Event Description
Join us for the "EcoRecon Expedition Fundraiser" in Bozeman! We will be raising money to bring a group of veteran men and women back to Great Basin National Park for two weeks in August 2025.
In August 2024, S2S executive director Michael Cohn led a team of veteran participants on a two-week expedition at Great Basin National Park in the high Nevada desert. During this experience, veterans had an exclusive opportunity to work alongside rangers, biologists, and researchers. They learned directly from scientists in the field; they collected specimens, handled wildlife, utilized special equipment, and recorded data, all while learning more about field protocols and land management practices.
This year we will be continuing the work we started last year with fisheries biologist Jonathan Reynolds in his efforts to reinstate the native Bonneville Cutthroat Trout back to the park. New this year, the Great Basin Bird Observatory will be taking us under their wing (pun intended) and introducing us to some their current projects and research.
Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Project:
Since 2009, Jonathan Reynolds, the fisheries biologist at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, has been trying to reinstate the native Bonneville Cutthroat Trout to the rivers and streams of the park. Several non-native species have been outperforming the trout leading to their decline over the years. With the help of the S2S team, Jonathan was able to visit sites he has not been able to return to for years. The team carried heavy equipment over several miles to reach different sites Jonathan had identified. By conducting an Electrofishing survey, the S2S team helped Jonathan uncover critical data about the health of the trout and its habitat.
About Soldiers2Scientists:
Soldiers2Scientists is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit company. We connect veterans with engaging outdoor activities where they participate in important scientific research at National Parks and public lands throughout the United States. We collaborate with national park biologists, federal and state wildlife commissions, science organizations, and conservation communities to identify valuable and engaging citizen science projects to offer veterans. This allows them to contribute directly to important efforts protecting our wildlife and natural resources. We work with veterans across the country to customize programs tailored to each individual's interest and location, connecting them with scientists, critical research, and a variety of pathways to get involved. Whether as career advancement, educational enrichment, or positive behavior reinforcement in a therapeutic setting, we meet veterans where they are and seek to support them how we can. Our programs offer exclusive experiences that provide the benefits of outdoor recreation, structure, community, and purpose that are so important to veterans in all stages of post- service life. Projects exist for all ages and accessibility.
In an effort to expand our impact and fund major projects like our EcoRecon Expeditions at National Parks, we rely on donors who see how our efforts can benefit the veteran community while highlighting important scientific research and conservation initiatives all over the United States. To learn more about our work and plans for the future, please visit our website, https://www.soldiers2scientists.org/
The Workout:
This workout is inspired by the CHAD1000X CrossFit Hero workout which is 1000 weighted step-ups for time. It can be done anywhere and is scalable to all fitness levels. We chose to do a version of this workout because it represents the mental and physical grind related to the work our veterans will be doing on this trip. The workout was written in honor of Navy SEAL Senior Chief Chad Wilkinson, who died by suicide on Oct. 29, 2018 as a result of several traumatic brain injuries, blast-wave injuries, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from many deployments across more than two decades of service. Chad is survived by his spouse, Sara, who founded The Step Up Foundation in Chad’s honor to change the narrative concerning the number of veteran suicides by dramatically expanding awareness regarding the effects of blast wave injury, traumatic brain injuries, and post-traumatic stress. If you would like to learn more about the amazing work these folks do check out https://www.stepupfoundation.org
Workout Details:
For time:
1,000 weighted box step-ups
Suggested weight and box height:
♀ 15-25 lb. ruck, 14-16-in box
♂ 35-45 lb. ruck, 18-20-in box
Scaling options:
You can reduce the weight, box height or reps to your preferred level. If you will be joining us at True Sprit Complete Fitness there will also be options to do a 10,000-meter row, run a 5k around the facility (weather permitting), or ride the assault bike if steps ups are not an option for you.
Additional tips and information
Different types of step ups can be used for this workout, you can stick with one or alternate between:
Basic step-up how-to video: https://youtu.be/5qjqDHOUh-A?si=ROXJe7rKhMvKIM_G
Lateral cross-over step up: https://youtu.be/7xizNmoASWQ?si=IHMC8aIbRvOUnrdu
Lateral step up: https://youtu.be/cvhbznhHxS8?si=p-zuqZYjEYKtzA46
Chad1000x workout: https://chad1000x.com/the-workout/
For additional information about Soldiers2Scientists, you can visit:
https://www.soldiers2scientists.org/
or you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
For additional information about the gym where we will be working out on April 5th, you can visit:
