Project R3con

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐑𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞!

We’ve connected with multiple 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 teams to bring their teams, venues, and games into the route.

Our sponsors from across the 𝐒𝐎𝐅 community have stepped up in a 𝐌𝐀𝐉𝐎𝐑 way.

And when we reached outside the military community, the response from businesses and organizations was a resounding 𝐘𝐄𝐒.

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧.
For the first time, you can support Reps for R3covery as an individual or team fundraiser! Prizes will be awarded to the top individual fundraiser and top fundraising team.

This is about more than miles, reps, or a finish line.
It’s about showing the Special Operations community that they do not have to carry the lasting effects of traumatic brain injury alone.

Are you ready to be part of it? Sign up to 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫: https://givebutter.com/repsforr3covery

𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

A recent VA Office of Inspector General review found that 𝟏𝟒𝟐,𝟐𝟕𝟎 post-9/11 veterans who screened positive for possible deployment-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and agreed to a comprehensive TBI evaluation did not receive one.

A positive TBI screen is not a diagnosis. It is the beginning of a process that should lead to further evaluation, appropriate care, and a path forward.

At the same time, the VA’s TBI Veterans Health Registry has grown from 441,639 veterans in 2021 to 556,502 in 2025, an increase of approximately 26%.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤: 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩. 𝐕𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲.

This is one of the reasons why Project R3con exists: to help move the conversation from awareness to action for those living with the lasting effects of TBI.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. (2026, August 5). Review of VHA’s screening and evaluation of traumatic brain injury in post-9/11 veterans (Report No. 24-03541-173).
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. (2026). VA traumatic brain injury veterans health registry report: Data through September 2025.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration. (2022). VA traumatic brain injury veterans health registry report: Data through September 2021.

We are proud to recognize gchiefleather as an official sponsor of the 𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 led by retired Green Beret and host of Lesser Known Operators Nick Ward.

There’s something different about support that comes from someone who knows this community firsthand.

𝐆-𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 was founded and is operated by Chris Murillo, a former Green Beret who is once again stepping up for his community, this time as a business owner supporting Project R3con and Reps for R3covery.

𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝:
At G-Chief, we do not just believe in making badass products; we also believe in using this business to support our community.

I trust in the mission Project R3con is pursuing and the attention they are bringing to help our operators who suffer from TBIs and other injuries.

I also admire Nick's noble cause to highlight this nonprofit in his Reps for R3covery challenge.

We must never forget all that these service members have sacrificed and the debt we owe them.

-De Oppresso Liber, G-Chief

Thank you to the man behind G-Chief Leather for stepping up, giving back, and continuing to take care of our own. We’re proud to have him standing with us and grateful for his belief in this mission.

Check out his incredible Unconventional Leathercraft here: https://gchiefleather.com/

𝟑𝟎 𝐒𝐎𝐅 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐋. 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐎𝐀𝐋.

We’ve already seen what can happen on the individual level.

The stories matter. The changes in quality of life matter. The impact on the operators and families we serve is deeply, humanly significant.

Now, we want to build the data to match.

Our goal is to support 30 Special Operations Forces personnel through stem cell therapy while systematically tracking their outcomes. Reaching this cohort will give us a stronger dataset to evaluate the results, identify meaningful trends, and work toward statistically significant evidence alongside the human impact we’re already witnessing.

Because powerful stories can start a conversation.

Strong data can help change what’s possible for the SOF community.

30 operators. Better data. A mission bigger than any one treatment.

𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬,
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐁𝐈 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞

If you are a current or former Special Operations Forces warrior living with the lasting effects of traumatic brain injury, your experience matters. The reality of TBI cannot be fully understood through data alone. 𝐈𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭.

If there is something you believe others need to know, whether that be the general population, your leadership, and/or your family, we want to hear from you.

At Project R3con, we recognize the trust it takes to share your story. We are committed to protecting your privacy and confidentiality. Your identity will never be shared without your explicit permission.

What you share with us will do more than raise awareness. It will help guide our efforts to advance treatment, shape meaningful advocacy, and ensure the realities faced by SOF warriors are no longer overlooked.

𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨@𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐧.𝐨𝐫𝐠.

Every highlighted state represents someone who has stepped forward to support the Special Operations Forces community through 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲.

This 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫, retired Green Beret, host of Lesser Known Operators, and TBI survivor Nick Ward will travel to all 50 states, completing 13 squats with 250 pounds in each one to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury and fund life-changing stem cell therapy for Special Operations Forces personnel.

