SPEND SOME TIME THIS SPRING HONORING OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE.

WE'RE HOSTING OUR SECOND MEMORIAL WALK, THIS TIME AROUND WASHINGTON, D.C., TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THOSE LOST IN NAVAL AVIATION MISHAPS, BOTH IN TRAINING AND IN COMBAT.

EACH OF THE 20 MILES WILL BE DEDICATED TO A SPECIFIC NAVAL AVIATION MISHAP.

REGISTER TODAY

Can't join us? Please consider a donation.

Finishers of our first Memorial Walk in New York City, 2016

To remember...

PLEASE CLICK TO LEARN ABOUT THE FALLEN SERVICE MEMBERS WE'RE HONORING.

WHO? You and fellow patriots.

WHEN? Saturday, May 19th, 2018. 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (or whenever you finish!)

WHERE? Arlington, VA, and Washington, D.C.. The walk begins and ends at the John Lyon VFW Post 3150

(2116 19th St N, Arlington, VA 22201).

WHY? To remember the reason for Memorial Day.

HOW? One foot in front of the other for 20 miles! We encourage you to find sponsors to support your walk. And you don't have to walk the entire 20 miles. See FAQs at the bottom of this page.

2018 Wingman Walk DC

FAQs

What is the route like?

The route is rigorous but doable. We plan to cover one mile every 20 minutes, with a ten minute break per mile to remember the assigned crew.

The route covers 20 miles in a clockwise flow around the cities of Arlington, VA and Washington, D.C., beginning and ending at the John Lyon VFW Post 3150 in Arlington. It consists of concrete and pavement paths and hiking trails through the parks in the D.C. area. Check out our Google Maps overlay here. Please note that the trail through Glover Archbold Park (miles 3 to 5) covers uneven ground and is not suitable for baby strollers or wheelchairs.

What about food and drinks during a 10+ hour day?

We encourage you to bring water and snacks for the route. We also plan on stopping for a 30 minute chow break at Mile 12 (early afternoon). Registration includes an option for lunch, which we’ll provide to you there, or you can bring your own. If you prefer to pack your own food but don’t want to carry it the whole way, that’s fine too. Just drop your bag with our volunteers at the starting point and we’ll bring it to you at Mile 12. We’ll also bring your bag back to the VFW Post so you can pick it up there at the end of the day.

Are there are any bathrooms along the way?

There are 4 planned bathroom breaks using public facilities along the route. Of course, you're also free to stop into any bathroom you can find in D.C. along the way, as needed. Here's a list of the planned stops:

• National Cathedral

• The Mall

• Potomac Park (north)

• Potomac Park (south)

is this event coordinated with local authorities?

No, we're conducting this walk of our own cognizance. The city did not require approval because the entire route is on publicly-accessible paths. We'll be walking it together and wearing our t-shirts to stay as a group. It’s critical that everyone stay with the group, so we’ve planned the route to minimize traffic crossings.

does the walk go rain or shine?

Yes, if it's raining, we're training (er, walking). Daytime temperatures in the D.C. area in May are typically in the low 70s, and this spring is supposed to be relatively cool and dry. Either way, we'll be out at 8:00 AM to kick this off, rain or shine.

what if i only want to walk a part of the loop?

If you only want to walk a certain portion(s) of the loop in honor of somebody you knew, that's encouraged! Registration includes an option to nominate a crew. Our planned pace is right at 2 miles per hour when you account for breaks, and we'll be updating the group’s progress throughout the day via text message and social media so you know exactly when we’ll be where.

can i have access to the google map for the walk?

Yes! Click on the map above to see it up close, or you can click here to access it and view the overlay, including mile markers and restrooms. Feel free to download it to your phone so you can follow along on walk day.

what happens at the end of the walk?

A party, of course! The route brings us right back to where we started, the VFW Hall, where we’ll host a small ceremony to close out the walk before digging in to food, drinks, and fun. We’re waiting for final confirmation on a vendor, but expect a buffet style setup that you can register for ahead of time. The VFW has plenty of beer on tap and in cans/bottles, as well as soda and other non-alcoholic drinks. We hope to see you there at about 6:30 PM, whether you walked or not!

How do I sign up? How much is it?

You have several options this year. Standard registration is $25 and includes a commemorative t-shirt, plus half of the fees as a donation to The Wingman Foundation. For an additional $10, you can also pre-pay for lunch, which we’ll deliver to you at Mile 12. And, for an additional $15, you can prepay for dinner at the VFW at the end of the day. Registration will close at midnight on Friday, May 18th.