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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Arlington National Cemetery during the final leg of their 140-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Arlington National Cemetery during the final leg of their 140-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)
                
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        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. perform push-ups in honor of their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, Aug. 7, 2013. Gray was killed in Afghanistan last year. The TACP’s are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. The march will total 140 miles once they’ve completed their journey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. perform push-ups in honor of their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, Aug. 7, 2013. Gray was killed in Afghanistan last year. The TACP’s are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. The march will total 140 miles once they’ve completed their journey. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)
                
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        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Gambrills, Md., during a portion of their 140-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Gambrills, Md., during a portion of their 105-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)
                
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        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Gambrills, Md., during a portion of their 140-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co. ruck through Gambrills, Md., during a portion of their 105-mile ruck to honor their fallen commander, Maj. David Gray, who was killed in Afghanistan last year, Aug. 7, 2013. The Airmen are marching from Dover Air Force Base, Del., the receiving point for deceased service members killed in war, to Arlington National Cemetery, to Gray’s gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)
                
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        Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron cross the Arlington National Bridge en route to Arlington National Cemetery to honor a fallen comrade Maj. David Gray by completing the “DG” 140, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Maj. David Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to  Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron cross the Arlington National Bridge en route to Arlington National Cemetery to honor a fallen comrade Maj. David Gray by completing the “DG” 140, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Maj. David Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to  Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron approach the Arlington National Bridge, en route to Arlington National Cemetery to honor a fallen comrade Maj. David Gray by completing the “DG” 140, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug 4-8. Gray was killed in action outside of combat outpost Fiaz and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and a Purple Heart. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron approach the Arlington National Bridge, en route to Arlington National Cemetery to honor a fallen comrade Maj. David Gray by completing the “DG” 140, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug 4-8. Gray was killed in action outside of combat outpost Fiaz and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and a Purple Heart. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        Staff Sgt. Joseph Gilbert (left) stops to talk with two men waiting at a bus stop during the "DG 140 Memorial Ruck March" Aug. 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Gilbert and other tactical air control party Airmen assigned to the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Carson, Colo., marched from Dover Air Force Base, Del. to Arlington National Cemetery, Va., to honor their fallen brother Maj. David Gray. Gray was killed Aug. 8, 2012, and members of the 13th ASOS weren't able attend his funeral due to mission requirements. They marched the 140-mile route Gray took from the mortuary at Dover AFB to Arlington. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Mareshah Haynes)130807-F-PJ779-001
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt. Joseph Gilbert (left) stops to talk with two men waiting at a bus stop during the "DG 140 Memorial Ruck March" Aug. 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Gilbert and other tactical air control party Airmen assigned to the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Carson, Colo., marched from Dover Air Force Base, Del. to Arlington National Cemetery, Va., to honor their fallen brother Maj. David Gray. Gray was killed Aug. 8, 2012, and members of the 13th ASOS weren't able attend his funeral due to mission requirements. They marched the 140-mile route Gray took from the mortuary at Dover AFB to Arlington. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Mareshah Haynes)
                
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        Senior Airman Tommy Allgier of “Delta Flight” from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, clicks his heels half way in of the final leg of their journey to honor a fallen commander Maj. David Gray, Aug. 8, 2013. The “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march from the Casualty Reception Center at Dover AFB to Maj. Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug. 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Senior Airman Tommy Allgier of “Delta Flight” from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, clicks his heels half way in of the final leg of their journey to honor a fallen commander Maj. David Gray, Aug. 8, 2013. The “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march from the Casualty Reception Center at Dover AFB to Maj. Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug. 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        Master Sgt. Mitchell Polu greets Heather Gray, the wife of the late Maj. David Gray, after a leg of the memorial march for her husband Aug. 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Gray was the commander of the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron when he was killed  Aug. 8, 2013, in Afghanistan. The tactial air control party Airmen Gray commanded hosted a memorial march to honor him, which concluded on the anniversary of his death. Polu is the NCO in charge of the 13th ASOS Delta Flight at Fort Carson, Colo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mareshah Haynes)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Master Sgt. Mitchell Polu greets Heather Gray, the wife of the late Maj. David Gray, after a leg of the memorial march for her husband Aug. 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Gray was the commander of the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron when he was killed  Aug. 8, 2013, in Afghanistan. The tactial air control party Airmen Gray commanded hosted a memorial march to honor him, which concluded on the anniversary of his death. Polu is the NCO in charge of the 13th ASOS Delta Flight at Fort Carson, Colo. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Mareshah Haynes)
                
