Iron Ruck Calls Attention to Vet Suicide

Alabama and Auburn may be enemies on the field each year in the Iron Bowl but off the field there is an enemy the two schools join together to fight - veteran suicide. They do that in an event called "Iron Ruck". This year's goal is to raise $50,000.

A ruck is a foot march, also known as ruck marching, or “rucking” for short based on a military workout,

Gov. Kay Ivey has declared today as "Operation Iron Ruck Day" across the State of Alabama. During ceremonies at the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs in Montgomery Ivey talked about mental health issues leading to suicide among veterans in Alabama. “We are actively working to eradicate this epidemic," she said as student veterans participating in the march and other veterans looked on.

Iron Ruck raises awareness and funds for veteran suicide prevention by student veterans, veteran alumni and ROTC members from The University of Alabama and Auburn University rucking 151 miles from the away team’s stadium to the home team’s stadium.

Participants will wear 22 name tags to represent the 22 veteran lives lost to suicide every day back in 2018 when they started the movement during the Iron Bowl. Since then, the suicide rate has fallen to 17 deaths per day.

Interim Veteran's Affairs Commission Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Newton has joined veteran's advocates in calling on Alabama lawmakers to get behind the Houston Hunter Bill. If passed, it would create a program where veterans can store their firearms with businesses, which would register as federal firearm licensees.

Participants will join together for Thanksgiving lunch Thursday in Deatsville. They will then make a stop at the National Guard Armory in Centreville Friday. Saturday the ruck will proceed from Tuscaloosa Academy to Bryant-Denny Stadium to deliver the game ball to officials at the 50-yard line.