San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Vets stop at shrine during trek for mental health awareness
An intrepid group of veterans made a special stop at the Alamo on Saturday, part of their 1,000-mile walk across America, a 12-week trek designed to raise awareness of — and funds for— the mental health needs of vets.
The Walking With the Wounded Walk of America, which began in early June in Los Angeles and will end at ground zero in New York in September, is made up of six vets — half from the U.S., half from the United Kingdom — all of whom have borne the “invisible wounds” of war, such as traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder.
By the time the group reached the iconic site Saturday, it had racked up more than 200 miles in the overall tally. It was met by supporters from the local Wounded Warrior project and other well-wishers, including tourists who took time out to shake the vets’ hands and thank them for their service.
“I love San Antonio; it’s such a patriotic city,” said Marine Corps Sgt. Larry Hinkle, the lone Texan in the group. He hails from Gunter, a small town north of Dallas.
Hinkle, who served from
2000 to 2004 and was part of initial ground invasion of Iraq, said the goal of the walk was to make people — especially vets — aware there’s help for those suffering from PTSD, anxiety, depression and the other lingering effects of combat.
“More than anything, we want to make folks understand that invisible wounds are real
things,” he said. “And that life doesn’t have to be dark and gloomy. You can get through it, you just need to lean on your brothers and sisters. (Vets) can be prideful, sometimes to a fault.”
Hinkle, who lost comrades in combat as well as to suicide after their deployments, said a turning point for him was seeing all the love and support for vets on Facebook.
“One key is to surround yourself with supportive people,” he said. “And now here I am, walking 1,000 miles with these crazy Brits. They’re wonderful people, and we’re great allies from two different continents. We served together, so we should heal together.”
The walk, which is co-sponsored by Jill Biden and Prince Harry, will split all donations between veterans’ charities in the two countries. The walk doesn’t comprise a continuous route but rather individual walks in certain cities and locations — key military sites, national landmarks and the like.
In between the walks, the vets fly to the different destinations while the 10-12 person support team — crucial in providing all-important water — drives in a caravan.
On Friday, the vets had begun the Texas leg of the walk at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, where they visited the grave of Chris Kyle, of “American Sniper” fame. In San Antonio, the walk began at 7 a.m. at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
On Monday, the group will visit the USAA campus and walk 15 miles to BAMC, and then meet with vets from the Wounded Warrior Project. All costs of the walk are funded by a host of corporations, including Starbucks, Bank of America and the NFL.
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Adele Loar, the sole female in the group, experienced “survivor’s guilt” after an explosion killed some of her comrades in Iraq in 2006. She lost an eye and sustained moderate traumatic brain injury and shoulder damage. But the psychic wounds were the worst.
“I found myself unable to leave home, unable to sleep,” said Loar, who is from Rhode Island. “I was unaware there were nonprofits out there to help vets, that you don’t have to suffer in silence. After eight years, I finally got some help.”
As the group makes its way down roads and byways, people honk their horns, sometimes stop to shake hands and give donations, said Hinkle. That’s what buoys them along when the heat gets to be too much.
All six had to undergo physical tests and others screenings to join the group, he added.
Maj. John Mayhead of the British Army served alongside American forces in the fight in Afghanistan. In his first days with the walking group, he realized its members had much in common. He heard another vet talk about the pain of seeing a little girl killed in Afghanistan, collateral damage of the war.
“It’s OK to be affected by things like that, because they’re not good,” he said. “We need to talk about it more, to get better again, for ourselves and our families.”
Other stops in Texas will include the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and the Fallen Warriors Memorial in Houston.
Donations can be made online at WalkOfAmerica .com.