Tens of thousands of service members, veterans, and civilians are logging miles this month in a challenge that has quickly become one of the largest grassroots fitness movements in the military community. Team RWB’s GWOT 100 isn’t just about covering 100 miles; it’s about reconnecting a generation shaped by the Global War on Terror with purpose, community, and the stories that defined their service.
Participants can walk, run, ruck, cycle, swim, or row their way to 100 miles over the course of February, but the real draw goes far beyond physical fitness. Each milestone unlocks digital badges tied to real locations, operations, and moments from the war in Iraq, turning movement into storytelling and shared memory. More than 24,000 people have already signed up, and participation continues to grow.
Military.com recently sat down with Team RWB leadership to talk about the organization’s mission, its data-driven approach to veteran well-being, and why the GWOT 100 is resonating so strongly across today’s military community.
What Team RWB Is Built to Do
At its core, Team RWB exists to enrich veterans’ lives by building meaningful connections through physical activity. That mission has remained unchanged since the organization’s founding, according to Executive Director Michael Sullivan.
“When you leave the service, a lot gets stripped away at once—identity, accountability, a built-in sense of purpose,” Sullivan said. “If you don’t have something to step into, that loss compounds.”
Team RWB’s approach is intentionally simple: create opportunities for veterans to move together, consistently, in supportive environments. That might look like a weekly 5K run, a ruck march, a CrossFit workout, or even a casual walk. The format matters less than the consistency and the community.
Across more than 150 chapters nationwide, veterans and supporters gather every week for local events. They check in on one another, move together, and commit to coming back. It’s not flashy. It’s reliable, and that reliability is what many veterans miss most after leaving the military.
Why Fitness Is the Gateway—not the Goal
Team RWB is often mistaken for a running club. Leadership is quick to correct that.
“Fitness is the vehicle, not the destination,” said Deputy Director John Pinter. “Connection is the outcome.”
That philosophy is backed by data. Over the past decade, Team RWB has invested heavily in measuring whether its model actually works. The organization developed the Enriched Life Scale, a validated well-being instrument designed specifically for veterans, to track changes over time.
The results have been consistent: the more engaged members are with Team RWB, showing up to events, staying active, connecting with others, the more their overall well-being improves.
More recently, Team RWB took that analysis a step further. In a study conducted with a cohort of veterans, the organization paired wearable fitness data and blood biomarkers with survey results. Participants were not given special programming; they were simply asked to be members. The outcome: measurable improvements in physical health that closely tracked gains in reported well-being.
“For us, enrichment is the measure of success,” Pinter said. “Engagement is how we get there.”
The GWOT 100: Movement With Meaning
That same philosophy underpins the GWOT 100, a free, honor-system event that asks participants to complete 100 miles during the month of February. While the distance may sound daunting, the challenge is intentionally designed to be inclusive.
“If you can move a few miles a day, you can do this,” Pinter said. “Consistency is the point.”
But unlike traditional endurance challenges, the GWOT 100 layers in history and storytelling. As participants log miles, they unlock digital badges tied to specific routes, locations, and operations from the Global War on Terror—such as routes through Baghdad, major ground operations, and air campaigns. Each badge includes historical context, photos, and imagery contributed by veterans who served there.
The challenge traces its roots to the now-retired Taji 100, a grassroots event created by veterans years ago. When its original organizers decided to step away, they asked Team RWB to carry it forward. The organization reimagined the event with a broader storytelling framework and national scale.
The long-term vision spans several years, moving region by region through Iraq and Afghanistan. Medals earned each year fit together like puzzle pieces, eventually forming a complete map of service and sacrifice.
“It’s storytelling in motion,” Pinter said. “Every mile has meaning.”
Why Active-Duty Units Are Showing Up
One of the most unexpected outcomes of the GWOT 100 has been the level of participation from active-duty units, particularly in the Air Force. Despite Team RWB being a veterans organization, service members currently in uniform are forming teams and logging miles together.
Part of the appeal, organizers say, is that the challenge exists outside the chain of command.
“It’s not mandated, which makes it feel different,” Pinter said. “That matters.”
The blend of physical challenge, virtual engagement, and storytelling appears to resonate with younger service members who grew up in digital spaces but still value shared experience. For Team RWB, it’s an opportunity they didn’t fully anticipate, but one they are now paying close attention to.
“When those service members eventually transition, they already know who we are,” Sullivan said. “They know there’s a community waiting for them.”
A Different Narrative About Veterans
Team RWB’s leaders are clear about what they are not trying to do. They reject the idea that veterans are broken or defined solely by trauma.
“We push back hard on that narrative,” Sullivan said. “Veterans aren’t damaged goods. They’re a national asset.”
The organization challenges veterans to continue serving, first themselves, then their communities, by showing up, leading, and staying connected. Whether someone arrives already thriving or struggling to find their footing, there’s room for them.
Participation is free. Civilians are welcome. Fitness levels don’t matter.
“This isn’t about being the fastest or the strongest,” Pinter said. “It’s about belonging.”
How to Join Team RWB or the GWOT 100
Joining Team RWB starts with downloading the organization’s free mobile app, available through major app stores. From there, members can find local events, connect with others nearby, and participate in virtual challenges like the GWOT 100.
Registration for the GWOT 100 remains open throughout the month, with optional gear packages available for those who choose to support the organization that way.
For tens of thousands already participating, the appeal is clear. They’re moving more. Learning more. Connecting more.
And in the process, they’re helping tell the story of a generation, one mile at a time.
If you are interested in signing up, please follow this link to Team RWB's GWOT 100.
