John Chmela plans sixth annual Mogadishu Mile to support veterans

John Chmela will host the sixth annual Mogadishu Mile at Queenslake Horse Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky, to honor the 19 American soldiers killed in the Battle of Mogadishu and create a communal response to veteran isolation and trauma. The event combines endurance challenges, memorialization and veteran programming, while Chmela also aims to scale the model to 100 advocacy farms nationwide. Why it matters: - The Mogadishu Mile is built as both a remembrance event and a support mechanism for veterans facing isolation after service. - Chmela frames the effort as a way to interrupt the period of withdrawal that can follow military service and contribute to mental health crises. - The event also keeps the names of the 19 soldiers killed in the Battle of Mogadishu visible year-round through permanent memorials. What happened: - John Chmela announced the sixth annual Mogadishu Mile at Queenslake Horse Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. - The event honors the 19 American soldiers who died in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. - The course is designed as a team endurance challenge with four-person teams, physical obstacles and a final mile through wooded terrain while carrying a 35-pound load. - Chmela said, “A soldier dies twice,” describing the event as an effort to prevent veterans from being forgotten. - More information is available on John Chmela’s LinkedIn profile . The details: - Participants complete tire flips, medicine ball slams and a lake crossing before the final mile. - The physical burden is intended to echo the conditions associated with the “Black Hawk Down” mission. - Queenslake Horse Farm spans 140 acres and serves as the center of the remembrance and advocacy work. - The course includes 19 permanent stone memorials for the fallen soldiers. - Local bourbon companies produce etched memorial bottles tied to the event. - Tattoo artists offer free Mogadishu Mile tattoos to participants who want to carry the names permanently. - Queenslake also hosts veteran appreciation dinners, fishing retreats and a bed and breakfast. Between the lines: - Chmela’s approach mixes physical challenge with ritual and repetition, turning remembrance into a group experience rather than a one-day ceremony. - The event’s structure suggests a broader mental health theory: shared exertion and public recognition can help counter isolation. - The push to build 100 similar advocacy farms signals an attempt to turn a local program into a national model. What’s next: - Chmela is developing a blueprint to expand the Queenslake model across the United States. - His stated goal is to establish 100 advocacy farms focused on veteran support and suicide prevention. - The annual Mogadishu Mile is expected to remain the centerpiece of the Queenslake remembrance program. The bottom line: - The Mogadishu Mile is positioned as both a memorial for fallen soldiers and a practical intervention for veterans who need community, structure and support.