree. I think – I know – he became everybody’s little brother and especially mine,”Benson said. “He always said the right comments at the right time and he was really the life of the party.”

The timing of the race, as the 34th Infantry Division heads home, was to make certain all who wanted to could be a part of the event.

“We had three guys who were killed in really, an unfortunate incident,” said Sgt. 1st Class Brian Thole. “It was a really hard day, and I wanted to [have the run] before everyone left, so we could celebrate their lives.”

The race helped raise money for a memorial at the MP headquarters in Stillwater, Minn. In addition to donations, Thole raised money by selling memorial t-shirts and commemorative coins. All in all, Thole said, they raised over $4,000.

“We’re going to send all this stuff back to their families,” Thole said. “We’re going to have a memorial back at Stillwater so that everybody back in Minnesota knows what they gave up as well.”

The turnout of military and civilian runners from all over the COB sent a strong message, Thole said.

“It’s great, because these Soldiers, they were MPs, but they were also part of the Red Bull Division, but they were also part of the Army,” Thole said. “It’s great because it doesn’t matter who you were, everybody wanted to come out and participate.”