MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA) will welcome student Veterans from the University of Alabama and Auburn University involved in Operation Iron Ruck on Tuesday, November 16 at 9 a.m. to announce a partnership with the student Veteran-led event and gift donations for the ruck march.
The four-day, 151-mile ruck march from Tuscaloosa to Auburn will take place November 24-27. The 22-pound rucksacks carried by each participant contains donated items that the students will deliver to Mission 22, Tuskegee Veteran’s Assisted Living Centers and Three Hots and a Cot. Operation Iron Ruck is led by Slade Salmon of The University of Alabama and Auburn University’s Clayton Buchanan.
Operation Iron Ruck, which raises awareness for Veteran suicide prevention, recently became a partner of Alabama’s Challenge for Preventing Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families. The suicide prevention campaign is comprised of numerous state departments, including ADVA, the Governor’s Office, the Alabama Legislature, the Alabama National Guard, and numerous nonprofits.
