Wing’s new JAG warms up for challenge

  • Published
  • By Katie Christian
  • 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH --  The 419th Fighter Wing's new judge advocate general, Maj. Elizabeth Shifrin, is hitting the ground running - quite literally. Not only is she involved in the legal affairs of the Air Force Reserve and her local community, she is also an avid marathon runner.

After running competitively throughout high school and college, Major Shifrin continued to run on her own. She joined the Air Force in 2000, attended law school in Colorado and joined the AF Reserve in 2004. After the birth of her first daughter in 2003, she took a break from running until recently.

"Two years ago, I woke up one day and realized I really missed running and I wanted to go back to it. I started training really hard again and I have competed in lots of races," she said.

This year alone, she will have run in a total of 13 races around the country, including the Air Force Marathon at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio, which was held Sept. 18.

"The race went really well. At the twentieth mile I twisted my ankle, but I wasn't going to let that stop me, and I finished in the top 25 percent," Major Shifrin said.

Major Shifrin, who married an Air Force JAG and has two daughters, knows it's important to have support.

"My husband is very supportive of watching the kids because I travel a lot to compete in races," she said.

So far, she has completed the Arizona, Dallas, and San Diego Rock 'n' Roll races, which are marathons and half-marathons that feature bands along the racecourse to provide entertainment and a party atmosphere. She also competed in two "Muddy Buddy" races in May and August where competitors ride bikes and run, anywhere from seven to nine miles.

"They make it a surprise and won't tell you how long it actually is, but the entire thing is through the mud," she said.

In June, she also ran to support the local community in Colorado where she resides by taking part in the 10K Greenwood Village GooseChase.

"The reason I ran that race is because I am the presiding judge of the Greenwood Village Municipal Court and I'm a criminal court judge. It's just my local race for my city," Major Shifrin said.

"The hardest race for me this year was the Breckinridge Mountain Crest Half-Marathon. Basically, I ran up to 12,500 feet to crests eight and nine of Breckinridge Mountain," she said. "I literally ran to the top of a mountain and I ran right back down. It was a very hard race, but I finished."

In addition to being a competitive runner, the major has an extensive legal background which includes active duty assignments as chief of legal assistance, chief of civil law, chief of environmental law and chief of military justice.

Major Shifrin believes one of the most important roles she has as JAG is to integrate herself into the 419th Fighter Wing and be easily approachable. As a traditional reservist, even though she only travels from Colorado one weekend a month, she plans to mentor Airmen on their PT tests.

"If I can get out there with them and run their PT tests, I can get them through it and pace them so they get the time they need to pass," she said.

Running initially started out as a hobby, but has taken on new significance.

"Honestly, the reason for running is the Air Force fitness test that we are required to do. Fitness is not an every-six-months type of thing. Either you are fit, or you're not," Major Shifrin said.

"Fitness is at the core of what we do," she said. "That's why you have to take fitness to a whole new level. Maybe if I'm out there running, it will inspire people to keep fit as well."