Sunday, May 5, 2024
Ruck Forward route map
PHOTO COURTESY OF YOGI JONES
This photo shows some of the participants in the 2019 Ruck Forward event.
For Tolar residents Mic and JoAnn Stephens, this time of year always stirs emotional memories of their soldier son, who was lost in the war in Afghanistan — Army Green Beret and Sgt. 1st Class Riley Stephens. This year is notable also because it marks one decade since the career soldier — Mic’s son and JoAnn’s stepson — was killed in action by small-arms gunfire during a battle on Sept. 28, 2012, in Wardak Province, Afghanistan.
In 2013, the inaugural Riley Run was held to honor the memory of Stephens, who was a special forces medic. The Riley Run continued as an annual event for five years. In 2017, a ruck event was also added to the schedule, also in honor of Riley’s 19-plus years of military service. The largest number of entrants for the event was 180, in 2020, but it was not held last year.
This year, the event is dubbed Ruck Forward (www.ruckforward.com) — a 22K and 5K ruck/walk through Granbury, set for Saturday, Oct. 1 —once again honoring the memory of Riley Stephens.
The 2022 event will also bring attention to the average of 22 military veterans nationwide who are lost each day to suicide, according to Blue Star Mom (mother of an active service member) Cathy Castro, who is spearheading and organizing the revival of the event. Castro’s son, Capt. Garrett Kirkpatrick, is stationed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. She suggested to Mic and JoAnn Stephens that they resume having the event in cooperation with the local Riley Stephens Memorial VFW Post 7835 Auxiliary (3670 W. U.S. Highway 377 in Granbury).
“I think it’s awesome that somebody cares enough about our military (to set up the event). Granbury has quite a few military retirees,” JoAnn Stephens said, adding that she was pleased with the inclusion of noting the suicide awareness aspect. “Riley was all about that.”
“The community has really come out (for the event),” Mic told the Hood County News. “We think it’s a great, great project. I’m really looking forward to this year’s event.”
The Department of Defense announced at that time that Riley’s death had pushed the U.S. death toll in the war in Afghanistan to the 2,000 mark.
“Ten years ago … It’s gone so quick,” JoAnn said.
The Stephens family also has another member who served for many years in the Army. Tolar resident Ken Stephens, Riley’s younger brother, retired in 2017 as a Military Police Sgt. 1st Class after 20 years.
“Ken will be in the lead,” JoAnn said of the start of this year’s ruck event.
Rucking, according to the website goruck.com, is “the action of walking with weight on your back. Walking with a weighted rucksack (backpack) is a low-impact exercise based on military training workouts.”
THAT SPARK’S BACK
As for not having the event in 2021, Mic said, “We were tired. It’s a lot of work. We’re more than glad to have it (again).”
JoAnn said, “We got the spark going again. It never did go out. It brings awareness. It’s the honorable thing to do, and it’s good for community spirit. It’s an uplifting thing for the military.”
Mic and JoAnn noted that “a couple of” Riley’s former special forces friends have told them they plan on being here for this year’s ruck, from states including Illinois, North Carolina and Florida.
The event will be family friendly, even welcoming all youth groups — plus moms with strollers and people with wagons to participate. Three different chapters of motorcycle groups have committed to participating in the event. Hood County resident John Taber will be on hand, playing his bagpipes.
As JoAnn said of Riley, “He told us not to mourn his death. He told us to have a party.”
MORE DETAILS
According to the news release, “The course will weave through the town of Granbury and then back to the VFW for the finish. The 5K will start at the Jim Burks Firefighters Memorial at 10:30 a.m., where you can meet up with the 22K to complete the last 5 kilometers together. Shuttles will be provided for those who want to park at the VFW where we will finish. There will also be emergency personnel available and water stations along the way.”
After finishing the run/walk at the Riley Stephens VFW Post 7835 (at 3670 W. U.S. Highway 377 in Granbury), a hot dog meal with chips and either Gatorade or water will be given to the participants. The meal cost is included in the entry fee, along with an event T-shirt.
Another attraction will be door prizes, including a wooden rustic flag wall-hanging, and a patriotic quilt gift basket made by a local church. Also, there will a cigar gift box contributed by a local business.
ENTRY FEE
The entry fee to either walk or run in the event is $30 per person, and registration will be open until the step-off start. The fee includes an event T-shirt, although shirts are not guaranteed after Sept. 15. T-shirts will also be available for purchase, at $25. Ninety percent of the funds raised will go toward the Hood County Fallen Veterans Memorial, and 10 percent of the funds raised will go toward the Riley Stephens Memorial VFW Post 7835 Auxiliary.
For active first responders from law enforcement agencies and fire departments, there is no entry charge.
“Please invite as many people as you can and help us show the strength, American spirit and community as we walk together to honor those who make our great country possible,” Castro stated by email.
