22 Miles For 22 Veterans
“It’s one of the best choices I ever made,” said John Carter. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
The choice the Farmingdale resident is referencing is the moment in 2000 when Carter’s 19-year-old self enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
For a portion of his eight-year service, Carter was assigned the Third Battalion, Second Marines for the 2003 invasion of Iraq where he was a part of Task Force Tarawa and The Battle of An Nasiriyah. It was during that battle when Carter witnessed the loss of 18 men in the First Battalion, Second Marines. But 10 years after completing his service duties, the Virginia native still feels the pain of losing fellow servicemen.
There is a widely-quoted statistic stating that each day an estimated 22 veterans lose their internal battle to the demons they took home with them after fighting in war. While the true amount may be less, it does not make the veteran suicide rate any less important.
In honor of those veterans who have lost their lives, this Saturday, Nov. 10—the 243rd anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Marines—Carter will be walking at 7 a.m. along Route 25A from American Roadside Burgers in Smithtown to Calverton National Cemetery.
This year’s walk will be Carter’s third 22-mile journey. His first walk in 2016 took him from Eisenhower Park to Smithtown in 10 hours and his second walk this past Memorial Day from Smithtown to Calverton in nine and a half hours. With cooler weather, Carter estimates this year’s journey to take between seven and eight hours.
“It’s all mental,” he said of the arduous trek. “As long as you can keep your head where it needs to be, keep your focus on something else, don’t focus on the pain.”
Having gained attention from those driving by during previous walks, Carter hopes to raise more widespread awareness of the reason he’s making such a trip on-foot. This year, he set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the Long Island-based nonprofit Heroes Among Us. Started by Virginia Cervasio after losing her son, a U.S. Air Force veteran, to suicide in 2006, the organization is dedicated to providing assistance to veterans; they provided Carter with financial assistance when he was seeking therapy.
“This is my way of paying her back and the organization that she has,” explained Carter, who also emphasized that anyone looking to support Heroes Among Us may donate to the GoFundMe or donate directly to the nonprofit through www.HeroesAmongUs24.org.
A medical support assistant at the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Carter fully dedicates his time to helping those who have seen and lived through circumstances similar to his own.
“I’m in a place where I’m just as messed up as a lot of the guys that are here. I can sit down with them and talk with them,” he said. “You really learn to connect with some of these guys who are from different eras, it’s really nice.”
As he prepares to set out for his third walk, Carter anticipates to be joined by a few friends and welcomes anyone to come along, no matter how far they will walk for.
“Whether you’re doing it for a mile or 22 miles, if you need somebody to talk to, that’s what we’re going out there for—to raise awareness,” Carter said. “If I can get somebody to not pull that trigger and have them come out there and join me, I’ve done my job.”
To learn more about John Carter and his awareness walk, visit www.facebook.com/22VetsNoMore. Support his GoFundMe for Heroes Among Us at www.gofundme.com/22-vets22-miles.
