An unique event is scheduled for this Saturday in Yarmouth to raise awareness about Operational Stress Injury.
OSI refers to a persistent psychological difficulty caused by traumatic experiences or prolonged high stress or fatigue during service as a military, RCMP member or first responder.
One of the organizers of the Rucksack March is Andre Boudreau who served 40 years in the Canadian Army.
He says there are a lack of real services in Western Nova Scotia for people suffering from OSI and PTSD.
Boudreau says there is a local support group that gets together.
“We work in conjunction with the group out of Greenwood. Two people. One works for DND (Department of National Defence), the other works for the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
Boudreau says about 60 participants who have registered so far, will march from the Cenotaph in downtown Yarmouth to the Afghanistan Memorial at Maple Grove Education Centre then back to town to the Royal Canadian Legion.
They plan to leave the Cenotaph at 9.a.m Saturday.
The Rucksack March is sponsored by Yarmouth Legion Branch 61 and Wedgeport Legion Branch 155.
For more information or to register (there are no registration fees) email: tmuise222@gmail.com
Donations will be accepted for the Rally point retreat in Sable River.
