On October 1, 2019, John Ring, of the 48th Infantry Brigade, set out on foot from Tybee Island Pier in Georgia. His goal is to walk across the United States, bringing attention to veterans and the issues that are close to their heart, including PTSD, addiction, homelessness, TBI, MST, and Veteran suicide. It’s also designed to raise funds for the Buddy Watch program, a non-profit designed to construct tiny homes for veterans who are presently homeless. Just prior to Thanksgiving, U.S. Army Retired, MSG Jimmy Mathews joined Ring in Pearl, Mississippi. Together, they are walking the entire route, meeting other veterans in the process and sharing their story along the way. They entered their Texas leg of the journey on Saturday, January 4, 2020,
The full schedule and locations for the Buddy Watch Walk, which Ring and Mathews have named it, is available at the Facebook link provided here. Those who are interested in following their journey can also do so via Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. They entered Texas walking Highway 80 to Dallas, making stops in 10 places along the way. They’re scheduled to reach the DFW area by the 17th of January, and will carry on through the Lone Star State making 38 additional stops, exiting Texas at El Paso on March 13, 2020.
Photo: Facebook/Buddy Watch Walk – Pier to Pier
The two veterans have chosen to make this walk across the U.S. in an effort to draw attention to what veterans experience upon returning home. They’re sharing their story and meeting other veterans in the process, on a journey for which the concept developed just a few short years ago. Together they will cover 2,462 miles from the east coast to the west coast, finishing at Santa Monica Pier in May. Mathews began following Ring first on social media and chose to join the walk as a result. He said that, for him, the Buddy Watch Walk is practically like therapy, having dealt with PTSD, homelessness, and addiction.
Photo: Facebook/Buddy Watch Walk – Pier to Pier
“A lot of people have been reaching out saying we’re inspiring them, so maybe we can spark the interest in their community so hopefully they can start programs like this to raise money to start the tiny homes,” Mathews told myarklamiss.com. “In the process of meeting a variety of people in the journey across the country, Ring has also chosen to get a tattoo in each state, commemorating the journey. He’s also invited anyone who is interested in joining them along the way to walk for an hour, a full day, or the entire Buddy Watch Walk if they so choose. Further details on locations and rest days can be found at the link available here.
