50 Mile March 2024

Operation Noble Watchman

Organized by 50 MILE MARCH

$597,603

39% of $1,500,000 goal

4.5k Supporters

Michael Sutherland

Fundraiser since Feb 2024

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$605

8 supporters

24% of $2,500 goal

Michael Sutherland's Story

Greetings, I am Michael “Sudsy” Sutherland, an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) Combat Veteran; with two tours in Iraq, a year in Korea, and several other stateside assignments during my nearly seven years of active duty service. During my time in service, I spent precious little time with my own branch, the Air Force, and the majority of it served alongside the Army (and a bit with Marines) providing Close Air Support (CAS) for ground combat forces. Obviously, to get Airmen to keep up with those forces, I ended up doing some very non-Air Force things like sleeping on the ground and carrying heavy backpacks full of radios and other equipment, these are known as rucksacks. During my training, the rucking bug bit me and it turned into something I ended up enjoying. Yes, I am still that crazy. I blame my experience as a competitive cross country and track athlete in high school, and my progression into full and ultra-marathon distances when I lived up in Alaska where I was proudly able to finish the inaugural Equinox Ultra-Marathon 50k race just north of Fairbanks in 2009. However, physical accomplishment was not the full benefit of this kind of training for me, even during my active duty service. Ask any Veteran, peace or wartime, and you will find that we encounter many emotional high points, and some very dark low points due to various circumstances. Coping with such events; especially the disappointments, failed relationships, missing far away family, passed over promotions, bad assignments, last minute deployments, and other such misfortunes can lead to some bad habits that only compound the misery, and can even instigate a mental health crisis. Many of us know others while in the service that turned to drugs and alcohol; I knew many who did, and seeing how that impacted their lives I avoided it. Instead, I turned to my rucksack, putting in a sand bag and rucking. While I was attending my Technical School, I experienced my first holiday from home. I don’t know who in my class first suggested it, but some of us threw on our uniforms and rucks, and went on a ruck together. We got back, showered, and walked into the chow hall together. Hardly a word passed between us, but we were in it together. All of us away from our loved ones the first time. From then on, rucking became a routine, especially when I needed to think about life’s difficulties. Years later, when I had been out of the Air Force just a few years and just moved from Fairbanks Alaska to Omaha Nebraska, I felt isolated and quite alone, and would be so if I didn’t have my family. I picked up my ruck, and started walking around again. I ended up joining the Ruck up for Life in 2014 where I ended up getting injured, and one of the first Silkie Hikes in Lincoln the following year where I finished 22 miles with the Marine Corps League. I’d found my tribe again. Both of those events clearly linked rucking with what I found in it, and that is mental health benefits as well as the physical. Once I discovered the 50 Mile March, I was hooked. After all, I’ve always found deeper meaning in rucking than merely the personal physical accomplishment. I train alone, and it gets rather challenging to push myself alone, but to have a tribe to train with… Well, now. A sense of belonging adds to the motivation. Even more motivating is learning the 50 Mile March story and what cause we are marching to support. It is something to be proud of being a part of.

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TEAM LET'S GO!

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#RAFO

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Team FBFS

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Fit and Fabulous

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Purple Heart Pride

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Team Cherney

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Team Marchese

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Team Berry Law

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Blake Martin FranNet

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Team Andrew - Rich Lorimer

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Team Big Red 1 - Steph Dashner

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Bill Reese’s Paratrooper

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EagleFang

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Every Step Counts

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Team Jenna

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Team Vance for Veterans

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Common Folk

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Team Go Go Kim

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Team Zeiss

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KimPossible

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John Bode

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Civies For Vets

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Team Eppstinez

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Team LaRou

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Salute to Service

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Team Superfly

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Trident

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The Carpers

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Team Hope, Honor & Healing

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JeepGirl for Vets

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Katie Higgason

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Team McGavran

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Team Taylor

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Diana

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Team Steve

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Ruck It

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Ain’t nothing gonna break my stride…

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@dilemmamike

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Team Morehouse

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Hylok

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Pappy

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Stride Otta Compton

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Brad Flanagan

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Team G Force

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Team Jason

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Team T MAC raising the bar!!!

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Team Barry

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Jodi Foster

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Black Sand

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Team Wounded Arrow

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Kaboodle Crew - Brian Cooper

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Strong

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Blair

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Team Savage

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Team Spencer

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Hackenberg

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Garber 50 Mile March

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Maggie Mikecin

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Team-Grizzer

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Christine Nelson

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Maggie's Support a Vet

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Redbulls

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Team Tailgate

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Thank a Veteran!

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Lynn Caviness

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Empower

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FitnessWarrior

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Ron Roen

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Embrace the suck

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Journey of Heroes

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Briggs 50 Mile March

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Corley Crew

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TeamJoeAllGo!

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PenFed Credit Union

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Team Barreras

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Team Ray Sandoval

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Mike'l Severe

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$1,555

Team CrossCountry Mortgage #ruckitup

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Dr Thunder

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Brian Ward

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$1,250

DT's 50 Miles for Vets!

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Team Scott

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100

Task Force Saber

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101

McConnell 50 Mile March

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102

Team Siemsen

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103

Rachelle Wertenberger

1 member

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104

DINAMIX

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105

T-MEEK

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106

Sudsy's Striders

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107

Team Grady

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108

WalkingforCasey2.0

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109

McStay-50 Mile March

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110

Team Walker

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111

TaylorFick

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112

Team Tina

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113

Tony Denman 50 Mile March 2024

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114

Hannah Maris

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115

Finn

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116

Team Sheets

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117

Gina Rhue

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118

Great Plains Society of Military History

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119

Team Poston

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120

Austin Cook

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Macchiato Marches

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122

Team Jardine

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123

Team Larry Beckner

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124

Alicia’s Team

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125

Carter

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126

50 Mile March- Wilson

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127

Amy

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128

DALZIEL - 50 Mile March

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129

Holy Guacamolai

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130

SAME Omaha Post

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131

She's Going the Distance

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132

Team Angel

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Team Hell Yeah

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Team Minino

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Team Parment

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Story

Campaign Ended

50 Mile March 2024

By 50 MILE MARCH

50 Mile March 2024

Operation Noble Watchman

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