The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike arrives on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
About 200 veterans and active-duty service members wearing silkies banded together for a night of bonding during a hike in Washington on Saturday with the Irreverent Warriors — a veterans organization that uses humor and camaraderie to improve mental health and help prevent suicide among veterans.
“They [veterans and service members] appreciate these hikes because they can come out and fully be themselves around people that understand where they’re coming from,” said Kimberly Pond, coordinator for the Washington, D.C., chapter. “They meet new people that have been through similar experiences, and it just brings them out of their isolation.”
Kimberly Pond announces safety instructions on Saturday, March 29, 2025, before the beginning of the Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The veterans hiked about 7.8 miles along the National Mall wearing neon and glow-in-the-dark attire with silkies, and they finished shortly after midnight. Silkies are very short and thin military-issued shorts used for physical training.
Saturday was also the first day of peak bloom for cherry blossom season in Washington, giving the group a chance to see the white and pink flowers along their hiking route.
Some veterans and service members struggle from different types of pain and trauma. According to the Irreverant Warriors website, the group uses humor to shed light on the darkness to help maintain a positive mental attitude.
During the hike, the group stopped to do 22 pushups for the number of veteran suicides each month.
Pond served in the Alaska Air National Guard for 17 years and said that she attempted suicide about 14 years ago. Since joining IW in 2019, she said the group gave her “a tribe of people that can help me before I can even get to that point again.”
The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike begins on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Washington near the Tidal Basin. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike walks past the Washington Monument on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike passes blooming cherry blossom trees on Saturday, March 29, 2025, near the Tidal Basin in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
A veteran marching with the Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike displays patches and tags on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Washington. The tags denote prior hikes. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Veterans at the Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike sign a commemorative circle of cardboard on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike begins on Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Washington near the Tidal Basin. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Marine Corps veteran Jonathan Miller adjusts a pair of light-up bunny ears on Saturday, March 29, 2025, during the Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
The Irreverent Warriors DC Night Hike passes food trucks on Saturday, March 29, 2025, near the Tidal Basin in Washington. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes)
Pond said one of the most rewarding things with helping coordinate the hiking events is receiving local support from people who are watching on the sidelines as they pass by.
“It’s good to see the community’s reaction and to get high fives from different people,” Pond said. “Everyone is very supportive of what we do.”
The Whiskey Valor Foundation — a nonprofit that promotes responsible alcohol consumption while addressing mental health and addiction stigma — partnered with Irreverent Warriors and had a booth set up to sell merchandise and share support for the hikers. According to Pond, IW is currently working on providing resources for other mental health organizations and different types of therapies.
IW is open to only veterans, active-duty and reservist members. However, those who have not served in the military are welcome to volunteer. They have chapters in all 50 states and is present in countries including: England, France, Germany, Guam, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas.
