David Allison and Michael Priddy are not your average road cyclists.
The two men passed through Moab earlier this month on their No Man Rides Alone journey to raise awareness and funds for the nation’s 2.5 million veterans from the “War on Terror.”
No Man Rides Alone is sponsored by The Eternity Challenge, Serving California and the Mighty Oaks Foundation. The two veterans are alumni of the Mighty Oaks Warrior Foundation, which helps veterans in overcoming challenges and finding new purpose. The pair aim to raise $1 million for the foundation, to give veterans healing, growth, training and direction.
“Individuals fight every day for our freedom, and when they return, after months of grueling hardship, they are faced with years of adversity and difficulty,” Priddy said. “That isn’t right. Something has to change, and government reform is taking too long. It is time to take matters into our own hands and help and honor those who have served.”
They started their journey in Squaw Valley, California, on April 28, and they are scheduled to arrive at the U.S. Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, on June 11.
Priddy is a United States Marine.
He joined the Corps in 1998 and served in Iraq. He returned to the Middle East as a Department of Defense contractor and was involved in numerous billets and supporting missions in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
He said he was numb from the detrimental effects of post-traumatic stress, and the toll it was taking on his life and his family. After attending the Mighty Oaks Warrior Fight Club, Priddy overcame Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has worked to help other veterans who are battling the same challenges.
Allison is a U.S. Army military police veteran and a retired captain of the Roseville, California, Police Department.
He joined the U.S. Army out of high school, and then became a law enforcement officer after his honorable discharge. Like most officers, Allison was forced to deal with the effects of post-traumatic stress, and saw many colleagues suffer as well.
Today, he said he is committed to helping others fight this challenge and raise awareness about the issue.
An estimated 25 percent of those veterans struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has severe side effects, including suicide, homelessness, unemployment and divorce.
Twenty-two veterans die as a result of suicide every single day, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reported its suicide hotline received a record number of calls in April 2015 – more than 400 calls per day. The VA estimates that 107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, and the unemployment rate among veterans is 10 percent, compared to the national average rate of 7.3 percent. The divorce rate among combat veterans is 80 percent.
“No Man Rides Alone” journey aims to raise $1 million
