Saturday, September 19, 2026
Use these links to donate to this Great Cause.
Use the links below to Register and attend.
This Ruck March is to help raise awareness of the 22 veterans who commit suicide every day. In one year, we have lost more veterans to suicide than we have lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. The number of soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen coming home with TBIs, PTSD, etc., is too much for these men and women. We are still losing good men from the Vietnam Era as well.
Post 9545 Member Ryan Brazel Championed this cause in 2020 along with Past Commander John Forsythe for the Inaugural Walk. The success was tremendous, with the initial March raising of $15,000.00 for Project Headstrong. All net donations received at the Inaugural March went to Headstrong. Our 2nd Annual Walk in 2021 raised $11,599.00, and our 3rd Walk raised over $28,400. Ryan is again leading this Walk in 2026, and with your help, he hopes to raise even more this year for this great cause.
The Headstrong Project (Getheadstrong.org) is a non for profit organization that provides veterans with mental health care at no cost to them or their families.
The Headstrong Project is recognized by the VA (Veterans Affairs), meaning all mental health professionals’ notes and diagnoses are transferred to the VA for Veterans’ benefits. This, in turn, relieves the pressure on the VA, which is overwhelmed, understaffed, and underfunded.
Our goal this year is to surpass last year and raise more for this great cause.
FAQ:
WHAT IS A RUCK MARCH? A ruck march is a military term for a walk with a backpack.
DO I HAVE TO RUCK/HOW HEAVY SHOULD MY RUCK BE? We ask that you do what is best for you. If you choose to Ruck, carry what you know you’ll be able to carry safely.
If you just walk with us, please walk what you can. No distance is too small. If you wish to just come to the Commons to support, you can walk around the beautiful New Lenox Commons. Whatever you decide to do, PLEASE do not overload yourself to where you may get injured.
DAY OF:
The march will take place at the New Lenox, IL, commons, rain or shine. The route will go along Old Plank Road Trail, a walk, run, and bike path. Please be respectful to others on the path.
A signup sheet will be available for you to sign in.
Refreshment stations and Porta Potties shall be posted along the designated path.
PARKING is in the works.
Warriors Walk Event in the Commons: 1 pm.
No fee to participate.
DONATIONS:
If you decide to donate to our cause, you can do so as listed below.
MAKE ALL CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO VFW POST 9545 with a memo of Warriors Walk.
If you wish to pay online, please use the QR.
Disclaimer: NL VFW Post 9545 is a sponsor of this Ruck March and would like to thank all businesses that donate goods, Cash, or services. This includes The Village of New Lenox, New Lenox Police Department, New Lenox Fire District, New Lenox Emergency Services, and New Lenox Park District.
Visit our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vfwpost9545
https://www.facebook.com/Warriors Walk
The Warriors Walk is a free event which is a ruck march to help raise awareness for Veteran suicide prevention. Roughly every ninety minutes, a Veteran commits suicide. That equals a staggering 22 Veterans a day. In one year, more Veterans commit suicide then the total number killed in action during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Veteran suicide has long plagued the United States in its war on terror. It is estimated that in ten years of the US measuring suicide rates, the rates are comparable to those killed in action of the Vietnam War. The number of Veterans that returned with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), and other untreated diagnoses is too much for the service member to bear alone; they need your help.
The ruck march (walk) is a military term summed up as “a walk with a backpack”. It is a twenty mile walk that starts at 9:00am on the second Saturday every September in the New Lenox village commons (1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox IL). Each participant has the option to choose how far they would like to walk. The march heads east along Will County Forest Preserve’s Old Plank Road Trail towards Frankfort IL. The halfway point for each preselected distance will be marked along the trail for the turn-around and the marchers will finish back at the commons.
We ask that you do what is best for you. If you carry a ruck (loaded backpack), ensure you can handle it safely. If you choose to just walk with us, please just walk whatever distant you can and do not risk injury. If you are unable to physically do the walk, then we ask that you just be at the Village Commons in support of the ruck marchers as they being their long journey for the day. Below is the link for Will County’s interactive map of Old Plank Road Trail.
The Warriors Walk is seeking businesses to sponsor water stations, event tables, and swag.
0800-0900 check-in
0900 VFW Post Commander speech
0911 moment of silence
0915 20-mile marchers step off
0930 10-mile and below, marchers step off
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!