BILL CULLINS: Team RWB connects veterans, community
SAN ANGELO, Texas —
Team RWB (“Red, White and Blue”) is a new fitness community in San
Angelo that’s helping to transform the way that America supports its
veterans when they return from combat.
You’ll be able to recognize them by their uniform — a red Team RWB shirt with the large Eagle logo on the front.
The San Angelo Team RWB community is part of a larger national nonprofit organization that currently includes over 4,400 veteran and active duty ambassadors and 7,300 civilian athletes and advocates in 36 states.
The team’s mission is simple — to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.
Team RWB was founded in 2010 by Mike Erwin, an instructor at the West Point Military Academy. Today the regional Team RWB chapters and local communities of the team work to help veterans and the community connect through physical and social activity.
Activities in each chapter and local community include weekly fitness activities, monthly social events, and participation in local races and events together.
Nicole Vasquez, an Army veteran and organizer of the San Angelo RWB community, says “Team RWB is not just for members of the military or veterans — everyone is welcome.
“We are about building a community and we cannot build a community of only veterans. We need friends, family, caring citizens, business owners. Everyone can fill a role.
“The Team RWB slogan ‘It’s Our Turn’ means it is our turn to serve veterans. That opportunity to serve is open to all members of our regional community.”
One of the core beliefs of Team RWB is that mental and physical benefits of exercise can greatly improve a veteran’s ability to cope with issues related to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Research such as that done by Dr. Michael Otto, professor of psychology at Boston University, indicates that many returning veterans suffer from not being part of a close-knit team after their military deployment ends.
Dr. Otto notes that “Team RWB makes use of its community and athletic members to provide information, training, and companionship to veterans who want to recharge themselves both physically and mentally.”
“It provides a team to veterans who may have left part of their sense of connection in the war zone, and it provides the same sort of team to those civilians who have been looking for a way to give back to the veterans who have served so loyally.”
Vasquez agrees, saying: “Physical fitness and sports are proven ways to bring people together and set the conditions to build meaningful relationships.
“These activities provide veterans with renewed camaraderie, a sense of purpose and shared accomplishment. In addition to being an excellent way to connect on a social level, physical activity is proven to be therapeutic and healthy for both the body and mind.”
In addition to group workouts during the week, local Team RWB members will also be participating in multiple upcoming events such as local running events, Tour de Burma today, the Lake Nasworthy triathlon on July 14, Goodfellow triathlon on July 27, and the Wool Capitol triathlon on Aug. 18.
You can connect with or join San Angelo’s Team RWB community several ways. The group has a Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/TeamRWBSanAngelo that provides updates on local activities and events, and the local coordinator periodically sends out emails notifying members of upcoming Team RWB activities.
Full information on the national Team RWB program is available at teamrwb.org, and the local contact for the San Angelo RWB community is Timothy Masshardt, timothy.masshardt@gmail.com.
Ride On, San Angelo, and remember — join Team RWB and ride or run to support local veterans.
Upcoming Events
June 8: Tour de Burma cycling ride, sanangelobicycleassociation.com
June 15: Flippin Sweet 5K, roadlizards.org
June 22: Stop, Drop, and Roll run, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org
July 14: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 27: Goodfellow Traithlon, roadlizards.org
Aug 18: Wool Capital Triathlon, ironheadrp.com
You’ll be able to recognize them by their uniform — a red Team RWB shirt with the large Eagle logo on the front.
The San Angelo Team RWB community is part of a larger national nonprofit organization that currently includes over 4,400 veteran and active duty ambassadors and 7,300 civilian athletes and advocates in 36 states.
The team’s mission is simple — to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.
Team RWB was founded in 2010 by Mike Erwin, an instructor at the West Point Military Academy. Today the regional Team RWB chapters and local communities of the team work to help veterans and the community connect through physical and social activity.
Activities in each chapter and local community include weekly fitness activities, monthly social events, and participation in local races and events together.
Nicole Vasquez, an Army veteran and organizer of the San Angelo RWB community, says “Team RWB is not just for members of the military or veterans — everyone is welcome.
“We are about building a community and we cannot build a community of only veterans. We need friends, family, caring citizens, business owners. Everyone can fill a role.
“The Team RWB slogan ‘It’s Our Turn’ means it is our turn to serve veterans. That opportunity to serve is open to all members of our regional community.”
One of the core beliefs of Team RWB is that mental and physical benefits of exercise can greatly improve a veteran’s ability to cope with issues related to post-traumatic stress disorder.
Research such as that done by Dr. Michael Otto, professor of psychology at Boston University, indicates that many returning veterans suffer from not being part of a close-knit team after their military deployment ends.
Dr. Otto notes that “Team RWB makes use of its community and athletic members to provide information, training, and companionship to veterans who want to recharge themselves both physically and mentally.”
“It provides a team to veterans who may have left part of their sense of connection in the war zone, and it provides the same sort of team to those civilians who have been looking for a way to give back to the veterans who have served so loyally.”
Vasquez agrees, saying: “Physical fitness and sports are proven ways to bring people together and set the conditions to build meaningful relationships.
“These activities provide veterans with renewed camaraderie, a sense of purpose and shared accomplishment. In addition to being an excellent way to connect on a social level, physical activity is proven to be therapeutic and healthy for both the body and mind.”
In addition to group workouts during the week, local Team RWB members will also be participating in multiple upcoming events such as local running events, Tour de Burma today, the Lake Nasworthy triathlon on July 14, Goodfellow triathlon on July 27, and the Wool Capitol triathlon on Aug. 18.
You can connect with or join San Angelo’s Team RWB community several ways. The group has a Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/TeamRWBSanAngelo that provides updates on local activities and events, and the local coordinator periodically sends out emails notifying members of upcoming Team RWB activities.
Full information on the national Team RWB program is available at teamrwb.org, and the local contact for the San Angelo RWB community is Timothy Masshardt, timothy.masshardt@gmail.com.
Ride On, San Angelo, and remember — join Team RWB and ride or run to support local veterans.
Upcoming Events
June 8: Tour de Burma cycling ride, sanangelobicycleassociation.com
June 15: Flippin Sweet 5K, roadlizards.org
June 22: Stop, Drop, and Roll run, roadlizards.org
July 4: Christoval VFD 5K, roadlizards.org
July 14: Lake Nasworthy Triathlon, roadlizards.org
July 27: Goodfellow Traithlon, roadlizards.org
Aug 18: Wool Capital Triathlon, ironheadrp.com
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