2019 Memorial Camino Private First Class Christopher R. Dixon In about one week Veterans On the Camino (VOC) will set off on the 2019 Camino journey with six veterans. Each participating veteran has been preparing physically and mentally for many weeks for this upcoming 550 mile walk to Santiago de Compestela. As part of our…Read more Chris Dixon memorial Camino
Author: Brad Genereux
CASEY SAUNIER MEMORIAL CAMINO
Dedicating the Veterans Camino to a lost soldier came about unexpectedly. It wasn’t by design. However, it has become a major part of the Veterans journey each time we make the trek. This spring, we dedicated the walk to Casey Saunier. He was very much part of our journey and our group. Every evening, we…Read more CASEY SAUNIER MEMORIAL CAMINO
Camino reflections
Its been several weeks since we returned from Spain. We have all settled back into our lives and “normal routines” but the Camino will always be a part of us now. I believe this experience made a profound difference in each of us – the Polish Veterans Piotr and Witold, Dan the US Marine, Giovanni…Read more Camino reflections
The Camino is no vacation!
The daily routine begins with a systematic application of tape, bandages, lotions and careful donning of socks and boots. Not everybody is suffering the same aches, pains and blisters but all have experienced a variety of discomfort. After a month together we know each other quite well. We help each other out as well as…Read more The Camino is no vacation!
Camino Moments
Kayoko Azuma is a slight Japanese artist who carries a backpack that looks to be larger than herself. She also ran the Barcelona Marathon last March and can outpace everybody else around here. She was so touched by the Veterans on the Camino group that she timed her Camino to meet up with us at…Read more Camino Moments
The Iron Curtain
Many people weren’t around or don’t remember the Cold War, but Witold and I do and talk about how it was. Both of us were young in our military careers when the Soviet Union was still alive. Massive amounts of military forces were arrayed on opposite sides of the iron curtain. Practicing war, missiles…Read more The Iron Curtain
Piotr
I make a point of walking with each Veteran every day or two. Several days ago I finally asked Piotr what had happened to the finger that is missing on his right hand. The following is his story: He was deployed to Ghazni, Afghanistan in 2011 to work with the Afghan National Police. On a…Read more Piotr
The first 6 days
Left to right -Giovanni, French Foreign Legion Veteran. Brad - founder of VOC and USN Seabee Veteran. Piotr - Polish Navy Veteran. Dan - USMC Veteran Witold pauses on the road for a photo After crossing the Pyrenees, we settle into a routine of walking, eating, sleeping and doing it all over the following day.…Read more The first 6 days
Crossing the Pyrenees
We had only met in person the day before when we linked up at the airport in Paris, the long train and bus journey to reach Saint Jean had provided some time to get to know one another. Scratching the surface really. The night before our walk begins we have dinner together at a quaint…Read more Crossing the Pyrenees
Let the journey begin
Roads go ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shone, By streams that never find the sea; Over snow by winter sown, And through the merry flowers of June, Over grass and over stone, And under mountains in the moon. Roads go ever ever on Under cloud and under…Read more Let the journey begin
Veterans on the Camino 