Bay Shore Veteran Looking To Raise Money For Other Vets

BAY SHORE, NY - A Bay Shore army veteran will be giving back while running his first marathon in New York City next month.

Thomas DeKenipp, 33, attributes his running habit to his time in the army. During the six years he was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Caroline, he would run five to six miles every morning four days a week.

"All we would do is run," DeKenipp told Patch. "It's a lot of shoes that you go through but definitely worth it."

The veteran joined the military following in the footsteps of several of his relatives who joined the different branches of the military including the air force, navy and marines. His father was also a member of the army.

"It's been a big part of my family and everyone is extremely patriotic," he said "It's like a rite of passage it's something you're proud of doing and proud of serving your country."

Once he returned, he continued to run almost daily to stay in shape. Now, he is turning his running habit into a good cause.

Growing up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, which is the halfway mark for the NYC marathon, it was a tradition every November for DeKenipp and his family to go down to Manhattan Avenue to cheer on the runners. They would even bring water and orange slices to give out.

Ever since then, he always dreamed of running in the NYC marathon. He has participated in half-marathon and other smaller races, but has never ran in a marathon before.

"It's not easy to get into, you have to raise a certain amount of money," he said.

Luckily, his opportunity will come thanks to his employer CPI Aero based in Brentwood, who put out a call for runners, resulting in DeKenipp joining Team Mission United in the upcoming 2019 TCS New York City Marathon, which will take place on Sunday, November 3. The upcoming race is a good fit for the veteran, since it was announced that United Way of Long Island was named an official charity partner for the marathon.

In preparation, DeKenipp has been running between five and six miles starting at 4 a.m. on weekdays and between 12 and 18 miles on the weekends. It has been harder to schedule time to run now that DeKenipp has two small children, but luckily his wife has been very supportive.

"Now it means running early morning and on weekends," he said. "I am lucky to have a wife that allows me to go and fulfill this dream I have to go run with a decent time."

He is also excited to raise money for United Way, an organization he says has been instrumental in helping veterans on Long Island. He knows firsthand how difficult it is to acclimate into society after his time working as a helicopter crew chief and an in-flight mechanic in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Combat Aviation Brigade. He eventually found his new job as mechanical engineer at CPI Aero where he works on a variety of military aircraft programs.

"There is around 100,000 veterans on Long Island," DeKenipp said. "There's a lot of baggage that [veterans] come back with so if I could raise money for an organization that does such great things to help them, it's a win-win."

Despite having just moved to Bay Shore five months ago after purchasing a home there, he says he has received a large amount of support from the community. So far, he has raised a total of $4,055 for the charity. His team is aiming to raise a total of $25,000.

"Thomas is a courageous veteran. CPI Aero is proud to support him on his journey as he runs with Team Mission United in the 2019 TCS New York City Marathon, raising much-needed funds to ensure that local veterans receive the resources they need," Douglas McCrosson, President and Chief Executive Officer of CPI Aerostructures, Inc said.

He says he looks forward to raising money for the organization to help fellow veterans like himself.

"A lot of people think that when you get out of the military that things go sour in your life and that's it's your own fault and I don't think that's the case," he said. "I think we come out with baggage, some more than others, and you need some help to transition."

To help DeKenipp and his team, visit crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/teammissionunited/thomas-dekenipp.