There are too many great things that have happened in 2013 for TRVLSQD, too many experiences I simply do not have time to mention in this post. And actually – I don’t really want to. But I will mention these key moments:

• Ed & Tanya – your fight against a disease we all despise, gives me the reason to keep pressing on with the reason behind TRVLSQD – Helping Others. Ed- your drive will always be an inspiration!
• Cadre Rich – Thank you for service to this country. While you are away from your family, you are always in our thoughts and will continue to be until you return home. Stay alert – Stay alive!
• To every single TRVLSQD Member – You are my Team, my Family, the reason behind what I do and what you all push me to do. I will not stop until there is no one left to help!
• To GRT Rod – you have started a wonderful mission to help the less fortunate. I will do everything I can to help you!

This picture is THE picture I will take from this year into the next. 2014 is ours TEAM!

TEAM FIRST – LOVE ALWAYS!

“Didn’t you hurt your shoulder like 3-4 weeks ago at the Tacoma GRC?”

A question John asked me at Class 053, Seattle. He was amazed that I’d actually show up so soon after my shoulder challenge – What I didn’t know was John was already one of the toughest, young, mother%^&*ers I’d ever cross paths with! Whether he’s sharing a beer with you, telling his great stories (he has a few) or out training with you – he will always show you the meaning of “Great Livin'”!
He has done KOKORO (http://www.sealfit.com/camps-academies/kokoro-camp/), he’s a GRT, and yes he’s the 1st ever Pacific Northwest GORUCK Selectee. I’m posting this because he’ll never ask me to post for him, and with his Burpeethon just around the corner, I’d be amiss to not mention my friend John during this time of the Neptune Beach Selection.

Thanks for forging ahead for us John, see you next month!

http://www.burpeeathon.com/

It only makes sense during GORUCK Selection-Neptune Beach, to revisit one of the greatest individuals you could ever hope to meet, let alone call brother. David Thomas calls the Pacific Northwest his home, and TRVLSQD his Team. To learn more about how this humble soul acquired one of the rarest honors in personal accomplishments, go to the following links to the 5-Part Series on YouTube (recorded by GRT and TRVLSQD Member Sean Honeywell) about how David prepared himself for arguably one of the toughest tests anyone could sign up for, let alone pass!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8xK-ZWeAtk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEfDTAQkei4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OiHZMCZ6fc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnOt8SvNDhc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izUfCXsdQss

GORUCK Selection is the pinnacle for many in TRVLSQD and for many GRT’s across this country. As I’m typing, there are those fighting some of the strongest mental, spiritual, and physical demons anyone could SIGN-UP to face one on one. This is a picture taken from the GORUCK Tough Page on Facebook. (photo courtesy of GORUCK) Just so you know – those in the front leaning rest are trying to survive to join a very ELITE group of athletes, that small group in the shadows behind them on the hill. Those shadows are some of the current GORUCK Selectees. I need to emphasize – That small group includes ONLY those who have met the Selection Standards & PASSED GORUCK SELECTION! Think about it …How many folks you know do marathons, ultra-distance races, Ironman triathlons, Elite OCR’s, etc. Now look back at this picture and know – GORUCK Selection – It’s not for you….or is it?

(Photo Courtesy of GORUCK)

(Passing Rate Chart Taken from GORUCK.com)

* GORUCK Cadre hand-picked all Selection Class 000 participants based on their strong endurance backgrounds. The pass rate was abnormally high for that reason.

How you decide to prepare yourself to be more active, more fit, more “alive” is completely up to you. TRVLSQD is about many things, one of those being experiencing different types of training. We all fear what we don’t understand. The only way to overcome those fears are to overcome them by “stepping up” and presenting yourself in the face of your fears. These pictures are from a recent training session courtesy of Spitfire Extreme Fitness in Olympia, WA. It is the first in many sessions I’m sure the Team will endure in 2014. Come out and join us – you just may surprise yourself!

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Aloha Friday,

December 7th will always be a day of remembrance for me. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. I lived in Hawaii for six years as a child. My dad was stationed at Schofield Barracks. I’ve been to the Arizona Memorial as a child, and although it was awe-inspiring to see back then, it’s much more significant to me as an adult to see that memorial, to see the oil drops reflecting the ominous signs of the oil still leaking from the wreckage of the USS Arizona. Ever since I became involved with GORUCK, the December 7th Pearl Harbor GRC has eluded me for the past few years. Although I have yet to become part of a Pearl Harbor GRC Class, I still remember the passion that pushed me to create the first Pearl Harbor GRC Class Patch. It was something that I sketched out one afternoon, and after a few prototypes with my friend Mike Drorbaugh at Bent Needle, he came back with the patch you see here. It still bears the “old GORUCK CHALLENGE” style of design, with no class numbers. I wanted something to be “timeless” as the Arizona Memorial.

So to all of my friends that have traveled to Hawaii for this very special GORUCK CHALLENGE, mahalo nui loa for carrying the honor of everyone that passed away on December 7th, 1941.

TEAM FIRST – HONOR ALWAYS

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The Event the Pacific Northwest has been waiting for – the 1st GORUCK HCL (Heavy-Challenge-Light) will be March 27-29, 2014. It will be the pinnacle Event for anyone wanting to test themselves in a TEAM environment within GORUCK! The registration is now open – so go check it out!