The U.S. Army Operational Test Command may be a small unit located at West Fort Hood, but the hearts of its Army Ten-Miler team are as big as the skies over Central Texas.

The team of five men and one woman placed third in the government agency category at the 26th annual Army Ten-Miler race that kicked off the 2010 Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington, D.C., the last week of October. The largest 10-mile road race in the world, the Ten-Miler starts and finishes at the Pentagon. More than 30,000 runners registered this year.

The command's team was composed of Maj. Loren Todd, Fires Test Directorate, Fort Sill, Okla.; Pete Laky, deputy operations chief, Fort Hood; Capt. James Simpson, Headquarters and Headquarters Command leader, Fort Hood; Mike DiGennaro, Test Technology Directorate, Fort Hood; Capt. Harold Price, Battle Command and Communication Test Directorate, Fort Hood; Maj. Christine Youngquist, Battle Command and Communication Test Directorate, Fort Hood; and her husband, Chief Warrant Officer-3 John Youngquist.

Team placement is based on the combined times of the first four team members to cross the finish line, according to Ten-Miler rules. The team's time of 4:49:02 was more than six and a half minutes ahead of the next team in their category, team captain DiGennaro said.

Individual times were recorded officially: Todd, 32, 1:03:53; Laky, 48, 1:06:32; DiGennaro, 52, 1:19:35; Price, 32, 1:25:08; J. Youngquist, 42, 1:38:52: and C. Youngquist, 37, 1:43:15.

"OTC team members primarily trained individually, using 5K and 10K local races to sharpen their speed in preparation for the Ten-Miler," DiGennaro said. "We're already looking forward to next year's race."

Registration for the 2011 Army Ten-Miler starts in April, DiGennaro said, and instructions will be posted soon on the command's intranet site. Team members also provide support to the Army Test and Evaluation Command's display during the meeting's technology exhibition, he said.

"The number of runners from OTC interested in participating will determine the number and category of teams to be entered in the race, training activities and qualifying runs," DiGennaro said.

"We're proud of all four teams that represented Fort Hood," said Betty Price, Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce vice president who attended the annual meeting and took photographs at the race. "We're particularly proud of the two Fort Hood teams who placed."

The Fort Hood Mixed Masters, composed of male and female runners older than 40, placed first in the Over 40 category. They were awarded a trophy and the command's team received a plaque to display in unit areas.

"I'm so very proud of our Ten-Miler team," said Brig. Gen. Don MacWillie, who leads the command. "OTC is a prime example of soldiers and civilians working together to support the service members who defend our nation.

"Just as they work together, they compete together and have fun together. We couldn't be nearly as successful if we didn't have the support of the Central Texas communities that surround Fort Hood, and it was a big boost to see so many of our neighbors turn out for the race."

The Army Ten-Miler is designed to promote the Army, build esprit de corps, support fitness goals and enhance community relations, according to information from the Association of the United States Army.