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thedrifter
01-22-07, 09:20 AM
Marine walks across N.J. as tribute to troops

By Michelle Gladden - Asbury Park Press
Posted : Sunday Jan 21, 2007 12:35:40 EST

There was reticence in Craig Breiner’s voice when he spoke of the Iraq war, but humility in his eyes as he addressed those who supported his passionate second attempt at walking the American flag from 16th Avenue in Belmar to the Statehouse in Trenton, N.J.

“With all the negative press out there, they (the troops) need to know we stand behind them,” the Howell, N.J., resident said, holding the flag over his shoulder, as he paced toward Freehold along Route 33, a quarter of the way into his 50-mile trek early Saturday morning. “Every time they see something bad on the news or hear it over the radio, they lose morale.”

That’s a feeling the 30-year-old inactive Marine Corps sergeant says he experienced during his time in Iraq.

“At times I’d get discouraged,” he said. “It’s when your morale is down that you drop your guard, and that’s when people get hurt or killed.”

Saturday’s long trek ended at the Statehouse around 9:30 p.m. after more than 14 1/2 hours, with Breiner leading his group in a moment of silence for all American troops killed in action and a candlelight nondenominational prayer service.

“No matter what, whether you support the war or not, you have to support the troops,” an emotional and exhausted Breiner said after finishing his walk. “Everybody has done a great job, and we have to start letting people know that.

“It was a little behind schedule, but I finished,” he said.

Although about 30 people were with Breiner at the end, he was the only one to walk the whole distance, his brother David said.

The cadence of Breiner’s voice was that of a weary victor, as he thanked those who had walked along with him for part of the way, and the hundreds he’d rallied from their homes on one of the season’s coldest days.

The thrill was that he’d made it.

Breiner made his first attempt at the 50-mile walk in November. It was a solo mission sparked by the ill-fated comment by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass: “You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

Although he apologized, many military personnel, including Breiner, took offense. On Nov. 11, Breiner quietly walked up 16th Avenue to Belmar Boulevard. He crossed onto Route 34 North and then to Route 33. But a knee injury he’d suffered while in training for the Marine Corps stopped him in his tracks at the Manalapan-Millstone Township boundary.

This time, Breiner has successfully passed that point by 2 p.m. And he wasn’t alone.

At 5:30 a.m., he arrived at the 16th Avenue Boardwalk in Belmar with wife, Brooke, their 2-month-old son, Christian, and a 3 1/2-by-6-foot American flag. By 6:50 a.m., people had gathered to show their support for his mission. After shaking each person’s hand, Breiner and close to 20 other walkers set off in the darkness.

“It’s great what he’s doing,” said Richard Hicks, 22, of Wall. Hicks returned from a four-year tour of duty in the Marine Corps in July. “I’m hoping to walk the whole way with him.”

Cody Smith, 20, of Bradley Beach said he, too, was hoping to walk the entire route with Breiner.

“I’m walking to show support for my best friend, Stephen Rohm, who is currently stationed in Iraq,” Smith said.

Dressed in a bright yellow rain slicker, Doug Scott, 60, of Aberdeen was guiding Art Karin, 62, of Keyport, a legally blind former Marine who walked for first five miles of the trek.

“I came out to support my brother,” Karin said of Breiner. “I’m hoping to walk about three miles because these kids (troops) have to know we are behind them.”

Jim Noon of Brick said he would immediately send an e-mail to his son Tom Noon, 45, who is serving in Iraq.

“I know they appreciate what (Breiner) is doing,” the 78-year-old said.

Breiner’s trek on Saturday came within days of President Bush’s pledge to send an additional 21,000 troops to Iraq.

But that was not what spurred him, Breiner said. He chose this day so his family — including his parents, his two brothers, two sisters and his daughter — could be with him.

“He was going to do it on Jan. 6,” his wife said.

His mission was simply to show support for the troops, both past and present, active and inactive.

But Jack Tiernan, 57, of Howell said he not only supports the troops but also the war.

“I’m not crazy about the way they are handling it,” said the 57-year-old, who added his father and brother had served in the armed forces. “They should have done more right away. They are not policemen. They are soldiers, and they are over there protecting us.”

http://www.marinetimes.com/xml/news/2007/01/gns.MarineWalking070121/070121marinewalk_287.jpg

Marine Sgt. Craig Breiner walks along Route 33 from Belmar, N.J. to Trenton, N.J., on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007, in East Windsor, N.J. Breiner, along with friends and family, made the walk to Trenton for a candlelight vigil as a way to raise awareness and support for the U.S. troops currently serving in the Middle East. (AP Photo/John Baer)

Ellie