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Veterans march with their gear in South Florida to honor fallen troops on Memorial Day

'Ruck to Remember' called a 'movement within a movement'
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Posted at 1:34 PM, May 25, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-25 17:10:39-04

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A group of South Florida veterans didn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic nor heavy rain stop their Memorial Day weekend mission.

The members performed a "ruck march" through Broward and eventually Palm Beach County in honor of the men of women who died while serving in the armed forces.

The veterans say the march while carrying their military gear isn’t an event but a "movement within a movement."

RELATED: U.S. Rep. Mast delivers remarks at South Florida National Cemetery on Memorial Day

Each year, "Ruck to Remember" does a 60-mile movement that ends at Arlington National Cemetery. But with the cemetery currently closed to only family members, local chapters did what they are trained to do -- adapted, overcame and improvised -- keeping it local.

“I’ll use a quote from one of my favorite all time movies: ’Heroes get remembered. Legends never die,''" said U.S. Army veteran Brandon Limprich. “It’s natural.”

Limprich and about 20 others' march included a 15-mile movement across Fort Lauderdale on Sunday and a six mile movement around South Florida National Cemetery in Palm Beach County on Monday.

He wore three memorial bracelets with the names of friends killed-in-action. One of those honored was a special forces member whose death underlines the uncertainty of war.

“He was actually shot and killed by an Afghan Army member who decided to just turn on us and decided to take his life along with one other,” Limprich said.

“The truth is we walk with those that we remember even single day of our lives,” added Brandon’s brother, Fred. “The ones that have fallen, that we served with, that we hold near and dear to our heart, that’s something that we carry with us every single day, and we live for them every single day.”

"Ruck to Remember" concluded their movement inside the South Florida National Cemetery in Palm Beach County, paying their respects to generations of veterans before them saying their work is still not done.

”I found the military has been the most effective way to give back, to serve,” said Fred.

Visit the "Ruck to Remember" website to learn more about their mission to honor veterans.