71-year-old veteran making his way across the country
By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
This May, William Shuttleworth — a 71-year-old veteran from Massachusetts — began a 3,600-mile trek across the country to raise awareness of the issues facing U.S. military veterans.
The seven-month trip, dubbed “Vets Don’t Forget Vets,” will take Shuttleworth from his home in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to the Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California.
On May 23, 10 days into his journey, Shuttleworth made his way through Cazenovia, stopping for a midday coffee at the Pewter Spoon Café & Eatery at 87 Albany St.
Throughout the duration of the trip, he hopes to speak with as many veterans as possible, along with the families of veterans, local community members and elected officials. He will engage in one-on-one and small group discussions at a variety of locations, including VA centers, American Legions, VFWs, diners, coffee shops and private homes.
Shuttleworth made no prior arrangements for the trip. Instead, his plan is to attract attention and initiate conversation by strapping a sign with the trip’s motto onto his backpack, wearing a veterans hat and frequently updating his website and blog.
Shuttleworth believes the nation has lost sight of the needs of its veterans, due in large part to the decrease in veteran representation in Congress.
According to Shuttleworth, veterans today make up less than 18 percent of Congress, compared to 78 percent in 1972.
Since beginning his journey, Shuttleworth has spoken to hundreds of veterans, many who feel helpless, insignificant and voiceless.
“That’s been my experience as a veteran too,” he said. “I must have seen thousands of flags since I started walking. That flag represents a lot of different things to a lot of different people … they all have different political ideologies and the whole country is polarized, but the one thing I see is that [Americans] love their vets … it surprises me that despite all of that adoration, there seems to have been such neglect.”
Shuttleworth, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1970 to 1976, is a retired educator and psychologist.
After retiring in 2017, he realized that rather than simply complain about the challenges facing veterans, he could do something to make a real difference.
“I already walk 20 miles a day,” he said. “Why not walk 20 to 30 miles every day across the country to engage people in a grassroots coalition to [stand] hand in hand from Massachusetts to California and to demand change — to ignite that spirit that made America great to begin with?”
In addition to encouraging Americans to elect veterans to public office, Shuttleworth also advocates eliminating veteran homelessness by 2030; providing free medical care for veterans who were drafted and given an honorable discharge; guaranteeing veterans medical and mental health treatment within 30 days; and providing a fair, “livable wage” to enlistees.
Shuttleworth is traveling with a 25-pound backpack, equipped with minimal supplies, including a tent, sleeping bag and portable stove.
So far, he has walked around 30 miles a day and dealt with “massive” thunderstorms.
“The weather is always a challenge . . .but I think the biggest challenge is what is ahead of me,” he said. “What’s it going to be like to walk across Kansas when it’s 100 degrees for 10 days in a row?”
Shuttleworth said despite his age, he is very healthy. He also noted that his doctor warned him that his cartilage would not withstand such a long journey on foot.
Despite all of the uncertainty that lies ahead, Shuttleworth has no intention of quitting and every intention of making an impact by touching one individual at a time.
“I think the average American has tremendous power and a [strong] voice if they only allow it to be heard,” he said.
Shuttleworth started a GoFundMe page to offset the costs of his journey and to support the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Trust. Ten days into the journey, he has already raised $32,000 towards his final goal of $100,000.
To donate or to follow his trek, visit vetsdontforgetvets.com.
