History is happening all around us, and it’s going to be OK. In the spirit of leading with transparency, since 2013 Jason has published a “State of GORUCK” blogpost for the community. He turns 2020’s post into Episode 029. You can read the full post, comment and ask questions HERE. The episode covers GORUCK’s evolution from 2019 to 2020 through COVID to the present with an eye toward the future including: revenue and net income year over year; contraction in Events but growth in community and Ruck Clubs; growth in the training side of the business with Sandbag and Ruck training and accompanying gear (like ruck plates); GORUCK Foundation (Java Forever) donations; and the launch of GORUCK Media including this podcast, “The Standard” a feature documentary on GORUCK Selection, and book launch (with more to come).  Jason also walks through the business of manufacturing and distribution — in the USA and overseas — and the decision to bring GR1, GR2 and GR3 production back to be built exclusively in the US beginning in 2021. There are other technological, tactical, training, event and gear announcements for 2021 and beyond.  “I choose this way of life, and I choose to fight for the values I hold dear regardless of outcomes. I do it because it’s a rewarding and fulfilling way to live this one and only life I have, and because my greatest fear growing up was a boring life. And this is definitely not boring, come what may. This journey would not be possible without your support, and I’m grateful to you all in this year 2020 and for all the years of my life. Thank you from sunny Jacksonville Beach, Florida.” — Jason McCarthy Links: State of GORUCK 2020 - Blog Post Jason’s Speech at Travis Manion Foundation and TMF 9/11 Ruck & Run Video  “The Standard” Documentary on GORUCK Selection Emily’s Instagram Learn more about GORUCK and SRT (Sandbag and Ruck Training) Glorious Professionals podcast website

Dave Castro rarely speaks of his service at the tip of the spear but the imprint of those years of training to excellence is apparent in everything he does -- especially at the CrossFit Games.  “The past that I speak so little of is so foundational for who I am.” In Episode 028, with Jason and Rich, Dave discloses a few of the missing pieces of his winding journey starting with “The Rock” and leading to leadership in the Navy as well as CrossFit International.  Dave grew up on “The Ranch” in California and while he was involved in athletics and martial arts he never excelled. Always a “self-directed” researcher he stumbled onto the challenge of becoming a Navy SEAL and he dropped out of college (against his parents’ wishes) and chased the goal with single minded focus wondering “do I have what it takes?”  With self knowledge and the reflection born of being both recruit and trainer, Dave talks about the mindset and mentality of getting through BUD/S and other challenges. Dave made the deliberate choice to not put his SEAL experiences up front in the early days of working for CrossFit while still active duty as a BUD/S instructor -- a decision which makes some still surprised to learn he was a SEAL. He served 12 years as a SEAL yet the quiet professional ethos is so ingrained, details are not forthcoming about his service through multiple deployments on elite Special Operations Teams. The lessons and values Dave holds from his years of service, however, are clear: holding yourself to a high standard; constantly training and pushing; walking the walk; and being willing to be humble, start over and work your way up.  He attributes his success out of the military to his mindset of “not ‘be impressed by what I’ve done,’ but ‘let me impress you by what I can do.’” Dave lays out his narrative about the source of the edginess he brings to CrossFit as a sport -- especially at the Games -- and the crossovers between Teams and CrossFit: teamwork, community, discipline and always training/honing your craft with care. Links: Dave Castro and The CrossFit Games “The Rock” “Rogue Warrior” by Richard Marcinko Learn more about GORUCK Glorious Professionals podcast website

Jason, Emily and Rich do a team check-in of sorts for Episode 027. They discuss COVID and learning from history about “unusual times” particularly with regards to schooling; adaptation and sacrifice; the tensions of community and personal responsibility; having self-discipline; and lessons of leadership. The team also gives a peek behind the curtain of the state of GORUCK with an overview of current status and a preview of upcoming rollouts and initiatives with a constant eye on being active and building strong communities. Links: NY Times Article “Schools Beat Earlier Plagues with Outdoor Classes” “On Living in an Atomic Age” by C.S. Lewis “Polder Model” (Public Debate in the Netherlands) Sandbag and Ruck Training and hear more from Cadre DS in Episode 017 (Bio) and Episode 018 (Training)  GORUCK Clubs “How Not to Start a Backpack Company” by Jason McCarthy Glorious Professionals podcast website

