Airman to honor brother during AF Marathon

  • Published
  • By Maj. Jose A. Cardenas
  • 445 Airlift Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Senior Airman Natalie Hopkins, 445th Airlift Wing Command Post, is training for the Air Force half Marathon in honor of her brother, Sept. 18.

Sgt. Jon Stiles joined the Marine Corps right after high school in 1990 and served for 16 years. He returned to duty in 2008, joining the Army National Guard because he wanted to fight for what he believed in all his life - freedom. According to his sister, "he was lost as a civilian ... he was meant to be a soldier."

Sergeant Stiles was originally assigned to the Colorado National Guard, as a member of the honor guard, and was desperately seeking to find a deployment. When he learned that the Louisiana National Guard was being deployed to Afghanistan, he decided to hop on board with them.

While serving in Afghanistan in October 2008, Sergeant Stiles was involved in a blast in Afghanistan in which he rescued two fellow soldiers from a burning humvee. He sustained permanent damage from smoke inhalation, but refused to go to Germany for treatment and opted to stay on site and get better there. He wanted so badly to be back outside the wire, and was thrilled when he received the 'go ahead' just a few weeks later, the Airman said.

November 13, just two weeks after returning to duty, Airman Hopkins was visited by two Army chaplains who notified her that her brother had been killed earlier that morning.

Coping with her loss, Airman Hopkins became aware of a program called the Wounded Warriors Project. The purpose of this organization is to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women. The organization also helps severely injured service members aid and assist each other as well as provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.

"I have personally seen what wounded soldiers have to go through, and I am honored to support those who have been injured in any way. The program is there - you hope you never have to use it, but you never know if you, a friend, or a family member will need it," commented Airman Hopkins.

"You have to be there for your family. Jon was my big brother and my inspiration to join the Air Force Reserves. Life changed when my brother died. I realized that there is so much more out there, and instead of sitting around and thinking about it, I needed to get up and do something. I want to help the people who did come back - those who were given a second chance, something my brother gave to me," she added.

Airman Hopkins will honor her brother and support the Wounded Warriors Project by running the Air Force Marathon. For more information on the Wounded Warriors Project visit the Web site at: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/.