(NewsNation) — Veterans are built to serve, and now some of them are taking their call of duty off the battlefield and providing crisis support to victims on the front lines of natural disasters across the globe.
The veteran-led humanitarian organization Team Rubicon responds to all kinds of natural disasters and provides victims with hope and support by helping them recover and rebuild. The organization was formed after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. A group of eight volunteers — made up of veterans and first responders — flew to the region to provide aid.
Since it was founded, Team Rubicon has been on the scene at more than 600 natural disasters, providing nearly $19 million of volunteer labor. The team also provided support during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccinating 1.6 million people worldwide.
Army veteran and Team Rubicon incident commander Jarrett Brown joined “Morning in America” to discuss the organization’s mission and its current effort in Kentucky.
“We’re scheduled here to be through the first week of September conducting muck outs, where we go in and take all the damaged materials out of these homes and get it to a point where they can start rebuilding their lives,” Brown said.
The organization’s main focus is to help people who need it the most. Brown explained they help the uninsured and the people who can’t physically help themselves, but they try to be everywhere they can possibly go.
“Obviously, we’re a volunteer base. So as long as we can have the volunteers get their boots on the ground, we’re going to be there,” Brown said.
Most of the volunteers are veterans, but the organization is open to first responders and civilians who want to step up and volunteer to help.
Brown said that the victims Team Rubicon helps are usually at a loss of words when volunteers show up and help them. “We shed a lot of tears with these homeowners coming into some of these communities here in Kentucky, they thought they were forgotten. And Team Rubicon comes in and they give them that hope and that light to be able to rebuild their lives,” Brown said.
Brown said that not only does the organization help disaster victims, but it also helps the veterans who might be struggling. It helps them find a purpose outside their service, as well as helps turn their lives around when it comes to their mental health.