Troy Yocum

Iraqi war veteran Troy Yocum was born on June 25th, 1979, a few miles away from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from Trinity High School in 1997 and joined the Army National Guard on August 21st, 2001, just days before 9/11. He spent two years in the 151st Infantry out of Southern Indiana after which he was transferred to the Military Police and then to Inactive Ready Reserve.

Yocum graduated from the Yellow Ambulance Emergency Medical Service Bureau in 2002 while still in the National Guard and worked as a Basic EMT until 2004. He then traveled across America working for Stevens Transport out of Dallas for the next four years. While on the road he came up with the idea of Drum Hike, a concept where he would hike across America to raise funds for military families in need. Troy went on to serve in Kuwait with the 100th battalion 442 Infantry, and shortly upon his return, put his plan into action.

Troy Yocum is currently hiking 7,000 miles across America, banging his drum and sounding the call for $5 million to aid military families throughout the country. With his wife Mareike, and ‘Emmie the SuperDog’ by his side, they began their trek on April 17, 2010 and expect to complete their journey in early September 2011.