A former United States Marine who has become famous for his quest to bring attention to the plight of homeless veterans and and military families made a short stop over the weekend in Cherokee County.
Mac McQuown on Saturday arrived at Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services'Station No. 19 in the southwest sector of the county after he made the trek from Marietta.
McQuown said his stop in Cherokee County was more than hospitable.
Fire fighters at the station greeted him with hand shakes and embraces.
"Coming to Cherokee County was like they knew me all their lives," he said, referring to the fire fighters and other personnel at the station.
McQuown, 51, arrived in Atlanta over the weekend and will head to Dalton where he graduated high school in 1980 and meet up with old classmates.
He will cut back through Atlanta and then make his way west until he reaches California, and then will visit Hawaii and Alaska by cruise.
He will then come back to the continental U.S. and visit the other states until he makes his way to Arlington National Cemetery, which is his final destination.
The entire quest is expected to take about six years.
McQuown's mission is to visit all 50 state capitals in the United States to raise awareness of the plight of homeless veterans and military veterans.
He's walking as part of Operation Walk America, sponsored by Silver Star Families of America.
The operation and the organization seek to draw attention to the lives of veterans and military families across the country.
McQuown started his journey on Sept. 11, 2011, and hasn't looked back. He left his home in Strafford, Virgina, and walked all the way to Ground Zero in New York City.
He then turned around and headed to Florida and has been on the road since. So far, he's visited seven capitals and walked through nine states, totaling 1,739 miles.
When he first started, McQuown said most folks thought the task would be "overwhelming," but he felt the cause was important enough to give it a shot.
"I believed it was worth it to bring attention to our veterans," he said, adding veterans and their plight once they return home is often pushed aside by mainstream media coverage.
On his journey, McQuown has visited over 200 fire stations and has temporarily stayed in about 85 percent of them. McQuown carries a cart with him and occasionally walks in uniform. When he's not in uniform, he walks with an American flag.
Fortunately, the former Marine said the extent of his injuries have been heel spurs and blisters. He wears a GPS monitor that allows him to use a panic button that would dispatch the closest fire and EMT officials to his aid.
While he has the necessary gear to sleep outside, McQuown said he hasn't had to use it yet, as he's had the fortune to either sleep in fire stations, hotel rooms sponsored by organization or homes of generous Americans.
A self-proclaimed Army brat, McQuown was born in Stuttgart, Germany, and graduated from Dalton High School. He first served in the U.S. Army and later received an inter-service transfer and transferred to the United States Marine Corps.
He served in the U.S. Marines from 1980 to 1988 where he "circled the globe twice" and visited five out of seven continents.
McQuown said while he understands that many people may not have the financial means to donate to his cause, he noted just thanking veterans will go a long way.
"You don’t have to agree with the conflict," he said. "You’re entitled to your opinion, but we need to not forget our veterans. "If you spot a veteran on the street...take a minute out of your day and thank them."
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