Hi, friends. Today for Patriot Day (9/11), I would like to share some uplifting news. Patriot Day is a day we take time to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the September 11th terrorist attacks. It is also a time we honor the brave men and women who served and sacrificed their lives after the September 11th attacks. On Saturday, September 9, 2017, the Win for Warriors Foundation hosted their inaugural Patriot Ruck in Detroit. Read more about how the Patriot Ruck honored all military, veterans, and first responders who served during and after 9/11.

As you know, last week I shared a blog post about Marine Week. Each year, Marine Week is hosted by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and held in one U.S. city. This year, the military celebration was held in Detroit. It is a five-day celebration of Community, Country, and Corps where the public is invited to connect with Marines and learn more about the Marine Corps.

Many Marine Week events were open to the public and held throughout the week (September 6 – 10, 2017). Here are a few examples of the types of events which were featured at Marine Week.

  • Marine Corps Morning Workout: Detroiters were invited to participate in a military-style workout with the Marines at Cadillac Square.
  • Camp Schultz: Detroiters were invited to view USMC vehicles, aircraft, and artillery on display at the GM parking lot.
  • Marine Week Opening Ceremony: The Marine Band San Diego and the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performed at Opening Ceremony.
  • Marine Corps Leadership Seminar: Marines discussed leadership techniques and topics with students at the University of Michigan.

There were so many events scheduled for Marine Week that it was very hard for me to choose which events to attend because I wanted to go to all of them!

 

Patriot Ruck
Photo by J. Singleton

Patriot Ruck #rucktohonor

One event which I think is very noteworthy to mention is the Win for Warriors Foundation’s Patriot Ruck**(#rucktohonor). This very special event honored all of the military, veterans, and first responders who served and sacrificed their lives after the September 11th attacks.

Wins for Warriors Foundation was founded in 2016 by the Detroit Tiger’s pitcher Justin Verlander. According to the nonprofit organization’s official website, the purpose of Wins for Warriors Foundation is “to empower military veterans with a strong focus on family-bonding activities and collaboration with other organizations.”

[bctt tweet=”Great turnout at Patriot Ruck #rucktohonor in #Detroit with 400 people marching!” username=”goodlifedetroit”]

 

Great Turnout for the Patriot Ruck

The Patriot Ruck had a great turnout! Four hundred active and retired servicemen and women, first responders, and military supporters participated in the inaugural Patriot Ruck. What an inspiration!

Before the ruck march began, USMC Captain Skye Martin sang the National Anthem in Hart Plaza. Christie Williams, Executive Director of Wins for Warriors Foundation, and LtCol Brian Mulvihill, Inspector-Instructor, 1st Battalion, 24th Marines in Selfridge also remarked on the significance of the event because it was held before Patriot Day (September 11).

Patriot Ruck
Photo by J. Singleton

 

What is a ruck march?

The purpose of the military ruck marches is to prepare for foot travel with a combat load. For the Patriot Ruck, each participant wore a rucksack, or a weighted backpack, just like military servicemen and women wear for ruck marches. The marchers were also able to choose the distance they wanted to march, a 3-mile march or a 6-mile march, at the time of registration.

Now those rucksacks aren’t light! They can get pretty heavy. When my husband was active duty Army, he marched in several ruck marches. Just to give you a general idea of how heavy the rucksacks were, I asked my husband to tell me how much the rucksacks weighed when he was in the service. He told me the minimum weight was 35 pounds, while Special Forces trained with 70-pound rucksacks!

Patriot Ruck
Photo by J. Singleton

Love hearing positive community news!

I love hearing positive news stories, especially about the City of Detroit and the U.S. military! The Patriot Ruck was a great way to honor our brave heroes. It’s wonderful that so many people participated in the ruck march. And to add on to this positive community story, all of the proceeds from the Patriot Ruck will benefit local military and veterans through the Win for Warriors Foundation.

#NeverForget911

 

**Patriot Ruck was hosted in collaboration with Michigan Fitness Foundation and sponsored by Under Armour. 

Are you doing anything for Patriot Day in remembrance of September 11th?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by

Jennifer Hamra

Freelance creative Jennifer Hamra created her blog Good Life Detroit in 2015 after relocating from Tennessee to Southeast Michigan.

Inspired by her love for personal blogging and photography, Jennifer likes to share her favorite Detroit things, from cool places to visit (the hidden gems are her favorite!) to the amazing people she has connected with over the years.

When she's not busy juggling family life and her creative projects, you can find her at an art gallery, community event, farmers market, or spending quiet time at home with a good book and cup of tea.

Jennifer lives in the metro Detroit area with her husband Travis and their six children.

Connect with Jennifer on social media @goodlifedetroit on all social media platforms or via email at [email protected].