On Dec. 20, University of California – Berkeley student Jose Gutierrez will be completing a 3-day, 120-mile ruck throughout Northern California.
Gutierrez is prior Army Psyop (psychological operations specialist) and will be commissioned as an Infantry Officer in May 2018.
His goal is to not only challenge himself but to raise money for a charity that hits close to home. His goal is to raise $10,000 for A Solider’s Child, an organization whose mission is to serve the children of military personnel who have lost their lives on active duty while defending the United States of America.
“I chose this charity because I grew up without a father and knowing that there are children out there that have lost a parent because of their service is more than enough reason to help them out. These children go through much more than their peers and deserve all of our attention and support,” Gutierrez told American Military News.
120 Mile Ruck for A Soldier’s Child (Facebook)
Gutierrez will have two other individuals joining him on the journey. The ruck will be tough to complete, especially in the Northern California terrain, but he is confident that his goal will be worth the struggle.
“I think the biggest challenge will be day two, when I feel sore for the first time in the march and my body starts telling me to go home. This will be the hardest day because my body will be wrecked and won’t see the end in sight,” Gutierrez told American Military News. “However, this won’t be as hard as growing up without a parent that sacrificed everything for this great country. Because of this, I am confident that I will push through and complete the ruck.”
He has also started a Go Fund Me page to raise money to donate to A Soldier’s Child. So far, he has received $315 in donations. Gutierrez hopes that if he meets his goal for A Soldier’s Child, he can donate to another charity, as well.
