At the dinner table, enjoying Mexican food are Warrior Hikers Clint Greer, Justin Wilson, J.T. Maxwell, John Harrah and Wade Stover.
By Mary Alice Murphy
A group of five Warrior Hikers "walking off the war," spent the night in Silver City, NM, Wednesday, April 27, 2016.
They met for a dinner of enchiladas, tamales and other Mexican delicacies at the home of Susie Jutson.
Photo: The five warrior hikers receive from Jim Zawacki of the VFW a Congressional Recognition from Vietnam War veteran Congressman Steve Pearce. From left are Stover, Harrah, Wilson, Greer, Maxwell and Zawacki.
The five warriors in this year's group are Clint Greer of Golden, Colo., Justin Wilson of Clayton, Indiana, J.T. Maxwell of Pasco, Wash., John Harrah of Huntington, W.Va., and Wade Stover of Great Falls, Mont.
Maxwell said the hikers are selected randomly by Warrior Expeditions, which is the organization that manages the hikes to the different trails, as well as to other outdoor opportunities.
"We apply and say which trail we want," Maxwell said. "We are five out of the 40 selected from the 400 who applied. Wade served in the Persian Gulf and Iraq; the rest of us served in Iraq or Afghanistan or a combination of the two. Four of us were in combat operations. John is a doctor and served as a medic."
The reason for the hikes is because nature is a therapy for those who have served in stressful situations. A study at Georgia Southern showed that a through hike, such as on the three major trails, the Appalachian, Pacific Crest and the Continental Divide trails help those with PTSD or other traumas of war. The hiking has a calming effect and is a good way to deal with the affects of war. Long-term it is the best way to reintegrate into society to be productive.
"It's a personal exploration," Maxwell said. "I have 3,100 miles to let it go. I think it will be a good thing for me. It's an opportunity to transition and 'walk off the war.'"
Sean Gobin, the founder of Warrior Expeditions, after returning home from deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, hiked the 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Recognizing the therapeutic effects of long-distance hiking, Gobin founded Warrior Expeditions to support combat veterans transitioning from their military service by participating in long-distance outdoor expeditions.
"It's most effective for me to get past the roadside bombs," Maxwell said.
Wilson said he never liked hiking in the Marine Corps, but "I wanted to be able to sleep under the stars, wear myself out and be able to sleep. It's a great way to get away from everyone. When I talked to Sean, I told him I wanted to get away from going to school and delivering pizzas."
Greer said he likes the physical and mental challenges of walking 15-20 miles a day. "I have two purple hearts and did three tours in Iraq. I've tried pills and psychotherapy. I've never been shy about going back out into nature."
He said the veterans usually walk separately with their own thoughts.
Harrah said he was [expletive deleted] up. "I did three combat tours as an emergency room doctor. I saw too many people die. It got so bad, I couldn't function, and I knew when it was time to walk away."
He said it takes long-term therapy to heal. "This is six months to get away from everything. It's purely physical. Right now, I couldn't do an office job, but I want to be able to function in a civilized society. I'm here to get myself put back together. This is a healthy alternative. Therapy and pills go only so far. I backpacked in Africa when I was in college, so I enjoy this activity. We just want to get better."
Maxwell noted that the CDT passes through Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park and end at Glacier National Park. "You know what you're doing is protecting part of what we fought for, so that the public has these places to visit."
Stover said he served in Desert Storm and Desert Shield on two one-year tours. "I always wanted to do a through hike. I walk everywhere at home by choice. All my relatives back to my grandfatherG