Biloxi stop part of 15,000-mile journey to raise money for former service members

Every year, veterans from 141 locations across the United States carry the American flag across the country on the Patriot Tour, to honor past, present and fallen veterans.

The Patriot Tour is a yearly event in which a veteran is chosen at each stop of the tour to bear the American flag and drive it from one stop to another, bringing the flag to all 50 states. The event was started in 2009 by the Nation of Patriots, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting U.S. Armed Forces veterans and their families.

Every year, Nation of Patriots uses the money raised from the Patriot Tour and smaller community-run events for grants that are used to assist veterans in financial need. In total, it has raised $2.5 million and has assisted over 850 families nationwide.

This year, the American flag is being carried from Biloxi to Slidell by Steve Carrington, a veteran living in Moss Point, who served in the U.S. Air Force for 23 years before retiring in 1996, while stationed at Keesler Air Force Base.

“I’m very, very, very proud of the opportunity to do that and carry the flag and honor all those people,” Carrington said.

Carrington has been working with Nation of Patriots since its inception in 2009, working as a site coordinator to oversee the passing of the flag from Mobile to Biloxi during the Patriot Tour.

For Carrington, the goal of the Patriot Tour has been as much about raising money for veterans as it has been about “raising awareness to the civilian community about what the military does and what veterans do.”

“Not all these veterans are fortunate enough as I am to still do things,” Carrington said. “A lot of these veterans are handicapped, and they need some assistance.”

Raising awareness about veteran issues is important to Carrington because “you can’t always see what’s hurting them.” “They’re not running around with crutches, they don’t have a steel leg, you can’t always see it.”

Kathy Collins-Lantz, who took over for Carrington as a stop coordinator for the Patriot Tour in 2024, echoed similar sentiments about how veterans are mentally affected by war. She cited her experiences having family members in the armed forces and assisting veterans on the Gulf Coast.

“When I say disabled, that’s PTSD and all the other things (causes) some of these veterans to also attempt suicide,” Collins-Lantz said.

The $2,500 grants given by the Nation of Patriots are designed as a one-time payment to help veterans through “financial hurdles.” “If they can’t get to work, they can’t get to the grocery, do this or that, it’s designed to help them get over that hump,” Carrington said.

Carrington also said events like the Patriot Tour are not only important to honor the veterans that “gave it everything” but also to raise awareness for younger generations about what veterans have sacrificed.

“Sure, we’re trying to honor the veterans, but we’re also trying to raise awareness to the young people too about what it means (to serve).”

For Carrington, the chance to spread awareness and assist his fellow veterans has helped him continue his service.

“It’s helped me continue my veteranship,” Carrington said. “It’s kind of helped me stay in touch with the veterans and keep my part in it.”

Similarly for Collins-Lantz, volunteering for organizations like Nation of Patriots and the Armed Forces Retirement Home has given her another opportunity to serve her community despite never being in the military. “To be part of their life, after the fact or even while they’re serving, it’s an honor.”