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        Master Sgt. Mitchell Polu gets his foot attended to by a nurse after the "DG 140 Memorial Ruck March" August 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Mitchell was one of 13 tactical air control party Airmen who marched 140 miles to honor their fallen leader, Maj. David Gray. Gray was killed Aug. 8, 2012, in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber while he was trying to assist the victims of a previous bomber. Polu is the NCO in charge of the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron Delta Flight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Mareshah Haynes)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Master Sgt. Mitchell Polu gets his foot attended to by a nurse after the "DG 140 Memorial Ruck March" August 7, 2013, in Hyattsville, Md. Mitchell was one of 13 tactical air control party Airmen who marched 140 miles to honor their fallen leader, Maj. David Gray. Gray was killed Aug. 8, 2012, in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber while he was trying to assist the victims of a previous bomber. Polu is the NCO in charge of the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron Delta Flight. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Mareshah Haynes)
                
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        Family members cheer on “Delta Flight” as they approach the end of their 140-mile ruck march in honor of Maj. David Gray, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Family members cheer on “Delta Flight” as they approach the end of their 140-mile ruck march in honor of Maj. David Gray, Aug. 8, 2013. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        The Airmen of “Delta Flight” from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron pose for a group photo after reaching the capitol building in Washington, D.C., Aug 8, 2013. The “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march from the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Maj. David Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        The Airmen of “Delta Flight” from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron pose for a group photo after reaching the capitol building in Washington, D.C., Aug 8, 2013. The “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march from the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Maj. David Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug 4-8. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        Staff Sgt Angel Montes hugs Maj. David Gray’s mother after his arrival to Arlington National Cemetery with “Delta Flight” Tactical Air Control Party specialists, Aug. 8, 2103. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Maj. David Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to 
Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, Aug 4-8. The TACPs are from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Carson, Colorado. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Staff Sgt Angel Montes hugs Maj. David Gray’s mother after his arrival to Arlington National Cemetery with “Delta Flight” Tactical Air Control Party specialists, Aug. 8, 2103. “DG” 140 is a 140-mile memorial ruck march for Maj. David Gray, beginning at the Casualty Reception Center at Dover Air Force Base, Del., to 
Gray’s headstone at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, Aug 4-8. The TACPs are from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Carson, Colorado. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)
                
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        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co., laid personal items on the headstone of Maj. David Gray, their fallen commander, who is laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug. 8, 2013. Gray was killed in Afghanistan exactly one year ago today. The Airmen honored his memory by rucking more than 100-miles from Dover Air Force Base, Del. to Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects at his gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path
                        
                        
                        Tactical Air Control Party Airmen from the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, Ft. Carson, Co., laid personal items on the headstone of Maj. David Gray, their fallen commander, who is laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Aug. 8, 2013. Gray was killed in Afghanistan exactly one year ago today. The Airmen honored his memory by rucking more than 100-miles from Dover Air Force Base, Del. to Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects at his gravesite. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Lauren Main)
                
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Step by step: TACP family traces fallen brother’s final path, 'Finish strong'Published Aug. 9, 2013
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Zachary Vucic
                    
                    
                    Air Force News Service
            **FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) --**The morning of Aug. 8, 2012, Heather Gray was preparing an anniversary care package for her deployed husband, a tactical air control party member assigned to the 13th Air Support Operational Squadron at Fort Carson, Colo.
Around 8 a.m., a vehicle pulled into her driveway. She wasn’t familiar with the vehicle and her children were asleep, so she decided not to answer the initial ringing of her doorbell. As the ringing persisted, her children awoke and prompted her to answer.
Heather opened the door to a colonel wearing his dress blues. Initially, she said, she just thought “It’s (blues) Monday.” Then, she noticed a chaplain standing, visibly shaking and clutching a piece of paper.
When Heather saw the pair, she recognized them as a casualty notification team. As a key spouse, she thought she had been chosen to go with them to deliver devastating news to another TACP family.
“The first words out of my mouth were, ‘Oh no, who was it?’” she said. “(The colonel) said ‘No Heather -- it’s David,’ and it was like the whole world just went into tunnel vision. I had just talked to him six hours before that ... I just kept saying ‘Are you sure it’s David?’ It was a very long process of putting it together ... that he was going to be the one who wasn’t coming back.”
Heather’s husband, Maj. Walter David Gray, an Air Liaison officer assigned to the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron, was killed that day by a suicide bomber in Kunar province, Afghanistan.
Gray was hit by the second of two suicide bombers. After the first blast, he and his team rushed the scene to help when the second blast went off.
In his memory, 13 members of the 13th ASOS took on a 140-mile ruck march from Dover Air Force Base, Del., to Arlington National Cemetery, Va., arriving on the anniversary of David’s passing.
“He made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Master Sgt. Mitchell Polu, the NCO in charge of the13th ASOS Delta Flight. “What we’re doing right now is nothing compared to what Major Gray, Heather Gray and his family and kids had to go through.”
The TACP Airmen chose their route to provide much needed closure for the Airmen, Polu said. With four months left on their deployment, Gray’s Airmen were unable to return from the war zone to escort him home or attend his funeral. Their grueling trek from the mortuary at Dover AFB to Arlington traced Gray’s route to his final resting place.
For their visit, instead of driving or flying to Arlington, the ruck march was unanimously voted to be the most fitting way to honor their fallen brother.
“It meant a lot more for us to walk it ... this is (the TACP) way of doing things,” said Senior Airman Justin Jackson, a TACP assigned to the 13th ASOS.
The Airmen of the 13th ASOS share one common sentiment toward Gray -- he was like a father to them. He was the first one through the door and the last to leave. Polu said Gray spent one-on-one time with each and every Airman under his command.
“He cared so much about us,” said Senior Airman Matthew Swift, a TACP assigned to the 13th ASOS. “I had two family members pass away while I was deployed, and when my gran’daddy passed ... he flew all the way to my (forward operating base) and spent the whole day there with me.  He stopped what he was doing and came out just to see me. ”
That care and loyalty is now repaid by the TACP community to Gray’s family. Every week, Heather said, members of the TACP community check up on her, to see if there is anything she needs, from moving furniture to child care.
“David always told me, ‘If anything ever happens to me, my guys will take care of you,’” Heather said. “(The support) has been amazing.”
Heather said it’s not just the Airmen from the 13th ASOS, but the entire TACP community.
Gray’s journey to the TACP career field started early in his career, when he completed TACP training as a young enlisted Airman. He later commissioned, and waited patiently for the career field to open to officers. Heather said the day it opened, Gray came home with a big smile on his face.
TACPs primarily act as a vital link between ground forces and the aircraft that support them. They put themselves in harm’s way to ensure bombs are on target. Gray’s choice to rejoin the career field and participate in the rigorous training again at age 37 was “a hard sell” to his wife she said.
“He just kept saying ‘You don’t understand, it’s so different; it’s what I’m meant to do,’” Heather said. “(He said) ‘This is why I joined the Air Force.’”
The crew’s journey to honor Gray was made possible through a combination of permissive TDY from their commander, donations from the TACP Association and the public, and out-of-pocket expenses in the form of both money and ordinary leave.
“To be with (his fellow Airmen) is very special,” Heather said. “I don’t really have words to describe how much it means to me that they’re doing this. I love each and every one of them, and they truly are like having a family of older brothers. I’m very humbled and inspired by these guys, and I know that it’s a direct reflection of what kind of leader he was for them.”
Gray was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Valor, and his sacrifice inspired Heather to start a foundation and scholarship in his honor. Heather joined the Airmen for the last leg of the journey, with all three Gray children making the final mile. She said when things get tough, she hears her husband’s voice reciting what has become a motto for her – “Finish strong.”TACP 



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