TRIBE: Trust, Respect, Integrity through a community of Belonging and Empowerment

Hey everyone, just wanted to take a couple sentences to introduce myself if you don’t know me. I have completed 5 missions as a marcher with the organization. I am a Veteran with over 30 years of active duty service, and have a passion to help my brothers and sisters in need. I am a former military historian who loves history and writing, so the plan here is to help tell the story of the 50 Mile March and the great work YOU do to make it happen. If you have any great stories or experiences, I would love to be able to share that for you…just reach out to me.

Fabula est Vestri, Dale McGavran

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During his famous speech, “The Strenuous Life”, Teddy Roosevelt said, “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.” Roosevelt did not always believe those words. As a boy, he was often sick and eventually diagnosed with asthma. No matter how much he desired to be active, it wasn’t to be. That is, until challenged by his father to change the trajectory of his life. From that moment, the young Roosevelt lad became a force.

Roosevelt began transforming his life through gymnastics training, boxing, weightlifting, hunting, and yes, even rucking. It wasn’t always glorious triumphs…there were, like he later said, those moments of failure. But he refused to let those stop him. There would be no inactivity. No accepting mediocrity.

We sit within a month of the initial briefing for the 2026 mission event Operation Freedom Path. This year we are, once again, reminded that it takes commitment, real commitment, to experience success in the struggle. It is too easy to rest in Roosevelt’s gray twilight, neither risking defeat nor celebrating victory. It matters not if you are a seasoned walker or volunteer, or if this is your first year, the commitment is the same. It must be. The stakes are too high.

What does it mean to be fully committed. He might not have been talking specifically about helping Veterans, but Roosevelt’s speech captured the American response in chasing its responsibility. Again, Roosevelt in his own words…“The work must be done; we cannot escape our responsibility; and if we are worth our salt, we shall be glad of the chance to do the work. But let us not deceive ourselves as to the importance of the task. Let us face the responsibilities with proper seriousness, courage, and high resolve.”

To be committed is to approach Veteran needs with seriousness because, quite simply, the issue is serious. Too many Veterans are adrift, not knowing where to turn, or worse, not wanting to turn to help. We need to fix that. The old methods of sitting back and being reactive must change. Evolution must occur. Serious challenges call for serious work.
To be committed is to approach Veteran needs with courage. It is the bedrock of any force moving forward. It is the strength to press on in perseverance without concern of difficulty. In committing to the 50 Mile March, you will be called on to persevere through struggles and challenges – physical, emotional, and mental. But you have a tribe with you at every step.
To be committed is to approach Veteran needs with high resolve. It is the determination to meet the issue head on. We cannot afford to “set aside for another day”, the issues before us. Remember, they are serious.

It has been my experience in five years of rucking 50 miles, that for just about everyone I have met, there is a natural progression when it comes to getting to the point of full commitment. The first step, obviously, is hearing of the organization. I cannot begin to count the number of times in the last few years, when I have talked with individuals who heard from a friend, who heard from a friend, who heard from another…oh wait, that is a song. Seriously though, everywhere I go, I run into people who know about the organization because a friend or relative is involved. And those conversations often lead to them getting involved also.

The interest leads to asking questions. In other words, digging deeper. They want to know what the 50 Mile March is all about. What is rucking? What are the requirements? Whom does the 50 Mile March help? And a lot more.

Interest leads to action. That action comes in all shapes and sizes. But for most of those still around after the knowledge consumption, they are ready to commit, either as a volunteer or a walker. At this point, it is just the beginning of preparation for the ruck. Training, connecting with others, learning responsibilities. These and many more occur in the nine months leading up to that August weekend.

So, here is the deal…January 10, 2026 is the next point on that linear transaction. It is here that we hope each individual moves from “just hearing” about the organization, to fully committing to help end Veteran suffering, and becoming the next member of the tribe.

Let me wrap up with this final thought. This is what I think of being a member of the tribe as we look to solve Veteran homelessness and mental health challenges. It is:

Trust, Respect, Integrity through a community of Belonging and Empowerment.