By Amy Thompson
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets
Six members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets are participating in their fourth annual Project Atlas Ruck March in support of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
The cadets will conduct a “ruck march” a cumulative distance of 1,000 miles from Zion National Park in Utah to Pagosa Springs over the course of eight days during the holidays.
The term “ruck march” is in reference to the rucksack carried on the backs of the cadets that holds their extra layers of clothing, food and water.
This ruck march will raise awareness and funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and educational counseling for the surviving children of Special Operations personnel killed in the line of duty.
Each cadet will march a portion of the 1,000 miles throughout the eight days. This year’s fundraising goal is $16,000. Over the past three years, the cadets conducting the Project Atlas Ruck March have raised more than $33,000.
Read more on Corps News at https://corps.tamu.edu/texas-am-cadets-to-march-1000-miles/.
Six members of Company H-1 in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets include:
• Ethan Lochner (senior).
• Taylor Elliott (senior).
• Wyatt Vance (junior).
• Zachary Cross (sophomore).
• Colton Kennedy (sophomore).
• Bryce Buchanan (sophomore).
The group members will begin their ruck march in Zion National Park, Utah, on Dec. 9 and end in Pagosa Springs on Dec. 17.
Timeline
Dec. 9: Complete hike through Zion National Park.
Dec. 10: Ruck March to Big Water, Utah.
Dec. 11: Ruck March around rim of Lake Powell, Utah/Ariz.
Dec. 12: Ruck March east of Page, Ariz.
Dec. 13: Ruck March to Navajo National Monument, Ariz.
Dec. 14: Ruck March through Monument Valley, Utah.
Dec. 15: Ruck March through Mesa Verde National Park, Colo.
Dec. 16: Ruck March through Durango.
Dec. 17: Ruck March through Pagosa Springs.
Updates about the Project Atlas Ruck March will be posted on social media. Follow along at @aggiecorps on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, @tamucommandant on Facebook and Twitter, or @projectatlasrucks on Instagram and Facebook.
Additional information about the Project Atlas Ruck March, the Special Warrior Operations Foundation, and a link to give to the campaign can be accessed at https://give.specialops.org/campaign/project-atlas-ruck-4/c312963.
