Veterans ride to D.C. for killed, missing military

Our nations’ veterans are committing suicide at an alarming rate — 22 servicemen and women take their own lives daily, according to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

This year, the Run for the Wall is adding those veterans to its list of honorees.

They call him “mustache”. Army Sgt. Steve Lieb spends time prepping his ‘stache to make sure it doesn’t move, while *he does.

“I use gel and freezing hairspray and a blow dryer and 45 minutes in the morning,” says Sgt. Leib.

For the next week or so, he’ll be doing a lot of moving.

Five hundred riders are traveling 2600 miles from Coachella, meeting at Spotlight 29 Casino, to the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. The atmosphere is full of laughs and love, but no one forgets the reason they’re riding.

“I am riding in memory of Jeremy Sears, who had five tours in Iraq, and through PTSD and traumatic brain injury, he committed suicide in October,” says Sgt. Leib. “This ride is dedicated to him and all those who cannot ride.”

“Those who cannot ride” represents those who are missing in action, prisoners of war, and killed in action. Now, the group is also remembering those killed at home, battling their own demons.

“Right now the suicide rate is so high among our active duty and returning veterans, that we want them to know that we are here for them,” says second-year rider Laurie Clay. “It’s okay to have bad moments but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Riders are given a photo of a service member, POW or MIA, to carry with them on the journey.

“It’s a mission, for one, obviously it’s not a vacation,” says Michael Jones, now on his eighth run, “you don’t sight see along the way.”

Anyone is allowed to join the run, but if you aren’t ready for a cross-country trip, riders say there’s an easy way to show solidarity with their cause.

“Respect the flag, respect their country, God and country, and respect our veterans.”