Tour de Valor will carry veterans wellness message across New York

The Dwyer Coalition for Military Veterans & Families will launch a 200-plus-mile bicycle ride from Albany County to Suffolk County on Oct. 23-24, 2026, to spotlight peer support, connection and holistic wellness for New York’s military-connected community. The statewide initiative is backed by the state veterans department and includes community stops, first responder escorts and opportunities for people to add names to the journey’s banners.

Why it matters: - Tour de Valor is designed to reduce stigma around mental health and encourage Veterans, Service Members, Military Families and caregivers to seek support when needed. - The ride aims to reach people who are often left out of standard Veteran narratives, including National Guard members, Reservists, Military Families and caregivers. - The initiative puts peer support and holistic wellness in front of communities across New York, not just within veteran service systems.

What happened: - The Dwyer Coalition for Military Veterans & Families announced the inaugural Tour de Valor: One Million Voices, a statewide awareness ride set for Oct. 23-24, 2026. - The 200-plus-mile journey will start at the Albany County Veterans Service Bureau and end at the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Memorial in Rocky Point, Long Island. - The New York State Department of Veterans’ Services is supporting the ride and helping amplify its wellness message. - The official route and estimated stop times are available in a custom route listing.

The details: - The ride will include stops with local fire departments and community partners along the route. - Law enforcement escorts will accompany parts of the journey. - Two Veterans will ride in a support trail vehicle behind the cyclists throughout the trip. - Two Veterans riding together will symbolize camaraderie, connection and peer support. - The Adaptive Sports Foundation is providing a recumbent bicycle for the ride. - At each stop, participants can write the name of a family member, friend or other important person on Tour de Valor banners. - Organizers said the names will be carried throughout the journey as part of “One Million Voices.” - Gavin T. Walters Sr., MSW, a disabled U.S. Air Force Veteran and executive director of the Dwyer Coalition, will complete the inaugural ride with Todd Dorris, a Navy and Army Veteran and program manager of the Putnam County Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Project. - The route is framed as a symbol of hope, community and camaraderie.

Between the lines: - The state is positioning Tour de Valor as part of a broader wellness push for Veterans and the people who support them. - DVS Commissioner Dr. Viviana M. DeCohen said the agency has made this a “Year of Wellness for All Who Served,” extending wellness to Veterans, Service Members, Military Families, staff, partners and communities. - The Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program expanded statewide under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s leadership, increasing access to confidential, non-clinical peer support for Veterans. - The event also ties into the legacy of Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer, a Long Island Army combat medic who served in Iraq, was photographed carrying an injured Iraqi child to safety in 2003 and died in 2008 after experiencing post-traumatic stress and a traumatic brain injury.

What's next: - Communities along the route can participate by adding names to the Tour de Valor banners at local stops. - Organizers are using the ride to build awareness ahead of the Oct. 23-24 journey and to deepen connections among military-connected communities across New York. - More information is available at Tour de Valor details.