The map is growing, but we're not finished.

𝐈𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐭?

Become a 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫 and help us bring this mission to every corner of the country. Whether you're an individual, family, business, or organization, your support helps fund stem cell therapy, expand awareness, and stand beside America's elite warriors.

𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐡𝐭𝐭𝐩𝐬://𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.𝐜𝐨𝐦/𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐫𝟑𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲
*We have donation levels for all*

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 | 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟕 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟕
𝟏 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

Over the past 26 days, we've shared some of the numbers behind blast overpressure exposure.

We discussed military policies, brain health initiatives, wearable sensors, provider resources, support pathways, and the extraordinary individuals working every day to better understand the effects of repeated blast exposure.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬.
𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

The 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 personnel who have spent careers in blast environments.

The who have quietly served beside them.

The asking difficult questions.

The committed to improving care.

The working to preserve readiness.

And the who believe America's warriors deserve every opportunity to recover, heal, and thrive.

At Project R3con, our mission is to improve the lives of Special Operations Forces personnel living with traumatic brain injury by expanding access to promising, evidence-informed regenerative care while advancing the research and conversations that will shape the future of military medicine.

𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Because every statistic represents a person.
Every person has a story.
Every story has the power to advance understanding.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲:
Looking back over the past 26 days, what fact, story, or lesson impacted you the most, and what conversation will you continue because of it?

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 | 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟔 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟕
𝟖𝟓𝟓-𝟑𝟔𝟔-𝟖𝟖𝟐𝟒

Sometimes, the number isn't a measurement. It's an opportunity.

𝟖𝟓𝟓-𝟑𝟔𝟔-𝟖𝟖𝟐𝟒 is the direct number for the 𝐃𝐨𝐖/𝐔𝐒𝐔 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, the nation's only brain bank dedicated exclusively to understanding how military service, traumatic brain injury, and repeated blast exposure affect the brain.

The repository accepts voluntary registrations from service members and veterans, with or without a history of TBI, who wish to consider brain donation after death.

Through the extraordinary generosity of donors and their families, researchers can study changes that cannot yet be fully understood through today's imaging or diagnostic tools alone. Their work helps advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of traumatic brain injury for future generations of warfighters.

At Project R3con, we believe every contribution to military medicine matters. While our participants contribute through standardized outcome assessments after receiving stem cell therapy, rather than through tissue donation, the purpose is the same: to help build the evidence that improves care for those who will serve after us.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲:
Before today, had you ever heard of the DoW/USU Brain Tissue Repository? What are your thoughts on its mission?

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

U.S. Department of War

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 | 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟓 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟕
𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Sometimes the most important step in protecting brain health isn't another test.

It's 𝟏 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

A teammate asking, "You good?"
A spouse noticing something has changed.
A medic recommending an evaluation.
A healthcare provider asking about blast exposure.

For generations, military culture has emphasized pushing through adversity. That mindset has always been part of the profession.

Today, protecting the mission also means recognizing when it's time to start a conversation.

Early reporting helps healthcare providers better understand blast exposure history, identify potential concerns, and determine whether additional evaluation is appropriate.

Every conversation contributes to a culture where brain health is treated as an essential part of readiness.

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲:
Who was the first person you talked to about your brain health, or who do you hope someone would feel comfortable talking to if they needed support?

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 | 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟒 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟕
𝟑 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬

Protecting brain health doesn't stop with research.

It continues by ensuring the right people have access to the right information at the right time.

The 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 has developed evidence-based blast overpressure resources through three support pathways:

• 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 to better understand blast overpressure, recognize potential effects, and know when to seek medical evaluation.
• 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 to help identify changes, support recovery, and encourage conversations about brain health.
• 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 to guide blast exposure assessment, clinical evaluation, documentation, and evidence-based care.

Whether you're the one experiencing repeated blast exposure, standing beside someone who has, or providing their care, you don't have to navigate it alone.

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞.
𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞.
𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞.

Question for our community:
Have you or someone you know used any of the 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 blast overpressure resources? If so, what did you find most valuable?

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Source: Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence. (2025). Blast Overpressure Exposure and Traumatic Brain Injury Resources. https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Centers-of-Excellence/Traumatic-Brain-Injury-Center-of-Excellence/Blast-Overpressure-Exposure-and-TBI