One of the proudest moments of my time with the University of Alabama Campus Veterans Association was seeing the Governor of Alabama proclaim Operation Iron Ruck Day in Alabama.
Operation Iron Ruck brings student veterans and the community together around a ruck march. For anyone who hasn't done one, a ruck is a march carrying a weighted pack. It's hard and it's humbling, and doing it shoulder to shoulder with people builds a connection that's tough to find anywhere else.
Being recognized by the state
Having the state recognize the event meant a lot to all of us who worked on it. It wasn't about any one person. It was about the student veterans, volunteers, and supporters who show up every year. CBS 42 covered the proclamation, and I was grateful to get the chance to talk about what the event means. You can read their story here: The Governor of Alabama proclaims Operation Iron Ruck Day in Alabama (CBS 42).
The University of Alabama also wrote about the event: Building community: Operation Iron Ruck 2025.
If there's one thing I took from it, it's that veterans do best when we stay connected and keep serving something bigger than ourselves.
