The Story of the SSG Dunlap Memorial

On the evening of April 5th, 2013 I flew to Colorado Springs, CO to photograph and document the SSG Dunlap Memorial Challenge. Just months prior SSG David Dunlap, Whitney Butler and their unborn child were murdered when they came home during a burglary of their house in Colorado Springs. SSG David Dunlap  had  signed up for an event called The GORUCK Challenge, an event designed to push people to their personal limitations physically and mentally, building teamwork to complete the challenge. Each participant also carries a weighted ruck (backpack) with 4 bricks if you weigh <150 lbs and 6 bricks if you weigh >150 lbs. The GORUCK Tough Community jumped to action and Philip Glorioso, with the help from GORUCK, put together a “Missing Man Ruck” to be carried by the class in remembrance of SSG Dunlap. This was a large 40L GORUCK GR2 that was filled with the same 6 bricks each participant would have to carry in their ruck.

After hearing about the death of SSG Dunlap another participate of the event, Bryan Shane of Fairplay, Colorado, offered to build a custom bench to be a memorial to SSG Dunlap and his wife. This wasn’t going to be just any bench you could buy from home depot, but a 1,000-1,500 lb monument to a American Hero, and to be carried to a place that SSG Dunlap called home, The Incline in Manitou Springs, CO.

The day had finally come, on April 5th at 2200 hrs in the Red Rock Canyon Open Space parking lot 39 strangers came together from all across the United States, as far as Florida, North Carolina, and Massachusetts,shaking hands, and remembering David. Everyone took a look at the amazing bench Bryan had created for this event and got mentally ready for what they were here to do, honor their friends; David Dunlap and his wife Whitney Butler.

CADRE Joel, from GORUCK, took charge of the group 2300 hrs and started by putting everyone in two ranks (military term for 2 lines) to do roll call. CADRE Joel was reading the names as I have heard many CADRE do during other GORUCK Challenges, but this one was different. As the names continued to be read and people acknowledged… Colleen Brooks: “HERE”, Kipp Clemmons: “HERE”, Shawn Daoust: “HERE”, Bryan Shane: “HERE”, David Dunlap… David Dunlap… STAFF SERGEANT DAVID DUNLAP…  the silence was deafening. All 39 people knew why they were there, but that silence was a big reminder for them all. This Challenge was not about them and their personal limits, but to honor someone who couldn’t be here himself, and for his family who also was killed that fateful night in January.

For the next 2 hours the group conducted PT (physical training) under the guidance of CADRE Joel all exercises were to be in a 21 count, just like a 21 gun salute for SSG Dunlap. The participants worked hard, struggling and pushing through together.

Their night had just begun and CADRE Joel got them moving out of the Red Rock Canyon parking lot, their rucks full of bricks on their backs, and the bench being carried in three pieces, they started their long walk to the Incline.

Their first task was to get to Kissing Camels rock formation within the Garden of the Gods park, approximately 2 miles away. Throughout the ruck over to location, the team was working together carrying 3 separate pieces of the bench, each weighing in excess of 300 lbs, with one section weighing as much as 500 lbs.

With only headlamps and the stars as their guide, they continued through the night – from Kissing Camels to Balance Rock, almost 3 miles away. Again on the move with their rucks weighing as much as 50 lbs and the 3 pieces of the bench on their shoulders. From Balance Rock they worked their way to Manitou Springs to start their accent up The Incline.

At about 0530 hrs the group made it to the base of The Incline.  As they were refitting for the push up the mountain, I had the lucky chance to run into a very interesting man. He asked about what we were doing and “Why in God’s name are there 30+ people hanging out at the bottom of The Incline at 530 in the morning?” I explained that we were bringing a bench to the top of the Incline to remember a friend and soldier who was killed. The gentleman stopped me right there, shook my hand and said “Thank you!” and with one small move he slide the strap of his backpack off his chest to show me the Special Forces 10th Group shirt he was wearing, he had serviced as a Green Beret from 1979-2003 and was quite taken back by what the group was doing. He asked to remain anonymous, but did say ‘hello’ and thanked everyone for what they were doing and went on his way up The Incline.

(If the guys on the team don’t believe me, ask Joel)

What is The Incline, you might be asking yourself? Well it is 0.9 mile trail that rises in elevation from 7,000 feet to about 9,000 feet (a gain of 2000 feet).  Someone carrying a light pack with water and a snack can get up in about 1.5 hrs. This group would be doing it with rucks that weighed in near 50 lbs and three pieces of the bench each weighing at least 300 lbs each. As the group was resting for a moment, everyone was excited to finally be doing this, 4 months of planning had finally come together!

To understand what this group of people did is best done with the images below.  There are no words that can describe what they accomplished and what they did for their fallen friend. The entire way up, I would explain to people what they were doing and why. The crowds were blown away, people even offered to help, which was greatly appreciated, but was not allowed because this was the team’s “burden” to carry for SSG David Dunlap and Whitney Butler. Please just take a good look at the pictures below, look at the faces, the struggle in their bodies, and the overwhelming drive to continue up one of the steepest trails in the area, with a grade of 68 degrees, while carrying over 300 lbs on their shoulders.

Throughout the 4.5 hour journey that it took to get the bench to the top of the Incline there was not one complaint of being too tired, hurt or not wanting to be there.  Not by anyone. Actually the exact opposite was happening, with people wanting to help, and cheering them on trail-side as well as worldwide. I had been keeping the GORUCK Tough community updated with photos on Facebook. People were overwhelmingly supportive, and jealous they couldn’t be there to do something so honorable. People couldn’t believe that the bench, almost 1,500lbs of wood and metal, was being carried to the top of The Incline at the hands of such a small group of people.

The bench was placed and pictures were taken on top of The Incline, but The Challenge was not over for Class 493. They completed a 3 mile trek down Barr Trail, then made their way back to the Red Rock Canyon parking lot for a short trip over to Memorial Park, in the center of Colorado Springs. The class regrouped there and took time to honor the men and woman who had lost their lives.  They did this with a 21 count exercise at the National Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial and and again at each of The United States Armed Service Memorials.

During this Challenge the team covered over 15 miles, over 4,000 feet of elevation change, and a total time of over 17 hours working towards their goal to honor SSG David Dunlap and Whitney Butler.