Group trekking across the country to raise awareness for veteran suicide

A group of four veterans is walking from San Diego, Calif. to Washington, D.C. in hopes of raising awareness for veteran suicide, and PTSD.

The group started on March 10, and made its way to Las Cruces on Wednesday.

“We all served. We’ve all had friends that have taken their own lives or have been seriously injured or killed in combat, veteran Paul O’Keefe said. “The epidemic of 22 veterans a day taking their own lives is just something that’s unacceptable and we want to try and raise some awareness for that.”

The veterans are part of the Mother of All Rucks Foundation. They each carry a ruck sack weighing close to 40 pounds.

“When we’re thinking maybe it’s a little bit rough, it’s not really actually too rough compared to what we’re walking for and what we’re doing,” veteran J.R. Conkright said.

Each member carries three liters of water with them. They’ve each gone through a pair of boots.

The goal is to reach Washington, D.C. by August and raise $250,000.

If you would like to help their cause, you can go to www.moarfoundation.org