Chris Starrs
Many college students regard their Winter Break as a time to relax, recreate and recharge over the Christmas holidays.
But Watkinsville resident Colton Kennedy isn’t like most college students. The Texas A&M sophomore – a member of Company H-1 in the school’s Corps of Cadets – is back home now, but prior to his return to Georgia he joined five other cadets in his unit to march a combined 1,000 miles to raise funds and awareness to a deserving foundation.
Kennedy, who graduated from Athens Academy in 2019, spent eight days in early December with his cadet colleagues as part of the Project Atlas Ruck March, now in its fourth year. The ruck march refers to the rucksack the cadets wear on their backs that holds extra clothing, food and water, and all four of the marches have collected money and raised awareness for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF).
By Amy Thompson
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets
Six members of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets are participating in their fourth annual Project Atlas Ruck March in support of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
The cadets will conduct a “ruck march” a cumulative distance of 1,000 miles from Zion National Park in Utah to Pagosa Springs over the course of eight days during the holidays.
The term “ruck march” is in reference to the rucksack carried on the backs of the cadets that holds their extra layers of clothing, food and water.
This ruck march will raise awareness and funds for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and educational counseling for the surviving children of Special Operations personnel killed in the line of duty.