Knowing nothing of manufacturing, it took years to design and manufacture GR1 and the other rucksacks and ensure they would thrive in both Baghdad and NYC. In that process, Green Berets became judge and jury of quality and functionality. In order to raise awareness for the gear and the brand of GORUCK, Jason started community building through physically grueling events based on Special Forces training called the GORUCK Challenge.

To date, GORUCK has done over $100 million in revenue and led over 7,000 events with 150,000 participants. GORUCK is and will remain a people first organization dedicated to increasing global activity through rucking, strengthening communities, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. There are over 300 Official GORUCK Clubs all over the world, accessible and open to all.

Jason is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Emory University, a Connelly Scholar graduate from Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, and a combat decorated veteran of Special Forces, including a Bronze Star and an Army Commendation Medal with “V” for Valor. He proudly serves on the Board of Directors of the Green Beret Foundation.

Listen to Episode 001 to get to know Jason better:

Emily did not originally set out to join the CIA. In 2001, she earned a BSLA from Georgetown University’s Faculty of Languages and Linguistics (French and Spanish). After graduation, she spent a year working with marginalized populations as a volunteer for Catholic Relief Services in Durán, Ecuador. Upon returning to the United States, she started down the path as a Spanish teacher in her hometown of Jacksonville, FL. It was during this time that she reconnected with old friend and now husband, Jason McCarthy, who encouraged Emily to apply to the CIA while he was going through the selection process to become a Green Beret. By summer 2006, Emily was a newly-minted case officer headed to work in French-speaking West Africa. Her first assignment was to Chad where she met with Sudanese rebel leaders to discuss the Darfur Peace Agreement. She was later stationed to Côte d’Ivoire and worked against high value targets of interest while monitoring the Ivorian peace process and elections. 

Following their time serving in the US Government, Emily and Jason founded GORUCK, an American brand with roots in Intelligence and Special Forces. Emily’s goal is to empower women with the knowledge needed to confidently travel anywhere in the world. Her experience, coupled with excellence, toughness, and adaptability, will hopefully inspire others to serve a greater cause. Emily and Jason have made their home and headquarters in Jacksonville Beach, FL with their three children and chocolate labrador, Monster (President of GORUCK Nation).

Listen to Episode 002 to get to know Emily better:

He began his career in the 82nd Airborne Division before joining Special Forces and then MACV-SOG, the most elite and decorated unit to fight in the Vietnam War, where he did two combat tours to begin a long and storied career. Colonel Charlie Beckwith, a fellow Special Forces soldier who he met in Vietnam, became both friend and mentor and personally recruited Rich for a “new unit” that later became known as Delta Force. Beckwith sent Rich to a couple of specialty courses in the U.S. Army and to the British Special Air Service (SAS) Selection course in England. Upon his return to the United States he helped organize, establish and serve in the unit during Operation Eagle Claw (he still has the keys to the garage where all the getaway vehicles were stored in Tehran), Grenada, Panama, Nicaragua, Cuba, Pakistan and Afghanistan where he, his teammates and his favorite animals (donkeys) aided the mujahideen resistance to the Soviet occupation (the story recounted in Charlie Wilson’s War). He also served in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993 (Black Hawk Down) before retiring from the Army and then working in higher education at Fayetteville Technical Community College where he was nationally recognized for developing a competency-based program for awarding college credits for military education and training. Retiring after completion of 20 years in the North Carolina Community College System as the Vice President of Military Programs, Richard continues to participate in developing leaders by mentoring, speaking at leadership conferences, and addressing post graduate audiences. He holds a Masters in Business Administration with Honors and a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration (with a concentration in management) Summa Cum Laude, both from Campbell University.

Rich has lost many friends in service to America and by any rational account he should not still be alive, either. Service and mentorship are his great passions, the ideals of the American way of life remain his northern star, and he’s never been known to turn down a cold beer or a good conversation with anyone who has something important to say. Rich should have several Purple Hearts but he was always too old school to file the paperwork, claiming it to be a “waste of time.” So of course he doesn’t have LinkedIn or IG. To get to know Rich, listen to the podcast.

Listen to Episode 003 to get to know Rich better: