Injured Veterans Ruck with Wounded Warrior Project Comrades

SAN ANTONIO, July 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- One of the major challenges many wounded veterans face when returning to civilian life is maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. That's why Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) hosts physical health and wellness events around the nation, not just to get warriors moving again but to connect them with other local warriors who share their life experiences. Recently, injured veterans challenged themselves and connected during a ruck march.

"It was definitely great to be part of, and struggle, as a team again," said Air Force veteran Jeremiah Patterson. "It doesn't sound significant, but for me it was. That camaraderie is something I miss since being out of the military."

Rucking is an exercise routine that has gained popularity in recent years, especially among veterans who have transitioned to civilian life. The fitness regimen involves marching, hiking, or running with a weighted backpack, usually with a moderate to heavy weight, and according to the Go Ruck website (http://www.goruck.com/how-to-ruck/), the ideal pace is 15 minutes per mile.

"I decided to ruck with 20 pounds, which doesn't seem like much," Jeremiah said.  "But after having it on my back for the first hour, I could feel my back muscles getting a workout. We carried our weighted backpacks over our heads for extended periods of time while walking in formation. Our arms were straight and elbows locked, and other times we had our packs resting on our heads. You definitely get a killer upper body workout. I loved it."

In addition to WWP's physical health and wellness programs, it serves warriors through life-saving programs and services targeting mental health, career and benefits counseling, and support for the most severely wounded. WWP connects warriors with one another, their families, and communities.

"Wounded Warrior Project has helped me with more than just connecting with other warriors and getting back in shape," Jeremiah said. "They've also helped me file my total and permanent Department of Veterans Affairs benefits paperwork. What amazed me was that the wait time was about six weeks. Every claim I have had in the past has taken months. I'm forever grateful for that."

To learn more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project