OPERATION WARRIORFIT
& OUR STORY
Where It Started: A Mission Born From Loss and Purpose
Operation WarriorFit was created out of heartbreak, reflection, and the realization that far too many of our nation’s heroes are fighting battles long after their service ends. Our founder, a U.S. Army veteran, experienced the toll firsthand—losing a close friend to suicide while in service, and grappling with the invisible wounds that don’t make headlines.
That moment changed everything. It wasn’t just grief. It was a wake-up call.
It revealed a painful truth: while we prepare people to serve, we often fail to prepare them to come home.
The idea behind OWF was simple, but powerful. What if we gave these warriors a reason to show up again? What if we reintroduced them to the structure, community, and challenge they were missing—but through fitness, racing, and shared purpose?
What started as one idea turned into a movement. A community. A mission.
Today, that mission is lifting lives, rebuilding identities, and helping veterans, first responders, and service members find their footing—one mile at a time.
We Know the Pain of Transition.
We Built the Solution We Needed.
Transitioning out of military or first responder service is more than a career change. It’s a life shift that can leave people questioning their value, their identity, and their direction. The structure, support, and sense of belonging that once defined daily life is suddenly gone. Too often, that void leads to anxiety, depression, and dangerous isolation.
At Operation WarriorFit, we don’t just understand that experience—we’ve lived it. That’s why we created something that meets our heroes where they are and gives them something real to hold on to.
We use physical fitness and endurance racing as tools to create transformation. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. Each training session, each finish line, each act of showing up is a step back to confidence, purpose, and community.
We’re not offering a temporary fix. We’re building a long-term solution.
A way for veterans, first responders, and service members to stay active, stay engaged, and stay connected.
This Isn’t Charity. It’s Camaraderie.
At Operation WarriorFit, we don’t see our participants as people who need saving. We see them as warriors who still have more to give. That perspective changes everything.
We are not a handout. We are a hand to reach for, a shoulder to lean on, and a community to belong to. Our programs are built on challenge, accountability, and shared struggle—because that’s what builds strength, resilience, and trust.
What makes OWF different is that we are founded and led by people who’ve lived this life. We know what it means to feel alone after service. We also know the power of showing up, sweating it out, and pushing through the hard miles—together.
We don’t just offer free race entries. We offer a renewed sense of identity.
We don’t just host events. We build a brotherhood.
We don’t just talk about mental health. We create action that supports it.
Our mission is real, raw, and relentless—and so are the people we serve.
A Message From Our Founder
When I transitioned out of the military, I thought I was prepared. I had served for years and built skills, discipline, and leadership I was proud of. But nothing truly prepared me for what it felt like to step away from the uniform and into the unknown.
Suddenly, the structure I had relied on was gone. The routine. The accountability. The sense of purpose that drove me every single day was no longer there. And maybe the hardest part of all, I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere anymore.
I didn’t know what to call it at the time. I just knew that I felt off. I felt disconnected from the world around me. Even the things I used to enjoy didn’t feel the same. I started to feel stuck. Like I had left a life of purpose behind, and now I was just trying to figure out what came next.
But something changed when I found racing.
What started as a simple way to stay active turned into something much more. Training for races gave me back my discipline. Pushing through long runs gave me time to clear my head. And every finish line gave me a small but powerful reminder that I still had something in me worth fighting for.
That spark turned into a fire. And that fire became Operation WarriorFit.
I built OWF not just as a fitness program, but as a mission for others like me. For veterans, service members, and first responders who are navigating the after-service fog. For those who are physically capable but mentally and emotionally searching for something to hold on to. For those who want to be part of something again, something that challenges them, supports them, and helps them grow.
This community is full of people who show up not just for themselves, but for one another. I’ve seen veterans who hadn’t laced up running shoes in years finish their first 5K and light up with pride. I’ve seen first responders who carry the weight of their communities on their shoulders finally find space to focus on themselves. I’ve seen teams form, friendships grow, and strength return, one step at a time.
Operation WarriorFit is proof that you don’t have to be in uniform to live with purpose. That even after the structure fades, you can build something even stronger. That fitness can be more than a goal, it can be a lifeline.
If you’ve ever struggled with what comes next, you are not alone. If you’ve ever felt like your best days were behind you, I promise you they’re not. This movement is here to prove that. And if you believe in that mission too, then you belong here.
Together, we’re building something powerful. And this is only the beginning.
With purpose and pride,
Jonathan Milkovich
Founder and Executive Director
Operation WarriorFit