At Team Rubicon, we boldly proclaimed we are building the best disaster response organization in the world. Since 2010, we’ve been duking it out with Mother Nature. Whether wind, water, fire, or earth, we’ve audaciously stepped into new arenas ready to serve others in the wake of disasters.
There are three reasons why I am ready to rebuild.
1. We honor our commitments
We’re pushing ourselves into a new realm within the industry. When Team Rubicon sent boat teams to Houston in 2017, we made a commitment to the people of Houston. This commitment was affirmed with each wave of volunteers who deployed when the waters receded and with each investment the organization made in its volunteers and capability to conduct operations. We also made a commitment to our nation to be there when we are needed most. We made a commitment to the global community to deliver aid impartially. As an organization heavily influenced by military culture, honoring our commitments is a core value.
During Hurricane Harvey, we deployed thousands of volunteers from across the country and the globe to Houston. Each of them saw homes and lives destroyed. For my generation of military veterans, there has been a lack of closure to our overseas conflicts. Our fellow sailors, soldiers, airmen, operatives, and Marines are still actively in a brawl on our behalf. We can at least close out this fight with Mother Nature and help Houston get back into fighting shape.
2. We are eager to put our skills to work
We can muck, we can saw, and we can slam. Sometimes we need to bring out the heavies, but most of the time, sweat, brawn and teamwork are all we need to get shit done after a disaster. When most of us were leaner, meaner, and greener, we learned and earned specific skills in the military, civil service or industry. Most of us are proud of our experiences and occupational specialties and most of us would be eager to put them to use in the field.
Skilled volunteering offers military veterans a tangible, authentic and natural way to build a badass portfolio outside of the military. Whether we were building, breaking, blowing up, or bulldozing, there is a need for those skills beyond the battlefield. You bring the brawn, we’ll bring the opportunity.
3. We can innovate
There are families who need their homes rebuilt. We’re teamed up with a recovery powerhouse, SBP. First, we’re going to learn from the best. Then, we’re going to challenge ourselves do it better, faster, cheaper. Remember, innovation is in our blood. We’re never content with “good enough.” You can observe this every day behind-the-screens and in furthest flung field operation. Whether we’re in a scrum or on a strike team, we’re always looking to gain an edge.
Today, we respond. Tomorrow, we rebuild. Let’s go to work.
What’s your big ass audacious idea on what we should do next? Email us your plan. Dare you to challenge the norm.
