Join us and Carry The Load to honor our military heroes

May 13, 2021

by Jason Porter - President, Public Sector and FirstNet Program at AT&T
Veterans gathering with flags in hand

Memorial Day. A day of remembrance, a day to honor, and a day to celebrate the men and women in the U.S. military who lost their lives protecting our country. In 2011, 2 veteran U.S. Navy SEALs felt the nation had forgotten the meaning of this momentous holiday. That’s why they founded Carry The Load. And now, a decade later, Carry The Load is a worldwide movement. 

Throughout May, the nonprofit leads a 15,500-mile relay across America, dedicating each day in memory of a fallen hero. The public can join by walking or cycling in any of the 70 participating cities. The relay ends in Dallas on Memorial Day weekend. Carry The Load inspires Americans to actively honor our nation’s heroes by remembering the ultimate sacrifice made by our military, veterans, first responders and their families. Since 2013, AT&T has been a proud sponsor of Carry The Load, focusing on raising awareness and fundraising to ensure vital recovery services for these heroes and their families. This includes counseling, adaptive training, suicide prevention, job placement and scholarships for children of the fallen.

I joined the relay earlier this week at the United States Military Academy at West Point, my alma mater. Growing up with an uncle in law enforcement inspired me to serve, leading to me becoming a tank platoon and mortar platoon leader in the U.S. Army.

Now, as a veteran and one who’s lost classmates and friends along the way, it was an honor to Carry The Load and remember their service through all the activities at West Point. The first leg of this relay was dedicated to my classmate who died in Afghanistan in 2013 and is buried at West Point.

Thank you to everyone who participated with me and a big shout out to those who will continue the relays across the country. We must never forget what these brave military men and women gave up.

Be sure to follow their progress over the next couple weeks or sign up to participate yourself!

How you can support the cause:

  1. Sign up to participate in the national relay in a city near you. You can join as an individual, start your own team, or join your colleagues on an existing team.

  2. Who Are You Carrying? Share your story via social and be sure to incorporate these hashtags posts: #CarryTheLoad, #WhoAreYouCarrying, #ConnectedTogether, #MemorialMay2021.

May is also Military Appreciation Month. We’re committed to Be There for our first responders. Learn more about our support efforts.

To learn more about how AT&T is supporting the public sector – from the U.S. military to America’s first responders with FirstNet®, visit the Public Sector newsroom page.