This year will be the year of change for this Team, for me, and most importantly – for the families we will support. It isn’t easy trying to stay the course, trying to stay on the path that we are all destined to follow. I believe we have all come to know each other based on all of our own personal experiences, challenges, decisions, and passions. I am forever grateful to all of you that have made this Team what it is.
We will always be the “Irreverent Relevant”. To go from “TEAM FIRST – BEER ALWAYS” to “We Can’t Help Everyone, So We’ll Help Everyone”, speaks volumes to the direction this Team continues to forge.
I say we are the Irreverent Relevant because we have never been a group of folks that liked to play by anyone’s rules. Just think about all of the little things this team has accomplished over the last 3-4 years, all of the new challenges that exist now because a few of us were dumb enough to ask for it (HCL being the most beautiful example of this, not to downplay the awesome Arden Tough Range Day). And through it all – TRVLSQD has become the group of folks that others can turn to when the going has gotten tough, or rough, or heart-wrenching. We are more relevant today than we have ever been. And it is only going to get awesomely worse:)
Over the last few months, Cadre Rich & Cadre Ed have been working behind the scenes to search for the next evolution for this Team. There are plenty of folks that need help – finding the families that somehow speak to our hearts isn’t nearly as easy as I’d thought it would be. Destiny brought to us Team Hall, which in turn brought Arden into the family, and by pure chance Brooklynn blessed us all.
So where are we now?
There are plenty of GORUCK Events on the Horizon, from KILL that 5K, to Navigator, to the event no one passes – Selection. Not to mention all of the other stuff all of you are pursuing. And through it all – it is my job to make sure we stay on target with our core focus – helping others. That brings us to Team Gallardo. The following is an exerpt from an email I’ve long waited for – the email signaling the next Evolution for this Team:
“MSG (Ret) Micah Gallardo retired in Oct 2014 following 20 years of selfless service, with over a decade of that time spent at 1st Special Forces Group at Joint Base Lewis Mc-Chord. Over the span of his career he has served with distinction during the Global War on Terror (GWOT), during which he served as a leader in combat operations through three tours in Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan, two tours in Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines and seven deployments in support of Joint Chiefs of Staff and other Security Assistance Exercises throughout the Pacific Region. He is a recipient of two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. A short six months into Micah Gallardo’s retirement, his wife Helena took ill with Bacterial meningitis and over the span of three days she died from complications of that illness, leaving Micah to care for their 11 and 9 yo daughters, Emily and Madeline Gallardo. To further complicate Micah’s predicament, the VA and retirement services are delayed in providing his retirement services and disability evaluation. Both of which are in progress of being remedied. ”
Folks – I am honored to announce that our target is now up, and we are in the planning stages to put together the Support Package for Team Gallardo. The details aren’t ready to be released – then again all of you have already seen the lives we’ve already changed.
So keep rucking, keep talking sh*t, and be ready when the signal flare goes off – Micah, Emily & Madeline are in for the surprise of their awesome lives!
~aloha
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