Bataan memorial march will go on despite shutdown risk

LAS CRUCES — White Sands Missile Range officials say the yearly Bataan Memorial Death March, which attracts thousands of participants, is slated to continue March 25 as planned, in spite of the possibility of a federal government shutdown two days before the event.

Col. Dave Brown, garrison commander at WSMR, said staff has done an in-depth analysis of the event and whether it could take place during a federal government shutdown, and they’ve concluded that it can.

“There’s nothing right now that would stop us from holding the march,” he said. “Even if there was a lapse in appropriations, that would not preclude us from holding the march.”

The federal government is operating on a continuing resolution that expires on March 23, creating the possibility for a shutdown.

The 29th yearly Bataan Memorial Death March — an up-to 26.2-mile run or walk commemorating survivors and victims of a wartime atrocity during WWII — is set for Sunday, March 25 on WSMR lands.

A bumper registration

Some 8,400 people have registered to participate, according to Brown. Registration closed Sunday.

If the federal government were to shut down, not all employees at WSMR would be affected by it, Brown said. But there likely would be a curtailment of the workforce. Fewer personnel could mean some delays compared to past years, such as in security checks while entering the missile range, or while checking in.

“Will things take a little bit longer? Yes,” he said. “It might take longer to get through the gate. It might taken longer to get your food.”

Brown encouraged registered attendees to continue with plans, such as for traveling to southern New Mexico for the march, as they normally would.

A volunteer force

Brown said the event is hosted by a WSMR division whose employees, for the most part, aren’t subject to the furloughs that would take place with a shutdown.

In addition, the event relies heavily upon volunteers, such as community members who pass out drinks to march participants along the route. The state of New Mexico, too, contributes specialty units, like the New Mexico Disaster Medical Assistance Team, which uses the event as a chance to practice providing care in the field.

“What people don’t realize is that most of the support we get in Bataan is actually volunteers,” he said.

Though registration for the march has closed, it’s not too late to sign up as a volunteer, WSMR officials said. Residents interested in doing so can visit bataanmarch.com.

Avoiding a shutdown

The government was shut down for a weekend in January and had a close call in February. Both times, Congress extended funding for a matter of weeks. The next deadline is March 23.

Jennifer Talhelm, spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said he does not expect there to be a shutdown.

“Sen. Udall is optimistic that full-year appropriations for FY18 will be finalized before March 23 and there will not be a government shutdown,” she said Thursday.

Keeley Christensen, spokesperson for U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., said the congressman is aware of the proximity of the Bataan Memorial Death March to the shutdown deadline, and his office has been in communication with WSMR on the matter.

“However, the congressman is hopeful that it does not get to that point and that Congress can do its job to fund the government,” she said.