by Sean Malcom
Corvallis High School graduate and current ROTC cadet at Carroll College, Landen Conner, will be conducting a 22-mile ruck march to raise awareness about Veteran suicide in the Bitterroot Valley.
Conner hopes to use the march as a fund-raiser for the local non-profit, Veteran’s Victory Alliance (VVA) based out of Sula. VVA’s mission is to offer veteran and first responder programs a rustic and comfortable Montana ranch facility for programs to conduct activities focused on personal and team wellness.
“Operation 22” will begin at Robert Anthony Leonardi (RAL) Trail off Golf Course Road in Hamilton, on June 17 at 6 a.m. The 22-mile route snakes through and around Hamilton, culminating at the Veterans Monument located in Hieronymus Park.
Conner decided to take action when a soldier based out of Fort Harrison took their own life last fall. “It hit pretty close to home,” he said.
Conner said the more research he did the more he found out how big of an issue veteran suicide is. “Just getting to meet more soldiers in the past few years since being at Carroll. I don’t come from a military family, and I didn’t realize how pervasive suicide was.”
According to the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), in 2020, the suicide rate for veterans was 57.3 percent greater than for non-veteran U.S. adults.
These statistics are what inspired Conner to conduct the ruck march. “To show every single veteran in the valley that their sacrifices are appreciated, that they are cared for by the community and that the next generation of military officers wants to honor those who came before,” he said.
Conner says he really wants to help do what he can to help put an end to this crisis. So, after contacting the VA in Hamilton directly, Conner was eventually linked up with the Valley Veterans Service Center in Hamilton who put him in contact with VVA. VVA is currently in the process of fundraising to finish improvements on a wheelchair-accessible bathroom at their 17-acre ranch in Sula. The ranch is used as a venue to host veteran and first responder groups.
Conner is hoping to get sponsors for his ruck march to help raise funds for VVA’s cause. He will be carrying a 35-pound rucksack, and inside will be a memorial brick for another veteran who took his life. This brick will be placed in the Honor Garden at VVA’s ranch in July.
Conner is currently a junior studying pre-med at Carroll College with plans to attend medical school before commissioning as an Army officer.
For more information, to donate, sponsor or to see a map of Conner’s route visit veteransvictoryalliance.org. You can also contact Conner directly at rclanden7@gmail.com