By Joan Tupponce

At Virginia Commonwealth University, Joe McCampbell is a rising senior majoring in clinical radiation sciences in the College of Health Professions. He’s also a 20-year military veteran who lost a brother in service, as well as many friends along the way.

McCampbell is a member of the Student Veterans Association at VCU, which is among the groups supporting the Ruck and Roll this Saturday. He noted that during active conflicts, the nation might come together, but once wars wind down, the memories and struggles of those who served often fade into the background. 

“Events like this are critical because they serve as a powerful reminder that the cost of war extends far beyond the battlefield — it’s a lifelong impact carried by the families, the veterans and the fallen,” McCampbell said. “By coming together … we reaffirm our commitment to supporting the veterans who are still here, many of whom continue to fight battles that are unseen.”

Now in its second year, the Ruck and Roll is hosted by the Drew Ross Memorial Foundation in partnership with the Virginia War Memorial, where the event begins, and the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation. VCU’s Military Student Services unit is supporting the program as well.

“These are good organizations coming together to help the community,” said Stephen Ross, director of Military Student Services and father of Drew Ross, a member of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Special Forces Group who was killed in Afghanistan.

Stephen Ross and Michael Rodriguez, president and CEO of the GWOT Memorial Foundation, began collaborating on the inaugural event after a 2024 convention of the Student Veterans of America.

“Last year’s event was very rewarding. The response we got from people who participated was we need to build on this,” said Navy veteran Bob Pryor, a member of the Student Veterans Association who is pursuing his master’s in public administration in VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs.

Participating in the inaugural Ruck and Roll was a memorable experience for recent graduate Naomi Acevedo, immediate past president of the Student Veterans Association.

“The atmosphere was full of purpose and camaraderie. It reminded me how important it is to continue creating spaces where veterans and their families feel seen, supported and honored,” she said.

This year’s Ruck and Roll, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., seeks to raise awareness about the GWOT Memorial Foundation’s mission: building a monument on the National Mall in Washington to honor the service and sacrifice of military members and civilians in America’s longest conflict, which began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. 

The event starts at the Virginia War Memorial, crosses to Belle Isle and ends at Tredegar Iron Works. The five stations along the route — related to 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the location of the proposed GWOT memorial, directly north of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington — highlight significant events and theaters of conflict in the war on terrorism.

A team of women from the Afghan Female Tactical Platoon who worked with American female soldiers serving in the Army’s Cultural Support Team will be leading each group that departs from the Virginia War Memorial. The Afghan women accompanied U.S. Special Operations forces, including Navy Seals and Army Rangers, on night raids that targeted Taliban leaders and other extremist groups.

The Drew Ross Memorial Foundation aims to bring together family and friends of fallen veterans, and their communities, to support healing and empowerment. The Afghan women saw the foundation’s Ruck and Roll as a chance to reunite members of the unit and raise awareness of the achievements and progress tied to the war on terrorism.

“This will be our first time attending, and we are honored to be asked to participate and remember the legacy of those who gave their lives in service to this country while fighting for the people of Afghanistan,” said Army veteran Rebekah Edmondson, CEO of the nonprofit NXT Mission, formed by American and Afghan female soldiers. ”This event … provides an opportunity for healing and connection with the community.”

That connection resonates within the military community as well. Pryor, the Wilder School student, said participating in the event is a way for the Afghan women to “tell their story, and I am blown away by their story.”

“Their story of resilience, dedication and sisterhood in the face of adversity, both in Afghanistan and now their adopted home of America, is truly inspiring,” Pryor said, emphasizing the value of their partnership with the U.S. military.

For Pryor, McCampbell and Acevedo, the Ruck and Roll is also a way for VCU to forge connections with veterans – and to share a lesson that resonates far beyond the classroom.

“These men and women answered the call to serve during one of the most defining periods in our nation’s history,” McCampbell said. “It’s important for the American people to remember them because their service was in defense of our freedoms, our safety and our way of life. These events remind us that freedom is not free, and they create an opportunity for communities to connect, reflect and ensure that the legacy of our GWOT veterans lives on.”