Veterans for Ron Paul White House March Draws Hundreds of Troops

Hundreds of troops gathered as the Veterans for Ron Paul White House March got underway Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C.

Timed to coincide with President's Day, the long-planned rally is a fully-permitted and approved opportunity for veterans, active-duty service members, and their families to come together in support of the Ron Paul 2012 campaign.

Many of the attendees wore their uniforms, in order to create a strong visual image of solidarity during the event, which is dubbed Ron Paul is the Choice of the Troops.

The event, which is aimed at demonstrating the depth of the Texas Congressman's support among the veteran community, will begin at 12 p.m. with a rally at the Washington Monument, followed by a march beginning at 2 p.m. from the monument to the White House. It will also feature stateside active-duty military members who can make it to Washington, D.C. for the event.

The event was the brainchild of Adam Kokesh, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, political commentator and one-time Republican congressional candidate, and Nathan Cox, a U.S. Army veteran, political activist and supporter of Veterans for Ron Paul, and it has gained significant support since it was first conceived in early January.

With more than 1,400 people listed as attending on the group's Facebook page, Ron Paul is the Choice of the Troops is fully-permitted, and its participants are expected to be either veterans, active-duty military, and family members.

The rally will feature speeches by veteran supporters of Ron Paul and organizers, and will be followed by a march on the White House in military squad formation, then a special ceremony to honor troops who have died since the election of President Barack Obama:

We will step off towards the White House, turn left on Pennsylvania Ave, and come to a halt at 1600, reads the event's description on Facebook. We will do an about face, and present a hand salute to a folded American flag for as many seconds as troops have died since President Obama took office, then march silently back to the Washington monument and fall out. We are currently working on arrangements and special guests for a reception that evening.

The event will be followed by an after-party and concert at the Rock N Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C., which will feature performances by Aimee Allen, Jordan Page, Golden State and Rebel INC.

The idea that Ron Paul has massive support from veterans seems to be based in some factual evidence, as An internal analysis from the Ron Paul presidential campaign, shows that Paul received more military donations than his Republican rivals and President Barack Obama in the fourth quarter, according to Digital Journal.

Kokesh described the impetus behind Veterans for Ron Paul's creation during interview with The Washington Times: We want a commander-in-chief who will be decisive, put America's security first, and only send troops into harm's way with a clear mission. Ron Paul is the only candidate with a pragmatic and principled foreign policy.

Watch the Veterans for Ron Paul White House march via live streaming video below:

Live streaming by Ustream