When Iraq War veteran Troy Yocum heard that a fellow vet had lost his house in this down economy, he decided to quite literally drum up support for struggling military families around the US.
Last month he began a 7,000 hike across the country while continuously beating on a small drum. The “Hike for our Heroes” aims to raise $5 million to help military families in need, says Yocum’s “Drum Hike” website.
The project, sponsored by nonprofit Soldiers’ Angels, aims to “spread the word that our American Heroes are fighting just as hard at home as they do overseas.”
Military families must deal with problems ranging from PTSD to physical disability to difficulty integrating back into civilian life. These issues can lead to a cascade of other logistical and financial troubles. As NPR reports, “mental health specialists say they’ve seen a lot of military families urgently in need of help. But nobody knows how many.”
As Yocum slogs through his 16-month journey, he will be joined by his pet, “Emerson Elaine Eskridge the Superdog” (Emmie for short), and fellow veterans of the Indiana National Guard “War Hawks” of the 151st Infantry, according to a press release. A Vietnam vet from the Yocum’s unit, “Purple Heart Parachutist” Dallas Wittgenfeld will parachute into spots along Yocum’s route with a giant American flag. Yocum and Dallas will stop together tomorrow at the Camp Atterbury Museum in Indiana to honor the 151st’s soldiers who fought in Vietnam.
Follow along with Troy and Emmie’s progress on the website, or keep up with Troy on Twitter. If so moved, make a donation toward his $5 million goal.
Photo via Drum Hike.