The Family Reunion or “Welcome to the Tribe”
On Saturday, 10 January 2026, an event occurred that I affectionately call the “family reunion”. It was not the kind of reunion that you might be thinking of…this one is not defined by traditional familial connections. However, if you look up family in the Mirriam-Webster dictionary, and scroll down, you will find this additional note; “A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation.” That is what this family reunion is all about…convictions and affiliation.
Like all families, this one has grown over the years. Let me take a moment and share my adoption into this special group. I remember when I “met” Jay a few years ago. It was just after that inaugural march from Lincoln to Omaha, when he and a few others took those fateful first steps, for the most part, completely unprepared. Now, I say “met” because it wasn’t a face-to-face meeting. My bride had given him my phone number and he called. I don’t know if Jay knew then whether there would actually be a second march, but the first thing I told him was, “I am all in.” He didn’t have to tell me any details. I understood he was trying to help and empower Veterans who were suffering physically and mentally…and that was enough. It was enough because it hits close to home. It hits close to home because, you see, I supervised an Airman who went home one night and decided that life was not worth living after his girlfriend broke off their relationship. It hits close to home because as the senior leader in my Air Force career field, I received a call that a talented NCO had taken his own life, in large part because he felt he had no one to talk to about his struggles. It hits close to home because I served on staff with a commander that, for reasons unknown, woke up on the day before Thanksgiving, drove to a cornfield, and ended his life. It hits close to home because during one of my deployments, I was notified that a beloved colonel couldn’t find a reason to keep going. These things will shake you to the core. So yeah, when Jay called, it was a no-brainer. I was in the fight long before I met Jay and I will be in the fight alongside Jay until my final breath. This will be my sixth mission, and I say this all the time; I will keep marching until I can’t…and then I will find a different role. I mean, I have a 50 Mile March tattoo, so I have to keep going, right?
For many of you involved in the 50 Mile March, you have similar stories. It hits close to home for you as well. It’s a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, a family member, a stranger. Or maybe it’s you. You came home from service, a changed warrior. You witnessed others who were changed through scars…visible…and invisible. Whatever the experience, you are now, post-initial briefing, in this tribe. It’s official. You are a part of the 50 Mile March movement. And make no mistake…it is a movement. In six years, there has been a 2,700% growth in walkers. The donations have increased from $25,000 to $783,000. For all you math majors, that is a 3,000% increase. In six years! There is something happening here in Omaha that defies all reasoning, all understanding, all expectations. It is a hope-filled dynamic that is occurring because of individuals like yourself. Napoleon (the French general, not the Dynamite one) famously said, “A leader is a dealer in hope”, and if you have been in the Red Platoon the past three years you have most likely heard me say that. That is what someone who takes on the 50 Mile March mission is…a dealer in hope. THAT IS YOU! You are creating hope for someone, today, tomorrow, next month, or three years from now.
Alert! Alert! Incoming historical reference…
Several years ago, the movie Dunkirk was released in theaters. It detailed the evacuation of Allied military forces from the French shoreline town. They are surrounded by the German Army with nowhere to go except into the sea. When it seemed as if all was lost, numerous civilian and military boats and ships began showing up to help rescue British soldiers off the beaches and ferry them across the English Channel to Britain. In the trailer leading up to the movie’s release, there is a scene of incalculable desperation, and one thinks everything is loss. Then the most profound statement is flashed up on the screen; “Hope is a weapon.” Now, I don’t know how you feel about those words, but I believe them to be true. Hope is the light that pierces through darkness. Hope is the anchor that steadies in the midst of the overwhelming torrent of waves. Hope is the foundation upon which life is rebuilt. Hope is, indeed, a weapon.
So, welcome to the tribe, or welcome back. We are so thankful you have joined us. Whether you are a walker, a support team member, cheer support along the route, or someone who sponsors through donations, you are hope.
Trust, Respect, Integrity through a community of Belonging and Empowerment.
Fabula est Vestri,
Dale