Ruck march for the holidays

VICENZA, Italy — As a junior noncommissioned officer, Master Sgt. Chad Touchet had a young family and had difficulties making ends meet during the holiday season.

Now, recalling support he needed back then, Touchet lent a helping hand to the Soldiers and families through “Rucks-giving.”

Soldiers from the 207th Military Intelligence Brigade (Theater) packed their rucks full of nonperishable foods recently and hiked around Caserma Ederle— a demonstration of the brigade’s commitment to fitness readiness and community service. Rucksgiving combined the idea of ruck marching and Thanksgiving. The idea for the brigade event was conceived by Maj. Chaplain Sharon Brown and Col. Stephen Skells, commander of the 207th MIB(T), to address food insecurity among younger soldiers supporting multiple families.

The event culminated in making baskets for the hundreds of pounds of food collected during the Rucks-giving that will eventually make their way into the homes of Soldiers and families in need.

For Touchet, the Rucks-giving allowed for a time of reflection and appreciation during the holiday season.

“When you have the means and resources, it's important to go out and pay it forward to the other troops,” Touchet said. “Being able to contribute in this way, especially during the holiday season, speaks volumes about the camaraderie and support within our unit."

For Brown, her experience in giving back to young troops and their families in Fort Eustis with a food giveaway served as the catalyst for 'Rucksgiving.' Skells also remembers when he had a young family who struggled during the holiday season. Their shared experiences paved the way for an opportunity to support fellow soldiers, fostering both physical and spiritual fitness.

Brown hopes that Soldiers and their families understand that their organization cares about their lives in and outside the workplace, she said.

“I think this is a way for us to say to people, we see you, we hear you we're concerned about your basic needs and we appreciate everything that they bring to the fight,” Brown said.