When on the roads, Otto usually traversed Red Bank, Rumson, Fair Haven, down to Hartshorne Woods and along Ocean Avenue, from Sandy Hook to Long Branch. He carries about three liters of water, with a hose wrapping down the strap and a nozzle in close reach so he can drink while moving.Īlso packed in are a pair of dark blue Fox Racing gloves a small-scale medical kit filled with Band-Aids, gauze and a couple aspirin a waterproof jacket and an Eddie Bauer brand flashlight, fitted for his head during nighttime rucks. Inside Otto’s rucksack are a number of items, mostly essentials. No matter the weather, either snow in mid-January or blistering heats during the dog days of summer, it would be hard to miss him he proudly wore his signature bright red T-shirt from Team RWB, accompanied by a large American flag in tow. Throughout 2016, Otto was a one-man rucking crew, logging upwards of 70 miles per week at his peak, with his 40-pound pack strapped to his back. “I thought to myself that someday, there’s going to be some way I can actually honor him,” he said. It was a loss that struck Otto to the core, while also acting as an inspiration to get out and make a difference. On average, 22 veterans and former military personnel commit suicide every day, according to the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County. Last January, in conjunction with veteran service organizations Team Red, White & Blue (RWB) and The Headstrong Project, Otto embarked on a 1,000-mile ruck march in honor of his late friend and fellow Marine Pete Koffman, who died in 2010 in a PTSD-related suicide. Marine Corps, who served from 1988 through 1992 – with two overseas combat deployments during the Panama Invasion (1989-1990) and Desert Storm (1990- 1991) – giving back to the veteran community became his goal after the unforeseen death of a friend. Through this intense workout, Otto is trying to raise awareness for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in veterans returning from combat.Ī veteran of the U.S. This military exercise has now reached the general public, and is even being incorporated into fitness routines. In some cases, the loaded packs, or rucksacks, can weigh anywhere from 80 to 120 pounds, filled with boots, clothes and water, among other necessities. Rucking is the soldier’s practice of walking or running – or in Otto’s case uniquely shuffling – long distances in the field, carrying everything a they need for a mission right on their back.
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