Brad Genereux (center) flanked by Polish soldiers in Malistan district, Ghazni province, Aghanistan 2008

As spring nears, Veterans on the Camino is busily preparing for the next journey, slated to begin in April. The veteran participants have now been selected and are preparing themselves for this 500 mile pilgrimage. This year, Veterans on the Camino is proud to be joined by veterans from our coalition partners. The Spring 2018 Camino journey will include both American and Polish veterans. This is especially potent for me as I served side by side with the polish during my tour in Afghanistan.

Meet these Veterans. I think you’ll agree, they have paid a hefty toll in the interest of preserving freedom around the globe. I believe it’s important that we include our coalition partners. No. It’s critical…

Before introducing the Veterans, I would like to take a moment to thank those of you who have helped make VOC possible. Your generosity directly benefits the Veteran participants and enables VOC to carry out its mission. While I did not realize the extent of the help I would need at the outset of this journey, it is now clear to me that this would not be possible without the support of the amazing folks who have stepped up in support of VOC. But above all, I’d like to thank the Veterans who have stood the watch.

Here are the Veterans who will be walking the Camino:

Witold Kortyka

He was born in 1965 in Sztum, Poland and joined the Army in 1988 as a signaler. Witold served in the 13th Antiaircraft Regiment and the 16th Infantry Division in Elblag. He deployed to Iraq 2004-05 Camp Alpha Babylon (Wounded in Action), 2007-08 FOB Echo Ad Divaniah, 2008-09 Ad Divaniah (Wounded in Action), 2010-11 Camp Bondsteel Kosovo and 2012-13 FOB Ghazni, Afghanistan. He was medically retired after 26 years of service with disabilities. Witold is now an active member of the Associations of Wounded and Injured in Missions Outside of the country, helping veterans to get back home and is also a lecturer at the military communication training center.

Dan Huvane

Dan Huvane enjoys writing, only not when it’s his own bio. He has served as either active duty or reserve in the US Marine Corps since 1996, including deployments to Afghanistan in 2006 and 2010-11, and Kosovo in 2000. Aside from continued Marine service in public affairs, Dan has worked in the past year as a ski maker, a sales rep, a wildland firefighting trainee, and a comm director for a disaster response nonprofit. A traveler, adventurer, communicator, volunteer and a big fan of mountains, he lives in Colorado where he’s very attached…to his sweet “wolf-dog” Daly. Dan is eager to make the pilgrimage to Santiago in memory of those he served with who made the ultimate sacrifice, and for his late brother Patrick James and his good friend Vince Gilligan Jr.

Piotr Zbikowski

Piotr Zbikowski was born on 16th May 1978 in Szczecinek, Poland. He is happily married and the father of two young ladies named Zuzanna and Łucja. Piotr currently studies investigation psychology. His military career began in 1997 when he joined the Polish Navy. Like many modern sailors, he also took a tour away from the water when he spent 2 years in Afghanistan with a military police unit. In his free time, he enjoys travel and cooking.

These soldiers have stood the watch!

VOC needs your help. Enable us to take these deserving Veterans on the Camino by donating today. There are a number of ways to do that. Click on the paypal tab to donate right now, log onto smiles.amazon.com and select Veterans on the Camino, or contact me via the website for information on how to sponsor a Veteran.

By the way, every penny donated goes directly to help a Veteran. We have no paid positions at VOC!

UltreÏa et SuseÏa ~
Brad Genereux