(L-R) PVT. Damien Pennigton, SGT. Bryce Battershell, both from Mariposa, California and SSG. Ernesto Jimenez from Stockton, California
This article was originally published on August 31, 2010.
November 13, 2015 - On Saturday afternoon August 28, 2010 three soldiers finished a sixty mile, six day ruck march through Yosemite National Park as they marched down the Yosemite Falls trail and to the Visitors Center in Yosemite Valley. Soldiers PVT. Damien Pennigton, SGT. Bryce Battershell, both from Mariposa, California and SSG. Ernesto Jimenez, from Stockton, California were making this march to promote the Wounded Warrior Project.
The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors.
1) To raise awareness and enlist the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women.
2) To help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and...
3) To provide unique, direct programs and services to meet the needs of severely injured service members.
The three U.S. Army Soldiers began their march on Monday, August 23, 2010 at 9:00 A.M. after having a hearty breakfast at the Wawona Hotel in Wawona. They had scheduled to walk ninety miles but so many back country hikers stopped to talk to them about the Wounded Warrior Project and to donate to the cause that the soldiers calculated they covered about sixty miles before hustling down the Yosemite Falls trail on that Saturday afternoon to keep the 3:15 P.M. rendezvous with family, friends and well wishers.
SSG. Ernesto Jimenez mentioned that many people were very supportive and gave words of encouragement to the soldiers on the trail and that he would do anything to help out his brothers and sisters that have been hurt. SGT. Bryce Battershell said that after hearing about the Wounded Warrior Project on the radio he thought it would be a good idea to have a march for the charity through Yosemite National Park. He also said the march was in the planning stages for around eight to ten months before the march began last Monday. PVT. Damien Pennigton said that soon he will be attending basic training in South Carolina.
At the end of the march the soldiers were presented with BBQ'd steaks along with all the trimmings and several different kinds of deserts including multiple cakes. The soldiers wives and children gathered close to them to hear about their adventures on the trail.
Nancy Cook, Project Coordinator for this march pinned a Wounded Warrior badge on each of the soldiers as they stood next to the American Flag.
A Ruck March is a march where a soldier carries a full pack weighing around 50-60 pounds.
