A New Appreciation for the Team

Team building activities come in many shapes and sizes. Activities ranging from ropes courses, scavenger hunts and tabletop exercises are often used to draw on individual strengths to solve a problem or overcome a challenge as a team.

And then there are companies like GORUCK that take team building to a whole new level. Team RWB Daytona recently participated in GORUCK Light with about 40 veteran and civilian teammates from Central and North Florida.

GORUCK events provide a unique experience that shows participants what Special Ops training is like. And while “ruck” is short for a rucksack (a.k.a. backpack), there’s much more to GORUCK than walking around town with a weighted backpack strapped on.

Led by Cadre “Big Daddy,” this “Light” version included an afternoon hike that came in around 5 miles. Teammates were instructed to fill their bags with 10 or 20 pounds of weight (depending on body weight) and essentials like water, snacks, ID, emergency funds and medications.

In addition to weighted rucks, the group was charged with transporting “coupons” along the way. These “coupons” were definitely not the small, lightweight pieces of paper redeemed at the grocery store. They were items like 100-pound concrete balls, sand-filled kegs, 300-pound logs and a heavy gear bag. If any “coupon” mistakenly touched the ground or the group failed to follow instructions in a timely manner, the consequence was fun stuff like burpees and flutter kicks.

As the group began the challenge, it was hard to imagine getting out of the driveway with all of this weight — let alone trekking several miles with it. Leaders were charged with communicating with their groups and each other to ensure no individual became overtaxed or injured. Teammates — who came in all ages, shapes, sizes and ability levels — worked among their groups to ensure no man was left behind and that the overall mission would be accomplished.

Throughout the event, the group exercised their muscles — along with great communication and problem-solving skills. Teammates learned to be honest with each other and how to calmly deal with conflict because “cool breeds cool,” according to Big Daddy.

Toward the end of the mission, the team truly pushed its limits to arrive at the start location on time. (No one was interested in the consequence — more flutter kicks!) And while the group returned tired, hungry and cold, the team gained a strong sense of accomplishment and camaraderie along the way.

These feelings may be nothing new for veterans. But for civilians, GORUCK provides a physically challenging experience that creates a new whole appreciation of “the team.” At the same time, GORUCK formed a common bond between Team RWB’s veteran and civilian teammates.