The walkers' physical goal is Arlington National Cemetery, one gravesite in particular.
But their real goal is to call attention to the issue of post-traumatic stress among veterans, and how many vets take their own lives.
That number includes Brandon Powell's brother. It's his grave that the walkers visited in Arlington.
"Eight years ago my brother took his own life," said Brandon Powell, an organizer of the walk. "He served in the Army; he was in Afghanistan. He came home and he struggled with PTSD for quite some time."
Powell is among a group of veterans who have walked from Camp Lejune in North Carolina to the Washington area to focus attention on the issue of PTSD. They will walk more than 300 miles.
They are supported by of The Wounded Walk, a Leesburg-based non-profit that helps veterans heal by sponsoring outdoor events for them. The walkers intend to visit the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon and then go to Arlington.
Walker Ross Delafield even carries a section of log, with "USMC" etched on it. It's a memorial to veterans who have taken their lives, and it symbolizes the psychic weight that so many service members carry.
He has been involved with The Wounded Walk since 2013, when he spotted the group's founders finishing a walk in D.C., according to the group's website.
After the walk on Sunday, Powell would like to continue helping veterans. He said he would like to start a retreat for people leaving service, so they could "decompress" and get help resuming civilian life, including finding a job.
"Give some of those vets a place to come so they can transition a little bit better," Powell said.
