Minot’s Team Red, White and Blue wears the eagle for veterans

  • Published
  • By Marissa Howard
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Red, white and blue are the eminent colors of the United States, the colors of freedom and in many ways, the colors of Veterans Day.

So it was fitting when Team Red, White and Blue Minot honored our nation's veterans at McAdoo Fitness Center November 11 with a workout dedicated to those who have put their lives on the line to fight for what isn't free. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, an armistice was declared between the Allied nations and Germany in WWI, so the members of the team clad in red, white and blue completed an eleven-based repetition scheme including exercises like sprints, squats, push-ups, box jumps and more. It was a distinctive way to represent the rich history of Veterans Day.

"Over the next 4 years, about 1.2 million service members will become veterans and our goal is to reach these members and give them the family and camaraderie they had while they were in the service," said Austin Howard, active duty member at Minot Air Force base and Chapter Captain of Team RWB Minot.

Team RWB is a national organization created in 2010 with 90,000 members spread out at 182 locations across the globe. Their mission? To enrich the lives of America's veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activities.

Minot was named a chapter in August and quickly became one of the fastest growing chapters in the country, according to Zack Armstrong, Midwest Regional Director of Team RWB, who visited Minot in September. Team RWB Minot currently has 460 members, with 243 active duty members and 175 veterans. The other 42 are members of the community that have joined to support the mission, which is another reason why this organization is different from many. Anyone is welcome to join the team, military and non-military members alike. Even children were at the workout on Veterans Day, running alongside their parents and giving high-fives when the workout was complete--a testament to the inimitable camaraderie.

"I like seeing us all get together to not only just enjoy each other, but to put our military members--our active duty and veterans--first," said Nicole Goss, CrossFit Instructor for Team RWB Minot. "It's just a great organization to get anyone involved. It's not exclusive, it's not like only certain people can come; it's for everyone. That's what really appeals to me, and others as well."

Team RWB Minot holds multiple events each month, with everything from 5K's, hot yoga, water workouts, volunteer events and even pizza nights created to raise money for Christmas gifts for local homeless veterans. Different Workouts of the Day are held each week in Minot, such as the workout on Veterans Day which, along with a Memorial Day WOD, is completed at bases all over the country. It's like an invisible string that wraps across America, because every Team RWB chapter shares a set of guiding beliefs and ideals that characterize their community. Team RWB in Minot holds tight to passion, people, positivity, commitment, camaraderie and community, in Howard's eyes. And at the forefront of it all? Sacrificing a helping hand to those who have sacrificed their lives.

"I think a lot of times, especially when people come back from deployments, they get a great, warm welcome coming home and maybe for a few days but then they try to get back into normal life and some of these people have a really hard time transitioning," said Goss. "Because we're not actively seeking them out and making sure they're okay several months after their deployment, this is where problems occur. So we need to make sure that we're there for veterans and the things that they're dealing with and help them out in any way that we can, because they have laid their lives down and given everything for us."

Anyone interested in joining the Team can visit teamrwb.org, click "Join the Team" and choose "Minot Community Program." After joining, you will be contacted by the local leadership team about the events they have coming up in Minot. Team RWB is sponsored by Nike so any veteran or active duty member who signs up will receive a free Nike DRI-fit Team RWB shirt and can "wear the eagle" with the rest.