A Soldier Ahead

By Perry P. Perkins

 

"I will love You,
O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock
and my fortress and
my deliverer; My God,
my strength, in whom
I will trust; My
shield and the horn
of my salvation,
my stronghold. I will
call upon the Lord,
who is worthy to
be praised; So shall
I be saved from my
enemies."
Psalm 18:1-3

n 490 B.C. a soldier ran from a battlefield outside the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens bringing news of a Greek victory over the Persians. Legend has it that Pheidippides delivered the momentous message "Niki!" (victory), then collapsed and died.

This was to become the inspiration for the Marathon.

Today, two and a half miles have been added to the marathon. Unlike, Pheidippides, who, after shedding his packed gear, still wore up to forty-eight pounds in weapons and uniform, the average marathon walker does it in nylon shorts, tank tops, and running shoes, with a total average weight of three pounds, usually finishing in less than eight hours.

Lt. Van Allen Zallee did his 26.2 in under seven hours, wearing ACU's, boots, and his standard pack (35 lbs.) for the 2007 Portland Marathon.

Keeping pace with 1700 civilian walkers, Lt. Zallee was the only man in uniform.

“A Guardsmen’s training starts long before they get the call to go somewhere,” says Zallee, “it starts years before. I wanted people to see the Guard out there working, sweating, and pushing themselves to be better. I feel that God has called me to help protect my country, that He hasn’t given up on us, and I want to share that message.”

When I asked Van if the marathon had been as hard as he had thought it would be, he replied, “I thought it wouldn't be too bad, since I had walked it before without a ruck and I had been doing twelve’s for months, but my legs said ‘we're done’ at mile thirteen.”

“The last 14 miles were hell. I was hurting the whole way. I had a friend with me, and he asked me at one point, how I was doing. I told him, "Pray for me, every step hurts." He asked if I could make it, and I told him, I had no choice. At that point so many people had encouraged me and shared with me that I couldn’t stop."

Mothers came up to Lt. Zallee along the route, giving him hugs telling him about their boys over in the box. Grandmothers cried as they hugged him, thanking him for serving.

When they asked why he was doing this, Van replied that it was to let people know that the Guard was out there training. “We always are,” he told them, “sometimes you just don't know that the guy running through your neighborhood before dawn is running to stay at his best for the next call to serve and defend. Praying for your safety as he does his laps.”

Flo gave him salt at mile 18. Walter, a Viet Nam Veteran, kept crying out, "You can do it Ranger!" And even though, as Walter put it, he “hadn't worn a pair of Uncle Sam boots” for two decades, they were brothers that day.

Resting at the finish line, stretching his legs and rubbing shoulders that had supported his pack for the last seven hours and twenty-six miles, several walkers came up to Zallee and thanked him, telling him that they’d wanted to give up, when their legs ached and their feet burned with blisters, but as long as they could see “that soldier” ahead, they knew they could make it.

“At that point,” Zallee laughs, “I was just really happy that I didn't quit. I knew that God had been with me every step of the way.”

Military historian Edward S. Creasy, in his classic book, “Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World”, wrote:

"The day of Marathon is the critical epoch in the history of the two nations. It broke forever the spell of Persian invincibility, which had previously paralyzed men's minds.”

Now, as we find ourselves in another “epoch” battle, it’s more important than ever that the men and women of America (and the world) know that the Guard is here, that it’s prepared, and that it’s ready and able to fight for their freedom…

That there will always be a soldier ahead.

* Van Allan Zallee (2LT. OR ARNG) first served in the US Army 25th IN. Div from 1991 to 1994.

Eleven years later, he renounced his VA Disability to join the Guard and attend OCS. He is now Platoon leader in Det 1 B Co. 1-186, 41st BDG, Oregon Army National Guard. Zallee has a wonderful wife who supports his career, and three daughters ages six, three, and seven weeks.

The 41st BGD left for duty in Iraq in June of 2009