TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Josh Henderson, an Army veteran who was a staff sergeant and deployed to Iraq, is the founder of Sonoran Valor Respair. He’s walking with a SWAT officer about 150 miles from the Tucson VA to the Phoenix VA as part of what he’s calling the Desert Challenge Ruck. The journey spans five days, walking about 30 miles each day.
“Carrying a mental issue is like carrying a rucksack,” Henderson said. “It’s heavy, and a lot of times people don’t know how much weight is in it.”
After serving in Iraq, Henderson said he struggled with PTSD and depression. He founded Sonoran Valor Respair to help other veterans go through similar challenges.
“I felt like I kind of lost part of who I was, which was another reason for this organization,” he said. “A lot of us felt the same way.”
Henderson said he’s used resources like the VA’s hotline for help, but he wants to make sure others know what support is available.
“As the number of veterans grows, you hear more and more horror stories about maybe being put on hold or a line getting disconnected,” Henderson said. “We just need to make sure everyone is aware of what’s out there.”
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, more than six thousand veterans died by suicide each year from 2001 to 2022. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that in 2020, more than five million veterans experienced a behavioral health condition.
“Everybody kind of hits a point where they can’t do it themselves,” Henderson commented.
The walk is a way for Henderson and others to bond in the same way he bonded with his Army brother and sisters when he served.
“Three of us that are marching today, two of them have never met before, and now they know everything,” he said.
Along the way, the group is stopping to speak with people about mental health and raising donations for military members, veterans, first responders, and their families through peer support, community outreach, and other programs they offer.
“Our rucks are heavy, they’re cumbersome, and now people can see what we’re carrying,” Henderson said.
The Desert Challenge wraps up on October 31, but Henderson hopes to make it an annual event, and hopes to have more veterans joining next year, or even this year.
“We’re all carrying something,” Henderson said. “You don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to hide it. Talk to somebody.”
