Rosenblum: For Team RWB, every day is Veterans Day

Flags were planted in the snowy earth. Patriotic anthems were sung, bells rung, tears shed. And, because this is America, department stores honored the day with enticing discounts on refrigerators.

Another Veterans Day came and went on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Al Salvosa woke up eager to remind us of a simple truth:

Veterans' needs cannot be addressed in an annual 24-hour period.

That's why Salvosa, a Brooklyn Center police officer who served two tours in Iraq, is eager to spread the word about Team Red, White and Blue (Team RWB), for which every day is Veterans Day.

"Monday is yoga night; Tuesday is a trail run; Wednesday, a lake run; Thursday is personal training for free," said Team RWB spokesman Salvosa, moving through the week.

"These may not be grand celebrations," he said, "but they're a way for a veteran to spend a day with another veteran. I can immediately open up with them about the horrible things I've seen and they'll get it, not judge me."

The mission of Team RWB (www.teamrwb.org) is to help veterans reintegrate through physical activity and personal connections, and it has been a godsend. Membership in the national nonprofit, with pride-inducing Minnesota roots, has mushroomed from 10 chapters in 2010 to 125 today, and from a few hundred members to nearly 56,000 — 75 signing up daily.

"Some veterans struggle to make the transition from service member to civilian," said Team RWB founder Mike Erwin, a West Point graduate and full-time Army major in Tampa, Fla.

"They really need a bridge to help them connect with people in their community, not just other vets, but civilians, too, who want to help."

Standing at the head of that civilian line, he noted, was Denise Jorgensen of Ramsey.

Ten years ago, a childhood friend of Jorgensen's daughter was deployed to Baghdad. The Jorgensens, along with other friends, took turns sending the young man care packages, which he shared with fellow soldiers. Soon, they had adopted 17 soldiers. Today, Operation Minnesota Nice has adopted more than 16,000 service members and sent close to 1 million pounds of snacks and games overseas.

One lucky unit receiving goodies — three times — was Erwin's. Deployed in 2006, 2007 and 2009, he didn't forget the kindness. In October 2010, Erwin recruited 65 friends to help him launch Team RWB at the Twin Cities Marathon. Operation Minnesota Nice threw the runners a pre-marathon pasta dinner, where Erwin and Jorgensen met for the first time.

She remains a big fan of Erwin's organization. "I'll do everything for them but run," she said with a laugh.

Running is the most popular activity among the Minnesota contingent, Erwin said. Sometimes, members post their plans on Facebook — "I'm going for a run at 3, does anyone want to join me?" — or their gratitude, such as, "I can't tell you how important running has been to my own recovery."

The Minnesota group participated in the Old Glory Coast to Coast relay, which began on Sept. 11 in San Francisco and ended 3,800 miles later, on Nov. 9, in Washington, D.C. Runners carried a U.S. flag that was flown in combat, and wore T-shirts symbolizing the partnership between veterans and civilians.

But non-runners have plenty of options, including cross-fit, rock climbing, cycling and swimming. Besides, connecting through physical fitness is just the first step toward bonding and feeling validated.

It's working. In a 2014 survey of more than 4,000 Team RWB members, fully 75 percent of veterans reported that they had found other people who shared their passions. Seventy-six percent said they felt part of something bigger than themselves, and 61 percent reported exercising more regularly. Among civilian members, 75 percent reported a better understanding of the challenges veterans face.

Mike Jambor, 69, joined Team RWB two years ago and jokes that he's "the official old guy." He participates in weekly activities and connects daily on the Facebook page. He said his involvement has been "restorative."

"When you come out, you are different from when you went in," said Jambor, who served in Korea during the Vietnam War and remembers fellow soldiers changing out of their uniforms on the plane coming home so they wouldn't be spit at.

"It's something you put away, but there is always a little hole there," Jambor said. "Life goes on. It's OK. But this group is absolutely the salve.

"If you want your faith in this country restored, hang out with them for an hour."

gail.rosenblum@startribune.com