Alabama students raise awareness for veteran suicide in march from Tuscaloosa to Auburn

Student veterans in Alabama began a more than 150-mile ruck march on Wednesday from Tuscaloosa to Auburn to raise awareness for the estimated 17 veterans lost to each day to suicide.

The fourth annual Operation Iron Ruck — which features students from the University of Alabama and Auburn University — kickstarted outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium Wednesday in Tuscaloosa and will conclude Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn just before the rival schools’ football teams face off in the Iron Bowl.

The 72-hour march consists of marchers from both schools, most carrying a 17-pound rucksack containing donated items that will be given to charities which benefit Alabama veterans.

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University of Alabama Veterans Association President Slade Salmon and Auburn University Student Affairs Association President Clay Buchanan are spearheading the effort.

Student veterans march from Auburn to Tuscaloosa during the Operation Iron Ruck march in 2020.
(Slade Salmon)

“The event spans the course of three days, and our objective is to raise public awareness of veteran suicide, with the secondary objective of raising donations for national, state and local veteran charity organizations,” Salmon told Fox News about the march.

Salmon said the event is “a way for us to memorialize the 17 veterans who die everyday due to suicide” and noted that he uses the event to reconnect with those he served with.

“I’m not great at staying in touch with a lot of people I served with, but I make an effort to reach out during this time,” Salmon said. “Isolation is a major factor in veteran suicide. Reaching out to those we served with could be the catalyst in saving a life.”

Operation Iron Ruck recently partnered with Alabama’s Challenge for Preventing Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families.

“Many veterans, myself included, personally know…