BOSTON (WHDH) - A local veteran is going the distance.
In full military gear and carrying an American flag, Staff Sgt. James Chartier completed a 90-mile-march from Chicopee to the State House on Monday.
Chartier said it was all to raise money and awareness for homeless veterans and those struggling with PTSD.
“When I enlisted, the message was if you wanna hire someone that’s reliable, dependable, someone that can take on a task by themselves, hire a veteran. Then the message changed. They portrayed them as being unstable. And I had to do something about it,” he said.
He and two other veterans started the four-day trek in Chicopee on Friday morning and they marched 22.5 miles a day in honor of the 22 veterans who take their own lives in the US each day.
“I hope the veterans see this and they seek help. There’s programs out there. But there could be more help,” Chartier said.
He said he wants this walk to inspire more action to help those who served our country.
“Try and establish more outreach programs, more hands-on training so to speak, help re-adjust them to civilian life,” he said. “You know they need us as much as we need them.”
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