Dr. Kelly Starrett distills his years of accumulated knowledge to lay out the basics for “playing the long game” of life to build better individuals who build better communities.  In a far-ranging Episode 026, Jason and Rich cover a lot of ground with Kelly from his origins in the mountains of Germany to the origins of humans and back. In his new iteration and focus on maintaining a The Ready State for an active, long life, Kelly talks about the “unsexy basics” of optimal health: sleep, movement, eating whole foods, doing preventative maintenance, and having a tribe/team/clan/community of like minded people with you on your journey. As he says, “we are hardwired to need people.” Kelly is most well known as the Supple Leopard (based on his first book) and mainstreaming if not inventing many of the buzzwords like “mobility” that surround functional fitness (which he apologizes for). He advocates for using movement -- particularly loaded movement (aka rucking) -- as a diagnostic tool to optimize what our bodies are naturally built to do. Kelly says that “pain is information for change” and this conversation lays the groundwork to tapping into our bodies’ natural ability to adapt, a little bit at a time, to perform better for longer.  Kelly weaves his information with humor and stories from his time working as a rafting guide, as a competitive athlete paddling whitewater slalom canoe on the US Canoe and Kayak Teams, as a physical therapist for professional athletes and now as a father facing down 50. Along with his wife Juliet, Kelly is co-founder of The Ready State, the next evolution of his years of teaching, coaching and producing content on optimized movement and self-care.  Links: The Ready State E.O. Wilson “Muscles and Meridians” by Phillip Beach and Leon Chaitow “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand “Deep Nutrition” by Kate Shanahan  The Fan Dance Race Series (SAS Selection Challenge) The Soft American - John F Kennedy GORUCK Star Course GORUCK Blog: Dr. Kelly Starrett on Rucking for Longevity Glorious Professionals podcast website Learn more about GORUCK

For Episode 025, Florent “Flo” Groberg shares his very American stories of service, sacrifice, family, and the four men who are forever linked to his life.  Flo talks with Jason and Rich about his upbringing in France and family in Algeria, the long line of warriors and patriots he comes from, including his adoptive father Larry Groberg who has his own interesting stories of struggle and international adventures. Flo speaks earnestly about what excited him most about coming to the US, the differences in lifestyle, and his rage over the 9/11 attacks -- just 5 months after he became a naturalized citizen -- ultimately leading to his decision to finish what he started at the University of Maryland (where he ran track and cross country) before following his calling to join the Army.  Flo was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2012. He explains the events of August 8, 2012 in Asadabad, the eeriness of the day and the “scripted feeling” of walking patrol en route to a high-level meeting when a man approached strangely. Only after tackling the man away from the patrol did Flo realize he was wearing a suicide vest which detonated and killed Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Griffin, Air Force Maj. Walter David Gray, Army Maj. Thomas Kennedy, and USAID foreign service officer Ragaei Abdelfattah. Flo’s actions -- his 8 seconds of courage -- spared many others. Flo himself was badly wounded and spent the next three years recovering and undergoing surgeries at Walter Reed Medical Center and was medically retired in July of 2015.  On November 12, 2015, he received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award. Flo has dedicated his life to being a courier of the medal and the stories of the men lost. He speaks about that mission, the responsibilities of a public life, his wife Carsen, and how he uses reading and understanding history to deal with his trauma and the loss of the career he loved, all with his deep love and patriotism for America and the people who serve her values and missions. Links: Flo Groberg “8 Seconds of Courage” by Flo Groberg and Tom Sileo Attack in Asadabad Learn more about GORUCK  Glorious Professionals podcast website

Jimi talks about the early days of CrossFit and gives his secrets for building and shepherding communities particularly as part of a growing business.  Episode 024 is part two of Jason & Rich’s conversation with Jimi Letchford who wound up at the launch of the rocket ship that became CrossFit International. Episode 023 follows Jimi’s first career in the Marine Corps. This part picks up where they left off, his discovery of CrossFit before separating (the first time), through his continued life of service as a trainer, affiliate and corporate type at HQ.  Jimi talks about the unique, hands-off, grassroots franchise business model which relies so much on a quality product with communities built around real meaning. Jimi shares his struggles in the traditional corporate world and his insights as a “behind the scenes guy” building relationships and getting back through giving.  Of note, we recorded this episode prior to the former CrossFit CEO’s remarks that (rightfully so) led to his resignation. Our focus in this conversation is to talk about how Jimi helped empower and grow the CrossFit community from the very earliest days. Jimi is a father of 5, Naval Academy Graduate (class of 2003) and has re-enlisted in the USMC reserves at 4th Force Reconnaissance Company based out of California.  Links: Jimi Letchford Learn more about GORUCK  Glorious Professionals podcast website

