On Sept. 19, veterans and active duty service members will take to the streets of Norwich to illuminate the issue of veteran suicide.

The event, called the Irreverent Warriors Silkies Hike, which happens annually and takes place across the country, was created to provide a space for veterans to bond with one another to relive the sense of camaraderie felt in the military while also promoting mental health and suicide prevention. Veterans normally hike wearing only their combat boots and “silkies," traditional military physical training shorts full of nostalgia.

The hike in Norwich will start at the commuter lot at 181 West Town St. and end at Mohegan Sun, for a total of 10.1 miles. Army veteran Doug Capazzi is the Connecticut coordinator for the event and said this year, extra precautions and planning were taken into account for COVID-19.

The event is open to veterans, active-duty service members, reservists and members of the National Guard. To register, visit bit.ly/nwsilkies20.

Registration and staging will begin at 7 a.m. on Sept 19, with the hike beginning at 8 a.m.

Irreverent Warriors Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission of bringing veterans together using humor and camaraderie to heal the mental wounds of war, through therapeutic events and entertainment, in order to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder and prevent veteran suicide.

For more information visit irreverentwarriors.com.