Casey Dean is ready to lap the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus 22 times.
And he's hoping everyone in the community will join him.
Dean, a junior marketing and entrepreneurship major from Los Angeles, California, is a military veteran leading a distance march on Monday, April 4, for a cause that's close to his heart.
The number 22 has somber and important significance — it is the number of American veterans who commit suicide every day.
"And even that's a conservative estimate," Dean said. "Depression is a major issue military members and veterans are dealing with. They may have seen things or done things that are difficult to cope with. We want to start a conversation."
The event begins at 10 a.m. in the Old Main Ballroom in the James R. Connor University Center. A group of speakers — including student veterans, Dr. James Lickell from the Madison VA Hospital, and author and Vietnam veteran Doug Bradley — will talk about the realities of transitioning out of the military, personal experiences with depression, and new research into these topics.
Twenty-two pairs of boots donated by some of the more than 300 campus veterans are arranged in a display at the UW-Whitewater University Center on Thursday, March 17, 2016, during an outreach activity by and for veterans. The boots represent the estimated 22 veterans nationally who die daily due to suicide. In the background, Richard Harris, UW-Whitewater Coordinator of Student Veterans and Military Service Members, and junior Casey Dean, center, visit with Dr. James Lickel, a psychologist from William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison. (Photo by Craig Schreiner)
Then, the walk will begin — 22 laps around the heart of the UW-Whitewater campus, a distance of about 10 miles.
Marches such as this one not only bring the staggering statistics of veteran suicide to the forefront of public discourse, they also allow the community to memorialize the fallen, Dean said.
Dean served in the U.S. Coast Guard for three years. Recruited out of Los Angeles, he was stationed on a cutter responsible for drug interdiction and completed tours to South America.
Like many military members, after finishing his service he experienced the challenges of returning to society.
"When it's over, you lose your support network and the structure of day-to-day life, as well as the set of values and friends who shared that experience," Dean said. "You may come back to find your family dynamic has changed, and your life is not the same."
Recognizing the need to help recently discharged military members connect with people and reintegrate into society, Dean co-founded Trails to Tomorrow. The nonprofit takes veterans on wilderness excursions as a therapeutic way to combat the social isolation, traumatic experiences and loss of community that very often lead to deep depression and suicide among veterans.
Casey and his wife Adriana led the first excursion last year to California, along with 15 other people. They're currently fundraising to support the next trek — possibly along the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin.
Participants can register for the April 4 march at the event, or online at facebook.com/trailstotomorrow.