Students Plan Run from Camden to New Brunswick on Behalf of Military Veterans

For Immediate Release

CAMDEN --  Look William Dennis Brown Jr. in the eyes and tell him that running 65 miles from Camden to New Brunswick is, perhaps, a tad ambitious.

The Navy SEAL combat veteran may allow a slight smile to acknowledge the point, but his eyes never lose their focus or intensity.  Brown and his fellow Rutgers—Camden student, Efren Cazales, an Army combat veteran, will run from Rutgers’ southernmost campus to New Brunswick on Saturday, May 3.  Bet on it.

Along the way, these members of the Rutgers—Camden Veterans for Education student organization will seek to raise support for a veterans’ scholarship fund at Rutgers—Camden. Perhaps more significantly, the dedicated duo wants to heighten awareness of the challenges confronting America’s servicepeople when they return home from active duty and seek to resume their civilian lives.

“Most Americans don’t realize that the G.I. Bill doesn’t keep up with inflation,” says Brown, who served in Iraq as a Navy Seal with Seal Team 8 (Delta Platoon) during 2004-05. He spent time in Baghdad, Najaf, Basra, and Al-Nasaria.

“The men and women who serve their nation honorably deserve support when they return home.  Right now, they’re not getting the help that they need, and we want to call attention to that fact.”

Starting from Rutgers—Camden during the morning of May 3, Cazales and Brown intend to pace themselves during the run north on Route 130 to finish at Rutgers—New Brunswick that night.  They’ll conclude their heroic marathon at the historic statue of William the Silent and intend for their efforts to speak volumes.

“We really believe in the value of education,” explains Brown.  “More veterans need to pursue these opportunities.  Since we’re a little older than typical college students, we have the responsibility to do more on behalf of our nation.”

Brown and Cazales will hit the pavement after a months-long regimen of preparation for this strenuous physical exertion.  Both are training aggressively, quite often in unique ways.  For example, Brown can be seen on campus sporting ankle weights as he walks from class to class.

Training is critical.  At 65 miles, the distance between Rutgers’ Camden and New Brunswick campuses is roughly equivalent to two-and-a-half marathons, all on everyday street terrain.   Brown and Cazales will be trailed by a car-driven volunteer support team during their trek.

Cazales, a Bridgeton resident, is a criminal justice major at Rutgers—Camden.  He served in the 25^th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in Iraq (Mosul and Tal-Afar) with a Stryker Unit during 2004-05.  Like Brown, Cazales has a passion for both his nation and his future, which prompted him to help launch the Veterans for Education student organization at Rutgers—Camden during fall 2007. 

“We found that there were other military veterans and active servicepeople attending Rutgers, and we wanted an organization that would allow us to serve our community,” explains Cazales.  In December, the student group prepared gifts for approximately 200 soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The items, all donated by Rutgers students and friends, included snacks, power bars, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, and other “comfort” items.  Personal letters to the troops and holiday décor to spruce up the HQ also were included.

A Burlington resident, Brown is a criminal justice major at Rutgers—Camden.

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