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Wingmen show up in force for '5K for AJ'

  • Published
  • By Susan Griggs
  • 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The Dec. 14 weather forecast predicted a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms, but not a single raindrop fell on the "5K for AJ" sponsored by the 335th Training Squadron.

Team Keesler gathered to show its support for Master Sgt. Albert "AJ" Jackson, one of the squadron's career development course writers, who was paralyzed from the waist down due to complications from surgery last June in Houston. His wife, Staff Sgt. Ashley Jackson, is one of the squadron's weather instructors.

The original goal for the event was to collect $2,000 to buy a hand bike for AJ, but event organizers said that a local organization came forward to donate the cycle and more than $13,700 was raised from registration fees and almost 60 online donations from around the country. An additional $230 came from a joint 5K held Friday by supporters at Pope Field and Fort Bragg, N.C., and several fundraisers at other installations are in the works.

"The weather community is a small, tight-knit joint service team," AJ explained. "When one weather person has a problem, everyone knows about it and tries to help."

"It's a no-brainer to do something like this for one of our own," said Senior Master Sgt. Jerrod Webb, 335th TRS superintendent and a fellow weather warrior. "We've all done fundraisers, and it's exciting to be able to do something like this for one of our own."

Before more than 350 participants began the run, a rendition of "Happy Birthday" and two cakes honored AJ as he celebrated his 18th Air Force birthday. Then Tech. Sgt. Gareth Davis, another member of the squadron, led the group surrounding AJ and his family members in the recitation of the Airmen's Creed.

"That's what it's all about - taking care of each other, just like our creed says," Davis said.

After reading an earlier Keesler News story about AJ, Tania Whitfield, director of the local AMBUCS chapter, got involved. The 90-year-old organization works to give independence and mobility to children and adults. AMBUCS is providing a custom-fitted therapeutic tricycle to enable the avid cyclist to exercise and once again enjoy rides with his wife and two young children.

Jennifer Hatfield from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation also came across AJ's story and offered support to the Jacksons.

Since the proceeds won't have to be used for the hand bike now, the Jacksons may make additional accessibility improvements to their home or use the money toward buying a vehicle with hand controls to give AJ more independence and mobility.

"This has been amazing," AJ remarked. "We never expected this at all. We couldn't have asked for a better group of people in our lives to help us out."
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