Ruck March takes Veterans on path to spiritual and mental resiliency

Veterans, their family members, caregivers, VA staff and the public were invited to Milwaukee VA Medical Center’s inaugural Spiritual and Mental Resiliency Ruck March on Thursday, May 4.

After registration, a moment of reflection and a good stretch led by Alexandra, a medical student with the Medical College of Wisconsin, participants set off with a backpack on a 2-mile prescribed route — at their own pace — across the VA campus.

At the first stop, and at additional resiliency points along the route, participants could opt to place a stone in their pack, representing things that limit our resilience.

On the second mile as they returned to those same resiliency points, they traded the stone for a resource that promotes healthy resilience skills.

“The Spiritual and Mental Health Resiliency Ruck march is aimed at educating, promoting and enhancing overall resiliency through connecting Veterans, families and staff with the valuable resources and resource partners that assist in healthy functioning,” said Milwaukee VA Chaplain Joe Sherwin, who led the planning team for this event.

At the conclusion of the walk, a variety of groups from VA and VA partners were available to provide additional resiliency resources to participants.

“This collaborative effort … is designed to harness the combined resources of the VA and its partners to empower resiliency efforts, assisting in a healthier lifestyle for our Veterans, their families and the staff,” said Sherwin.

U.S. Army Veteran Ozzie Broadhead, counselor with the Milwaukee Vet Center, said he was grateful to participate and be involved in events like this at the VA. He highlighted the importance of Veterans getting outside to improve their mental health.

“I really support physical activity whether it be exercise, yoga, softball or walking,” he said. “I think this (ruck march) allows that physical activity with added camaraderie and social connection.”

U.S. Air Force Veteran Donna Galik saw the event details posted on Milwaukee VA’s social media and convinced her son, U.S. Army Veteran Zak Galik to attend the event with her.

“She told me about the ruck march and I said, ‘Yeah’,” Zak said. “It was great to see the showing here of all the different services VA offers.”

Reflecting on why she felt called to take part in the event, Donna said military service, deployments and life experiences can be challenging for mental health. 

“You never know how things will affect people,” she said. “I think this is a nice step toward bringing us out to see each other.

“It’s hard to know what’s going on with someone if you can’t see them, especially over the last few years,” she said. “People may need help.”

U.S. Air Force Veteran Gary Cobb said he is a fan of a good long walk as well as reaching out to help others.

“I think it’s just one of those things that we need as humans, — to just have somebody in our corner and knowing that they are there for us,” he said.

“All the people at the resource tables around us and the people from the VA have come together to make this network of support,” said Cobb.

Chaplain Sherwin said he hopes to see a bigger, better ruck march in the future.

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