The Disabled Veteran Empowerment Network (DVEN) announced its Rally4Vets program that will conduct a cross-country drive on the newly designated National Medal of Honor Highway to raise awareness about veteran suicide and suicide prevention.
This drive supports the American Legion’s “Be the One” campaign, which, according to spokesperson Tiffany Vaughn aims to save the lives of veterans by encouraging communities to take action.
The team leader is Robert Hess, the founder of Rally4vets. Colonel (Lieutenant Colonel, Retired) Hess, is a 90% disabled Vietnam combat veteran, and included in his many awards is the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster which he earned during his tours of duty in Vietnam.
He will make the drive in a specially-equipped C6 Corvette featuring the DVEN suicide awareness logo. Veterans and supporters are encouraged to join the Rally4Vets team at various points along the route. The journey’s progress will be tracked in real-time online via the DVEN blog and social media feeds (@Rally4Vets on Instagram and Facebook).
The cross-country drive on the National Medal of Honor Highway (U.S. Highway 20), the longest continuous highway in the United States, stretching over 3,000 miles from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts, aims to raise awareness about the high rates of suicide and PTSD among veterans and to highlight available resources for prevention and support.
According to the Vietnam Veterans of Americas’ website, “The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military medal for valor and bravery, historically honoring the “bravest of the brave.” Since the Civil War, 3,511 servicemen and one woman have received the honor, and 64 are still living today. Of those 64 surviving Medal of Honor recipients, 44 are Vietnam veterans. Nationwide recognition of their service and honoring of their sacrifice is of the utmost importance to VVA and to all Vietnam veterans. The surviving Vietnam MOH recipients, making up a whopping 69% of the total surviving recipients, represent an entire generation of Vietnam servicemembers who didn’t receive the welcome home and the recognition they deserved.”
The drive begins August 2nd at American Legion Post 291 in Newport Harbor, California and concludes August 23rd at the National Museum of the United States Army, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Stops along the route include Newport, OR on August 4
According to Vaughn, “An average of 22 veterans die by suicide each day, with many more suffering from PTSD. The 2024 Rally4Vets Be The One Tour aims to unite communities in support of veterans and raise awareness about the critical resources available to them. This drive is a call to action for all Americans to support veteran mental health initiatives and prevent veteran suicides.”
