Fitness group sweats, reaches out to vets

FORT SILL, Okla. -- The local Team Red, White & Blue, along with other members of the Lawton-Fort Sill community, did an "Armistice - A Veterans Day Salute" workout of the day Nov. 6 at Black Dog Crossfit in Lawton.

To celebrate the sacrifice veterans have made, RWB teams across the country went to Crossfit gyms to pour out sweat.

The workout consisted of two 11-minute rounds with 11-based repetitions. The first round represented veterans of wars past, and the second represented veterans of present and future wars.

The end of each round concluded with two-minutes of rest and reflection for the Tomb of the Unknowns.

"From someone who never got to serve in the Army, and my wife being in the Army, anything I can do to help is great," said Black Dog Crossfit owner Darren Marks.

Marks ran the participants through that workout all day specifically for Fort Sill Team RWB.

Team RWB

Team RWB is a national organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.

Fort Sill doesn't have enough members to have a chapter, although they are looking to grow. Right now they are a Team RWB Community. They host a variety of positive activities that foster authentic relationships at the local level.

"It helps a lot of the younger Soldiers and it helps with veterans outreach. It's sort of an enrichment program and they use physical fitness as the center of activity," said retired Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robin Boudiette.

He became a member of Team RWB after meeting a chapter in Leavenworth, Kan., who used the camaraderie to help service members deal with things like PTSD and transitioning out of the military.

"They get together and it sort of helps them with things they've experienced," Boudiette said. "That's really the reason I joined."

The team connects with each other, and members of the community, through events like weekly running groups, hiking, yoga classes, functional fitness, and volunteering.

"It's always fun to hang out with like-minded individuals who have fitness in the forefront and it's a service to self as well," said Senior Airman Natalie Hopkins, 507th Air Refueling Wing, and Fort Sill Team RWB community captain.

She was a member of a different organization at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., that ran to remember fallen Soldiers.

She feels Team RWB is a similar military-service oriented organization.

"I lost my brother in Afghanistan, and that's why that group meant so much to me. This group means a lot to me because my little brother has had trouble with PTSD, and my husband will deploy," said Hopkins. "I might be in the Air Force, but there's something to be said about a brotherhood and sisterhood in arms. I wanted to stick with the military community."

Hopkins said it offers service members and spouses an instant community no matter where they are stationed.

"You don't completely start over, you already have a group of people you can go to."

Sgt. Sydnee Spencer, Field Artillery Basic Officer Leaders Course medic, said that is exactly why she joined.

"I was having a hard time meeting people. I work with a bunch of guys who are still getting used to females in combat arms, so Suki (Purdeu) invited me and I started meeting people."

Within the local Team RWB the members said there are several subgroups based on their common interests.

"I love running, they love running; we're all crazy together," said Spencer.

Purdeu organized the Armistice Day workout with Black Dog Crossfit and recently represented Fort Sill in the Army 10-Miler competition in Washington, D.C.

"When I went to Army 10-Miler they had a whole expo. There's a huge community of RWB out there and they're so active," said Purdeu, Cameron University ROTC cadet.

Group membership is free; service members and civilians are encouraged to join.

To become a member of Fort Sill Team RWB, visit www.teamrwb.org, enter your name, email adress and zip code and select no chapter in my area yet.

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Armistice WOD photos