Barefoot advocate for veterans' treatment

Intermountain Catholic

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Ron Zaleski (left), founder of the non-profit organization The Long Walk Home, asks Gov. Gary Herbert to sign a petition urging Congress to require mandatory post traumatic stress disorder counseling for all military troops prior to discharge. Zaleski, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was raised Catholic and began going barefoot after his discharge to honor his friends who died in combat. He just completed a barefooted walk across the United States and now is attempting to meet with the governors of each state, asking for their signatures on the petition. He was in Utah on March 31. The petition is online at thelongwalkhome.org.