WALK FOR VETS
Raising Awareness of Veteran Issues
'“America without her soldiers would be like God without his angels”. by Claudia Pemberton
“You know, I’m pro-troops, but I’m not pro-war”. by Toby Keith
“There is nothing nobler than risking your life for your country”. by Town & Country Magazine
MISSION
Walking and raising awareness to the plight of Veterans, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST), addiction, homelessness, benefits and the epidemic of suicide among service members and our veterans.
WalkforVets.org was founded from Buddy Watch Walk in 2019 and is an established LLC in Hilton Head Island, SC. After walking over 6,600 miles in 36 states across the U.S., our mission continues by supporting other Veterans and Advocates as they walk to raise awareness of the issues plaguing veterans and service members. We also organize small walks, and some big ones in various locations across the country. In 2022. U.S. Navy Veteran and original Buddy Watch Walk participant Jason Hanner, walked across his home state of Nebraska.
“Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives’’. by John Adams
WalkforVets, formerly Buddy Watch Walk, began as one man’s passion to bring awareness to the issues that veterans face every day which can ultimately lead them to giving up. It has now become the mission of people all over the United States.
John Ring began the journey on the Tybee Island Pier in Georgia On October 1, 2019, and Jimmy Mathews joined him in Pearl, Mississippi on November 18, 2019. Jason Hanner walked for a week in East Texas and joined them again El Paso, Texas. Eli Hawkins joined in Tucson, Arizona. Paco Baltazar walked with them in Phoenix, Arizona, and in Santa Monica.
They concluded a 2,500 mile walk west on June 14, 2020 in Santa Monica, California. A 601 mile walk east from Jackson, Mississippi to Tybee Island, Georgia was completed on December 2, 2020. Bernadette Meehl and Joey Dannelley hosted a day walk on December 23, 2020 in Dover, Delaware. Together, they are working to bridge the gap between the civilian and military worlds and raise awareness of veteran issues such as mental health, PTSD, homelessness, unemployment, MST, TBI, addiction, and suicide. Veterans need to know that they haven’t been forgotten. Reach out and help change the statistic!
In 2022, we launched #22states22days. We walked 2.2 miles at 22 state capitals in 22 consecutive days.
On October 1, 2023, we launched a cross country walk from Key West, Florida to San Diego, California. The walk was completed on March 23, 2024. The mission, present a U.S. Flag from Flags of Honor Escorts to David Osborne on the bow of the USS Midway in San Diego. David’s dad, Steven Osborne, was a U.S. Marine combat Veteran. On March 10, 2022, Steven took his own life due to his wounds within. Steven’s last request was to share his story so it could help other Veterans overcome their wounds.
what’s next:
On Saturday, May 17, 2025, there is a 2.2 mile walk in Spirit Lake, Idaho. This will be Rob Street’s 3rd annual walk for Veteran suicide awareness.
We still have to plan a walk from Normandy to Berlin. Our original plan changed due to COVID for 2022. As of now, we are looking at 2027.
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“In your darkest hour, when the demons come, call on me brother/sister, and we will fight them together”. Unknown
“I will always place the mission first. I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. I will never leave a fallen comrade.” The Army Warrior Ethos
“Brave men rejoice in adversity, just as brave soldiers triumph in war”. by Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Goldstar wife, Mrs. Patricia Barbee, WalkforVets.org and the City of Selma, Alabama walking over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in honor of U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. John W. Barbee KIA August 6, 1968 (Vietnam).
“Home of the free, because of the brave.” Unknown
HomelessNess, Unemployment, & Addiction
37,085 Homeless Veterans (2019)
Veteran Unemployment Rate 2.9%
3.5% (Marijuana) 1.7% (Illicit Drug Use) 10.7% (Heroin) and just over 6% (Cocaine)
Suicide & MST (Military Sexual Assault)
More than 20 Veterans commit suicide daily
MST: 1 in 4 Female veterans and 1 in 100 male veterans report experiencing MST (By % women are at greater risk of MST)
PTSD, TBI, & Mental Health Issues
PTSD: 11-20% (Iraqi & Enduring Freedom), 12% (Gulf War), 15% (Vietnam Veterans)
TBI: 82.3 % of Veterans have suffered atleast one TBI
30% of active duty and reserve deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have a mental health condition.
Gold Star Families
A Gold Star Family is the immediate family member(s) of a fallen service member who died while serving in a time of conflict.
Veteran Resources
We walk to raise awareness to the many hurdles that veterans face on a daily basis. To overcome these hurdles we want to link you to the organizations and programs available for you and your family. We have teamed up with several organizations all over the U.S., if you seek help, please call 912-272-9347.