Ruck hikes at Texas state parks aim to raise awareness about veterans' mental health struggles – KERA News

Ruck hikes at Texas state parks aim to raise awareness about veterans’ mental health struggles  KERA News

State parks across Texas are hosting ruck hikes to help raise awareness about the mental health struggles many veterans face. To raise awareness of the mental health struggles many veterans face, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is hosting a series of ruck hikes throughout Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month this September. Traditionally, a ruck hike is a way to build relationships and comradery in the military; a ruck being a term for a pack of supplies usually carried on your back. "You can carry some weight on your back or in a pack if you like, but you don't have to," says Nicole Mechler, TPWD's military liason.

Mechler told NTX Now's Ron Corning that in the past, these hikes have been a great way for family and friends to gather and remember loved ones that died from suicide. "They bring out pictures, they bring their memories and just come out to have a good time and support others that are maybe dealing with this pandemic that we're having with our mental health and our veterans," she said. According to the Veteran's Affairs 2025 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, nearly 6,400 veterans died from suicide in 2023 — the most recent year data has been analyzed. The report shows that veteran suicides decreased compared to 2022, but emphasized the