Description
For the past five years, VETS Ruck Up has brought together veterans, active duty service members, and first responders from across the country for a powerful two-day experience focused on rebuilding strength, connection, and purpose. This is more than an event—it’s an opportunity for 24 individuals to step away from the noise of everyday life and immerse themselves in something meaningful alongside others who understand their journey.
During Ruck Up, participants move through a series of hands-on programs including equine therapy, archery, outdoor survival skills, and shooting instruction in partnership with Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA). Each element is designed to build confidence, sharpen focus, and reinforce a simple but powerful belief: with the right tools, the right education, and the right mindset, there is nothing you cannot overcome.
As part of this experience, every participant receives a fully equipped rucksack filled with the gear and essentials needed to sustain themselves for up to 72 hours in the field. This pack is more than equipment—it’s a symbol of preparedness, self-reliance, and the support standing behind them. The cost of each pack ranges from $800 to $1,000, but through the support of donors, we are able to provide this entire experience at no cost to the participant.
This is where you come in.
For a donation of $350, you can sponsor a veteran and provide the rucksack and experience that makes this program possible. A $50 donation helps feed participants throughout the weekend, while larger contributions of $500, $1,000, or $5,000 allow you to support the event at a higher level through sponsorship and visibility.
Every dollar goes directly toward creating an experience that restores confidence, builds community, and reminds these men and women that they are not alone.
This is your opportunity to give back in a real, tangible way—to stand behind those who have served and provide them with something that can truly make a difference.
Support Ruck Up. Sponsor a Veteran.
Choose your level of support below and be part of something that changes lives.
Attention: You are making a donation to sponsor a veteran or instructor for the Ruck Up Event and support the cost of the event. There is no charge to participants and instructors are volunteering their time. All funds raised go to cover the cost of the event. This is a tax deductible donation and not a purchase. Funds will be used to provide Veteran participants with equipment for Ruck Up event and will be theirs to keep at the conclusion of Ruck Up event. Veterans Equine Therapeutic Services will make the purchase of items and choose make and model to be provided. This is a donation and no services or goods have been traded.
