POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, N.C. -- Across the United States Armed Forces there are various kindred mindsets: readiness, punctuality, professionalism and fitness. While adhering to these standards that are synonymous with the thought of U.S. servicemembers, some may find a way to challenge others to meet these standards in a fun way.
Chief Master Sgt. Tomio P. Brown Sr., 43d Air Mobility Operations Group command chief, originally decided to challenge himself during the COVID-19 pandemic timeframe on his own and is now affording Airmen of Team Pope the opportunity to join him in his annual tradition to run 100 cumulative miles in the month of May.
“This whole thing started during COVID,” Brown began. “[Our] kids were having to be homeschooled.
We tried to do our best to teach our kids the school curriculum. I was assisting during that time as one of the teachers. My wife quickly learned that I probably wasn't built for teaching little kids, so I got fired,” he said with a chuckle.
Over the span of his 27-year Air Force career, the command chief has guided and mentored countless Airmen to ensure they are trained and qualified in a plethora of different Air Force Specialty Codes, but as parents and teachers may attest to, teaching grade school might not be for everyone – which is why he was reassigned. His wife decided he would be better suited as a P.E. teacher. New orders in hand, he began to draft his lesson plan.
“I was charged with putting together a PT program for my kids,” he explained. “It originally started in just the garage. We had milk jugs and large detergent bottles that I filled with water so they could do farmer’s carry or ammo can carries. I built wedged ramps, kind of like American Ninja Warrior. It quickly went from the garage to the driveway to the neighborhood street. I also got the neighborhood kids to participate in some of the activities.”
Fulfilling his purpose in his new additional duty and continuing his lifelong interest in physical fitness while spending time with his family, Brown then turned his thoughts to himself.
“It was fun,” he punctuated. “It was a fun activity for my kids, but that didn't really do a whole lot for me personally with my own physical fitness. I had seen on social media platforms other folks doing 100 mile [challenges]. I like to challenge myself and I took that on as my own personal challenge to see if I could run 100 miles in the month of May.”
As he took part in his first attempt, he had the full support of his family. His children charted his progress with a hand drawn thermometer, similar to those seen during charitable events or efforts.
“That was year one, as the subsequent years came and we were no longer in COVID [times] anymore,” Brown elaborated. “There were no more restrictions, but I was like, It was a challenge to do it the first time, let's see if I can continue to do this a second time.’”
During the following years, Brown opened the challenge to others within his work center. He received some traction and involvement from those around him, but not on the scale he was looking for.
“I propositioned the entire formation there,” he said. “If someone could convince their office to participate in it, or just commit to doing it, I would buy the entire office lunch. Not a single office came through. I didn't want to be the one to coerce their office. I wanted other people to take ownership of that.”
Within his new position as command chief for the 43d AMOG, he is encouraging member of Team Pope to join him this year. His reoccurring challenge that he is extending to others almost did not come to be. As a child he suffered from Blount’s Disease, a childhood growth disorder that caused the tibia to bow inward. To correct the condition, Brown received surgery.
“When I was four years old, I had Blount’s Disease,” Brown said. “I still have the scar from where my left big toenail would cut into my right ankle when I ran. [For my treatment], the doctors started out with these boots with a bar in between. I had to wear those when I slept. It did not work. I transitioned from that to the whole ‘Forest Gump’ braces.”
These medical braces also did not fix his affliction. This led to his surgery.
“They had to do the surgery before my fifth birthday because of my growth plates,” Brown recounted. “That's what I was told. Before my fifth birthday, I had surgery. They removed the bones from my lower leg, shortened it a little bit and cleaned it of all the disease. I went to sleep in the surgery room, only to wake up hours later with a cast from my toes all the way to my groin, screaming my head off because I didn't know what the heck was going on.”
After a period of recovery, Brown was able to not only walk without assistance, but he was also able to run normally.
“It healed better than it should have,” he said. “The doctors had told my parents that I would never run again. Since then and since joining the Air Force I’ve proved them wrong time and time again by running all the way up to a full Marathon.”
As May rapidly approaches, the 43d AMOG command chief is yet again challenging himself and others to continue the tradition he started years ago. Run, Chief, run!