Sarah Chase / TPI Operation Iron Ruck Foundation board chair Kyle Venable shares the origin of the organization as it is taking on the fight against the veteran suicide epidemic.
No one knows what the hardships of transition are like for a veteran after service more than a fellow veteran.
Operation Iron Ruck Foundation board chair Kyle Venable visited Lake Martin - Dadeville Area Kiwanis Club members to share the purpose and mission behind the organization. Operation Iron Ruck Foundation started as a single student-led event — walking 151 miles between Auburn University and The University of Alabama during the time of the Iron Bowl to raise awareness about the veteran suicide epidemic. The walk includes carrying a 22-pound rucksack backpack for the estimated 22 veterans that take their lives per day. The backpacks are filled with items donated to local veteran nursing homes, and 22 people each wear a dog tag around their necks. The foundation is now a nonprofit organization on a mission to combat the veteran suicide epidemic through connection, advocacy, awareness, funding and building sustainable and accessible solutions for veterans.
Sarah Chase / TPI Operation Iron Ruck Foundation board chair Kyle Venable shares the origin of the organization as it is taking on the fight against the veteran suicide epidemic.
