BRANCHVILLE — The long journey to and from war used to provide soldiers with a form of therapy after combat, allowing a quiet reprieve before transitioning into the civilian world.

By GREG WATRY

gwatry@njherald.com

BRANCHVILLE — The long journey to and from war used to provide soldiers with a form of therapy after combat, allowing a quiet reprieve before transitioning into the civilian world.

"If you look at Greek literature, you’ll see that Homer talks a lot about soldiers," said Chaplain Dennis Newton, a former Army colonel and a current thru-hiker with Warrior Hike’s "Walk Off the War" program. "How did they get to war? They walked. And how did they get back? They walked."

Within that body of literature, according to Newton, discussions are held about evaluating soldiers to determine whether or not they were ready to be reintegrated into civilian society.

"So that means the Greeks understood that there was something going on with soldiers. They understood hyper-alertness."

That long journey was recognizable through World War II, according to Newton.

"In Vietnam something changed. It was the invention of the 707 (aircraft). Then, all of a sudden, you could be home in 18 hours."

One moment a soldier would be in the throes of combat; the next, around the dinner table with the family. Such rapid shifts in experience can be quite jarring.

Founded in 2012 by veteran Sean Gobin, the "Walk Off the War" program was created to support veterans transitioning from military to civilian life.

The walk provides a quiet time of solitude for several months, Newton said.

"The longer you’re on the trail, the more you separate yourself and reintegrate your personality back into who you were."

On Friday, seven "Walk Off the War" program hikers, including Newton, were shown hospitality, Sussex County style, from Branchville’s American Legion Post 157.

This is the post’s third or fourth time doing this, said Daniel McCole, a service officer and judge advocate for Post 157. It always seems like the hikers are here around Independence Day, he said.

"We wined them and dined them," McCole said.

Newton said the "Walk Off the War" program received more than 120 applications this year from combat veterans seeking to take part in one of the six trail hikes Warrior Hike offers. Besides the Appalachian Trail, Warrior Hike runs hikes on the Arizona Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the Florida Trail, the Ice Age Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.

"He (Gobin) was able to get equipment for 27 (applicants)," Newton said.

"They give them about $3,000 worth of world-class hiking gear" through donations from various hiking vendors.

The Appalachian Trail expedition started with 11 hikers in total. Current thru-hikers along the journey with Newton include Nathan Buccholz, of Tennessee; Gabriel Golden, of Texas; Nathan Mori, of Tennessee; Caitlin Murphy, of Maine; Michelle Revoir, of South Carolina; and Joel Strait, of North Carolina.

It’s veterans helping veterans, Newton said of the recent stay in Sussex County.

He and a few others stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Newton Friday night, courtesy of Post 157. on Saturday night Newton stayed at the Econo Lodge on Route 206.

"I’m going to pick him up tomorrow and take him back to the trail," McCole said.

Newton said the group’s slated finish date for the hike is Sept. 11.

Hiking the Appalachian Trail marks the achievement of a long-held dream for Newton. A native of Whittier, Calif., the 61-year-old recalled that his father was an avid outdoorsman. Newton was exposed to the trail via a story in one of his father’s outdoors magazines.

"It wasn’t a popular thing back then" but "I was very aware of it as a kid," he said.

Newton joined the Army in 1972 at the age of 19 as a chaplain’s assistant.

"From my spiritual point of view, I began to see that there was work that needed to be done to take care of soldiers," he said.

He earned a bachelor’s degree at San Diego State University, and received a master’s degree from Biola University in 1983. In 1985, he began his service with the 101st Airborne Division.

After 42 years in the military field, Newton retired last December. For 34 of those years, he was active duty.

The hikers began their trek in mid-March on Springer Mountain in Georgia. Newton’s favorite site thus far was Roan Mountain in Virginia.

"It is just the most incredible highlands," he said. "It looks like Scotland."

But "you got beautiful views out here," he said.

To learn more about Warrior Hike, go to www.warriorhike.org

To follow Dennis Newton’s trip, go to www.trailjournals.com/trailpilgrim

Greg Watry also can be contacted on Twitter: @GregWatryNJH or by phone: 973-383-1184.