My name is Dante Lombardo, and I am a former United States Marine who was medically discharged due to my mental health. This June, myself and two others are planning to ride bicycles from New York to California, in an effort to raise awareness about mental health concerns amongst those who have served our nation’s military. In order to do this, we need money to buy gear, replacement parts, and daily needs such as food throughout our trip. Any proceeds remaining after our purchases will be donated to Give an Hour, an organization dedicated to providing mental healthcare for both current and former members of the military, as well as victims of disaster and man-made trauma. A link to the Give an Hour website, as well as an overview of the charity from Charity Navigator can be found here:

Give an Hour 

Give an Hour's rating on Charity Navigator 

I served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from 2015 to 2019 as a 0622 Digital Wideband Transmission Equipment Operator, and then as a 0621 Field Radio Operator. Throughout my time in in the reserves, I struggled with depression and anxiety, and like many others in a similar position, tried to “tough it out”, because that’s what the current military culture dictates. Although it is not official DOD policy, nearly anybody who has served can tell you that it is highly frowned upon to seek out mental health care. These issues of mine came to a head in April of last year, when I made an attempt to take my life. Thankfully I was connected with a behavioral health service in my local area, which gave me access to the counseling and psychiatric care that I needed. Had it not been for these services, I do not believe I would have ever begun the path to wellness that I am on today. Unfortunately, many service members suffer from similar mental health issues as myself, but do not seek out the help provided by the military, in fear of being separated from duty due to their issues.

 

This is where Give an Hour comes in. Being an organization that is not affiliated with the DOD, they can provide mental health services to those in need, without running the risk of negative consequences from the service members chain of command. This could give service members the opportunity to get help and start healing before their issues become a crisis which demands the official attention of their command, or one that brings harm to themselves or others, while simultaneously defending them from the stigma of needing mental health care while serving.

 

During our travels across the country, we plan to volunteer time where we can, in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, or elderly care homes. I would like to take these opportunities to hear the testimonies of any veterans we come across, so that I may share their stories with others; demonstrating that this fight is not one person’s burden to bear, but instead one we face together. Throughout the trip, I will be posting these stories, as well as those of anyone who would like to share (this can be done anonymously, at one’s request), to a Facebook group for anybody interested in following our trip. This page will also have pictures and videos of our journey, documenting our trip across the country. A link to the planned route is included for you to see our main stops along the trip, however we will be passing through countless smaller towns along the way. If this fundraiser does not meet the set goal, I would like to request that anyone who donated please contribute directly to Give an Hour instead and help their cause. I’d like to personally thank you in advance for your support, be it financial, or if that’s not feasible for you, sharing this to help get the word out about our cause.

Route Map of the Trip 

 We’ll be seeing you on the trail!