Episode 023 is Part One of Jimi Letchford’s conversation with Jason and Rich about his life in service. Jimi is the former Director of CrossFit International and a Marine Infantry Officer. This part focuses on Jimi’s early life and then career in the military. He explains how wrestling and a well-placed jet led to a single-minded focus on the Naval Academy, and then injury derailed his dreams of becoming a SEAL and a chance meeting turned his focus to the Marine Corps and becoming a Lieutenant in the Infantry and tip of the spear in Iraq. Hear about his 9/11 story, training and mentors, pre-deployment wedding, a rather harrowing “wake-up call” to stay vigilant, loss, getting news about his first daughter’s birth while in Iraq, and how the “gung-ho” award winner uses his military lessons and training to approach leadership through giving and subordinate leadership. Jimi is a father of 5, Naval Academy Graduate, class of 2003, and was a friend of Travis Manion’s, whose family carries on their son’s legacy at the Travis Manion Foundation. He is currently the in the reserves at 4th Force Reconnaissance Company based out of California. Episode 024 (Part 2 of this conversation) is focused on Jimi’s work for CrossFit creating strong community bonds in addition to building the brand globally.  Links: Jimi Letchford The Marine Corps Values The Travis Manion Foundation Abu Ghraib and “Route Michigan” (satellite) Cpl. Richard “Ricky” Waller Learn more about GORUCK  Glorious Professionals podcast website

For Episode 022, Jason and Emily talk with Chad Malone about his experiences as a Black man growing up and living in America, raising his own children in Washington DC, and his perspective on the current race-related uprisings. Chad is open, educated and candid not as the voice for his community but as one who has struggled to find his voice and now uses it to tell his and his family’s stories as a window into broader Black communities and experiences.  Chad is a proud graduate of Howard University, holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from George Washington University and works in healthcare in Washington, DC. As a Physical Therapist who goes above and beyond for his clients, he loves his work because of the people he meets and the opportunity to help them as he hears their stories. He’s the owner of Capital MMA & Elite Fitness Lorton and is a leader in MMA, Jiu-Jitsu and athletic spaces in DC. He is known and beloved in the GORUCK community as roster 006 from last year’s Selection. And yet, with all his accomplishments as a husband, father and Glorious Professional, he does “not expect to get fair treatment in this country because I know that the color of my skin will have direct implications on how certain people will judge me.”  While these types of conversations can be uncomfortable, Chad advocates for their importance in holding up a mirror to our realities, helping those who have been and are hurting because of injustices, and bringing about necessary change on personal as well as national levels. Links: Capital MMA & Elite Fitness Lorton The Great Migration Tulsa Race Massacre “What’s My Name | Muhammad Ali”  HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) GORUCK Selection Learn more about GORUCK and our One Team, One Fight Initiative  Glorious Professionals podcast website

Ben Bunn joins Jason and Rich in studio — also known as the champagne room — at GORUCK HQ for Episode 021. Growing up in the Tampa area, Ben was the last person anyone would have pegged as a future Green Beret. He took an unexpected and interesting route to active service in the military and quite literally grew into his future roles in the Army and Special Operations, growing 3 inches and putting on 50 pounds during his first deployment. From High School pranks to thoughtful, strong leadership in his hometown communities, this “Team Room style” conversation covers his life of service in and out of uniform, entrepreneurship and life as a small business owner, and listening, training and dealing with challenges and the changes of the present moment with honesty, bravery and hard work. Ben founded Cigar City CrossFit in Tampa, FL which he has worked hard to build into a strong community and says “is not a place, it’s a people.” He also works with nonprofits, small businesses and entrepreneurs as a consultant, and recently joined Bravo Sierra personal care products. Through all this and his many roles in the military up to and including as Platoon Leader, he maintains his hardest job to date is being a father. Links: Ben Bunn 1st Lt. Brandon Landrum  Cigar City Crossfit Learn more about GORUCK Glorious Professionals podcast website

Senator Joni Ernst joins Jason and Emily for a conversation focused on service for Episode 020. Senator Ernst is the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress and the first female combat Veteran elected to the United States Senate, and she shares some of her story and perspective with an emphasis on bridging divides and “serving this great country” and communities in various ways now more than ever.  Senator Ernst grew up on a farm in Red Oak, Iowa and enrolled in ROTC while at Iowa State University. She served 23 years in the Army Reserves and Iowa National Guard, including a deployment in 2003 to Iraq and Kuwait, before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2015. Throughout she served in various capacities in her local communities before being elected to the US Senate in 2014. She is the recently published author of “Daughter of the Heartland,” and her daughter Libby is currently a Cadet at West Point. She is known for rucking with her staff and constituents in DC, and even worn her ruck on the Senate floor.   In our conversation, learn how a trip to Ukraine in 1989 during the Cold War gave her greater appreciation for the US and changed the trajectory of her life. She also talks about the greatest lessons she learned in Iraq and answering difficult calls to duty back home. Most of all, Senator Ernst speaks to her values of hard work, listening, finding practical solutions, and advocating always that Americans should serve in whatever capacity they can because the US is a nation worth serving.  Links: Senator Joni Ernst Daughter of the Heartland: My Ode to the Country That Raised Me Learn more about GORUCK Glorious Professionals podcast website