POCATELLO — A local veteran will watch the sun rise over the beautiful vistas in Africa when he summits Mount Kilimanjaro on Veterans Day.

Much like the monumental challenges Pocatello veteran Geoff Rash faced in the military and coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, the Kilimanjaro climb represents overcoming the seemingly insurmountable.

But Rash will not summit this peak alone.

From the very start, he will be joined by his brothers and sisters in arms, fellow warriors from every walk of life who are coming together to show themselves and the world that no obstacle is too large to overcome.

"It's blood, sweat and tears," Rash said. "It's overcoming mental health (struggles) just like overcoming obstacles in the military. It's a representation of all of it. You have good people around you — keep trying and don't give up. Just keep reaching out for help. You can raise your head above the clouds and you can rise above it."

This journey to raise PTSD awareness while gaining the endorphin-filled experience of climbing one of the world's tallest peaks truly began shortly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, when Rash had a calling to defend the freedom of America.

Rash was just out of high school when he experienced Sept. 11, quickly enrolling in the U.S. Air Force to serve his country. Within two years, Rash would see deployment to Qatar Airbase in Arabia, but it was a freak accident at the local Mountain Home Air Force Base that would alter his life forever.

Rash was working as a crew chief on F-15 Eagle fighter jets at Mountain Home Air Force Base when, right before takeoff, the underside of a jet he was working on exploded, engulfing him in toxic fumes and smoke and rocketing him onto the pavement. The aftermath left him with a traumatic brain injury. Despite the damage he sustained, Rash was able to shake it off and, with the help of his fellow crewman, saved the life of the pilot and salvaged the aircraft.

"We were able to get the fire out and we were able to get the pilot out of the aircraft," Rash said. "Because of that incident, it was hard for me to be around the aircraft and my job performance kind of went down. It wasn't long before my contract was up with the military, my enlistment, so I just got out."

Rash's time in the military was during an era when post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, was still being researched and Rash struggled with talking about his mental health. It wouldn't be until nearly a decade later that he would find a positive connection with Veterans Affairs.

"Every time I would get a job that involved heavy machinery or anything like that, my anxiety would skyrocket and the drinking would go up again," Rash said. "I could never put two and two together until I finally went to the VA. After years of doing that and fighting some other separate battles, I finally got some treatment."

The years of sobriety played a large part in Rash's recovery, as did his attendance at a veterans school called University of Health and Performance, where he obtained personal training and integrative health coaching certificates. Before long, representatives with Team Red, White and Blue, a veterans organization, approached Rash about a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro.

"I got my head above the clouds," Rash said. "I went through all the therapies and everything and sought help. My goal is to just spread awareness of what is possible. I've lost a lot of friends doing this route and it's tough. I get it. I want to show other veterans there's a way out, that there's help and, hopefully, just spread that message."

Rash will join around 22 other veterans, some of whom have their own disabilities from their time in the military, to summit Mount Kilimanjaro on Nov. 11, Veterans Day.

"Doing anything with a group of veterans is huge for me, whether it's working out or recreation therapy with the VA, which has been huge," Rash said. "I actually just got done with a fishing trip with the VA recreation therapy through Higher Ground U.S.A., which is another great organization."

For Rash, one of the biggest aspects of joining these organizations and the upcoming trip is the camaraderie with other veterans — building trust and finding outlets to escape difficulties like the crushing isolation he often experienced at the beginning stages of his PTSD recovery.

"There has been growth, but there's ups and downs," Rash said. "Doing this climb and everything that comes with it represents my struggle with my mental health and PTSD. Leaning on a community is also a huge message. To know that you don't have to do it alone, if you have the right people around you, any challenge is possible."

In preparation for his African journey, Rash recently spent time scaling the Sawtooth Range in central Idaho, summiting one of its mountains to prepare himself physically and mentally. Each veteran who will be attending the Mount Kilimanjaro hike is required to self-finance their trips.

Rash started a GoFundMe to help with his travel expenses and, thanks to the contributions and support of the local community, was able to fund a portion of the expenses required for the epic journey.

Mount Kilimanjaro has five distinct climate zones that include a base-level cultivated area, a rainforest, an Afro-alpine moorland, an Alpine desert and an Arctic climate near the peak.

The climb itself will require Rash to have a wide variety of different clothing items, including warm-weather gear when he and the group make their ascent to the tip of Kilimanjaro. Temperatures there can get as low as minus 5 degrees.

But all the grueling work to get to this point may be worth it. The night before, Rash and his compatriots will break camp in the afternoon before waking up at midnight to begin the frigid climb to the summit.

These soldiers will summit the towering dormant volcano on Veterans Day right as the sun begins to rise, taking in the breathtaking topography and landscapes of Tanzania 19,341 feet in the air.

"The Kilimanjaro hike in itself represents for me the struggles that I went through personally, that many veterans go through," Rash said. "This represents going through that struggle of getting out of the military, dealing with PTSD, isolation, seeing your fellow veterans suffer, all the veterans that aren't with us anymore."

Rash continued, "One person can't climb that mountain alone. We have to do it together. Climbing Kilimanjaro is a representation of what we need to do to get through what we struggle with. If this whole thing had any goal in mind, it would be to just show that it's possible. I was in and out of psych wards. I had one foot in the grave with health problems, and less than two and a half years later, I'm doing things like this. Something I wouldn't even have dreamed of."

While Rash and his fellow veterans will be watching a beautiful sunrise at the peak of the tallest place in Africa, Rash is still thinking of other service members during Veterans Day. Rash reminds the community to remember to check on their friends, family members and loved ones, especially with the holiday season looming.

"I've seen too many veterans and just everyone in general, not just veterans, people in the community, struggle with substance abuse and mental health issues," he said. "If I can influence one person (for the better), then it was worth it."

If you or a veteran you know is experiencing a crisis and is struggling with depression, suicidal ideation or substance abuse, or are seeking support, contact the 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line by calling or texting 988, then pressing 1, or by chatting online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.