More than 260 veterans gathered in Houston, Texas on August 1 to march in solidarity for their comrades who succumbed to suicide. And they brought their ranger panties.

Marine Corps veteran Mark A. Metzger III organized the event in Houston through Irreverent Warriors to promote camaraderie among local veterans.

An estimated 22 military veterans commit suicide every day, often due to struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. To raise awareness for military suicide and bond with other service members, veterans marched 22 miles while wearing a 22 kilogram backpack.

Ranger panties or silkies are military-issued exercise bottoms with notoriously small in-seams. Veterans throughout the local area showed up to the event strutting their stuff in the shortest short-shorts they owned.

image3

Here are our favorite photos from the event, courtesy of former Marine Corps photographer Austin Howard.

Veteran-Underwear-Walk11-1024x683

image6-1024x683

image5-1-683x1024

 

11834717_10207647255322189_174767790144233767_o