Irreverent Warriors is a veterans’ nonprofit that runs Silkies Hikes — group ruck-style hikes named for the short military-issue PT shorts participants wear, held to break isolation among veterans through humor and camaraderie as part of its suicide prevention mission.
This is a mini hike, shorter than the standard 4 to 10 mile format, held on Saturday 12 September 2026 as a 9/11 remembrance event. It starts at 10:00 a.m. from AMVETS Post 1292 in Milton, Florida, north-east of Pensacola, and finishes around 4:00 p.m., with check-in from 9:00 a.m. Refreshments are served afterwards. The published distance is not stated.
This is the one exception in the organization’s current schedule: unlike every other Silkies Hike, which is restricted to veterans, active duty, National Guard and reservists, this event is open to any veteran, active-duty service member, first responder or supportive civilian. The age restriction, pet policy and Code of Conduct language that appear on standard hike pages are not published for this event. Registration runs on DonorDrive as a ticketed event, closing at noon on the day; the fee is shown at checkout, and a free promo code can be requested from . The event has a $1,000 fundraising goal. The local coordinator is Shane Ammons at .
Irreverent Warriors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes Silkies Hikes — group ruck-style hikes held in dozens of US cities. A Silkies Hike is a non-competitive group walk, published by the organizer as covering between 4 and 10 miles at a pace of 2 to 3 miles per hour with frequent stops, framed around a symbolic 22-kilometer figure. Participants wear military-issue silkies, the short nylon PT shorts the organization is named for, typically with boots, and many carry a weighted ruck. Wearing them in public is deliberately conspicuous: the humor and visibility are the point, and the stated purpose is to break isolation among veterans through camaraderie as part of the organization’s suicide prevention mission. Hikes are for veterans, active duty, National Guard and reservists; the organizer’s event pages state that minors, civilian hikers, pets and strollers are not permitted on the hike itself, though civilians are welcome to volunteer, sponsor, donate or meet participants at route stops. All participants must e-sign a waiver incorporating the organization’s Code of Conduct. Registration runs on DonorDrive, and any hiker who cannot afford the fee can request a free promo code from the organizer.
