09/08/2026
Another great workout. Who’s going to try this out?
AFSA Division 4
This week’s Heritage Workout, “Chappy” honors MSgt John Chapman and the extraordinary fight that earned him the Medal of Honor.
The workout is designed around the brutal conditions of Roberts Ridge. 10 rounds to represent the 10,000-foot elevation, with running that should gradually feel heavier in the legs to mimic the high-altitude slog through deep snow.
Here’s the story behind it.
MSgt John Chapman was a Combat Controller whose extraordinary heroism and self-sacrifice on a frozen mountaintop embodied the highest ideals of the Air Force.
In March 2002, during Operation ANACONDA in eastern Afghanistan, a small U.S. force was engaged in a desperate 17-hour battle on the 10,000-foot peak of Takur Ghar, now known as Roberts Ridge.
As the team attempted to rescue a fallen comrade, Navy SEAL Neil Roberts, they became pinned down by intense enemy fire from three directions.
Realizing the dire situation, Chapman broke cover to rush an enemy bunker. At high altitude and through three feet of deep snow, he charged a 16-degree slope and advanced 216 feet to engage the enemy at close range.
His actions suppressed the ambush, enabling his teammates to break contact and move to safety. He continued to fight until he was ultimately killed while defending his team.
Ten rounds for 10,000 feet in honor of MSgt John Chapman.
U.S. Air Force
