Martha's Vineyard Sandy Secrets

Teammates, where in the world is Tom Rancich? He and his VRHabilis partner, Elliott Alder, have been making Martha's Vineyard's South Beach safe for beach lovers.

Nelson Sigelman of the Martha's Vineyard Times published a story on July 2, Navy vets put warmaking training to peaceful use, which featured the US Navy veterans co-owners of VRHabilis. Here are some excerpts:

"A group of Navy veterans have used skills honed over the course of their military careers to remove practice munitions dropped decades ago at former target ranges along South Beach (pictured above). The popular stretch of sand and surf that fronts on the Atlantic Ocean is far removed from the world's conflicts that shaped much of his training, but for Elliott Adler, co-owner of VRHabilis, the cleanup is an opportunity for veterans, some of whom are disabled, to do meaningful work. Tom Rancich, a former Navy SEAL, is a partner in the company and once commanded a specialized unit that included Mr. Adler.

Since April the men and their four employees have worked out of a small trailer parked on the beach. They have methodically moved along the shore searching the underwater terrain for any lost munitions. Safety, for the public and the crew, has been a primary concern. While one diver is in the water another is suited up and ready to assist at all times. Signs warn the public that they are not allowed within a set exclusion zone."

Bravo Zulu Tom and Elliott! Teammates, watch for a repost of one of Tom's popular blogs, "When Did You Last Do a Pushup?"

CHARLIE MIKE -- ALDEN

Center for the Intrepid: Rehabbing Warriors

Guest blogger: Tom Rancich, CEO of VRHabilis

Our Prime Directive at VRHabilis is to hire Disabled Vets. That’s the reason we’re in business. Which is all well and good – but it took a visit last week to the Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio to really give me a solid path forward.

Holy Mary mother of Gawd---what a place-----injured, burned, amputee and generally “hit bad folks” rebuilding their lives---and smiling---and looking forward to the rest of their lives without their legs or former faces or arms. Now I know they are not that happy all the time---but they are happy at least some of that time---and they are working with less than they had before. Talk about a humbling experience. The first person I meet is a bright-eyed handsome 24 year-old kid with burns all over his face and arms---bad burns---and he is like, “I am great Sir—and you?” and I have to admit that I probably failed at my half of the conversation. But they are still working at it—working at living.

It’s not that I can’t walk the walk! I’ve been injured in the line of duty too. In October of 1997 Red Lion 617 hit the water at about 160 knots---Hilliard, Woody and Voighter were killed---everyone was hurt--I had a fractured ribs, fractured lumbar vertebrae, fractured thoracic vertebrae, dislocated hip and multiple contusions BUT I did not know about the spine problems---nor did the Docs. So the next day---I am getting out of bed and putting on my pants---which I can’t get over my swollen ass----and the Doc comes by and says---back into bed---and I was like--If you are not willing to write me up (for disobeying an order) then don’t give me an order to get back in bed….it was critically important to me to show my Admiral that I was still in the fight but even more important---to show the world that Task Unit Enterprise was combat ready---not that the world would see----but –maybe—for the fear that we would be tested and fail if we did not get back on our guns. If you’re wondering how I rehabbed? Slow and steady---and I actually listened to the docs. Here’s an article about what happened.

Back to CFI---I went there to discuss employing “graduates” from CFTI and they were awe-inspiring. Here is something that you don't know--when they start warriors out on prosthetics they turn the feet backward ‘cause folks fall backward more often. This is how well thought out this place is---they have a virtual lab that puts the kids on a boat--so they have to adjust their weight on the new legs---they are in a harness but how cool is that? It’s a surfing wave like on cruise ships so guys can develop core strength while having fun. At CFTI, if something’s not quite right they adjust and send the guy for a walk around----and they do the thing with body sensors so they can computerize the body movements and then check for irregular gait--non-equilateral movement etc.---really high speed, which, of course, is how it should be but still verra verra cool!

I was blown away at every turn---I was like, Well, that was well thought out. So anyway, it is an astounding facility manned by astounding folks helping the most astounding folks and I was honored to be able to make the visit.

I do not know where they get the courage----but they are the best of the boiling*. The lack of bitterness or self-pity was one of the most humbling parts of the visit---about 50% of the kids choose, if able, to stay in the service.

If Legends of the Fall is on your keeper shelf, you’ll recognize my reference. If not, hie thee to your nearest video store!
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Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business that seeks to employ the highly trained and motivated veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars for work in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology. Their company contributes proceeds to two worthy causes: a fund for the development of adaptive technology that will allow disabled veterans to pursue their desired career path and the EOD Wounded Warrior Fund.





Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership and team building, often as a motivational speaker, in addition to being an expert consultant to the entertainment industry.

Alden Mills and Charlie Mike blogger Tom Rancich served together in the Teams.

The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday

I am going to start this guest blog with a question I received after my post on Charlie Mike last month (02JUL08)

Dear Mr. Rancich,

I was wondering if you could share any of your tips on how to never quit when your mind and body are both exhausted.

Also, I lost my best buddy who was also my brother. I was wondering if you could share anything about your perspective after losing a close buddy.

So, first one first: my tips for how to never quit when your mind and your body are both exhausted. So everyone knows that Hell Week is five days of grueling-well-hell. But here is the thing about Hell Week---everyone knows that it is a finite evolution, they can't kill you and, perhaps most importantly, that other people have made it through. Exhaustion is not a good place to be, so I try and avoid it. I do that by setting priorities and trying to pace myself. But even then, sometimes I find myself in an exhausting situation, at which time I decide whether or not it is more important to continue or to get rest---if it is truly more important to keep going then that knowledge is what keeps me going. Now, that said, there is a difference between "stopping" and quitting. Stopping is a decision to take a pause, to rebuild and regenerate, and I think it is vitally important. So, I keep going by assessing the situation and determining the best course of action. Once I have picked the best course of action it no longer makes any sense to quit---as that would not be the best course of action, even if I might have to stop at some point to rejuvenate.

But your second question suggests that you are talking of a bigger emotion, so without reading too far into it, my answer is really rather simple: I owe it to them to live well and succeed. I never forget that. I have certainly occasionally wished it was me instead of them; I have certainly felt "survivor's guilt"; I have certainly cursed some of them for the decisions that they made---but in the end I know in my heart that they did not die so that I would be miserable and watch my dreams fade in my despair. No, they died so that I could succeed---and to do anything less is simply unfair to them.

So, not so much "Hooyah and exercise" advice this post---well, unless you read it closely. Think about your life and think about the people you owe and what they want for you---then develop the best course of action to achieve the life you want. Once it is truly the best course of action, it makes no logical sense to quit or let yourself down. ___________________________________________________


Lt. Commander Thomas Rancich, US Navy SEAL (Ret.) is the co-founder of VRHabilis, a disabled veteran-owned small business with the broad vision of increasing career opportunities for disabled veterans in construction and related fields. Rancich and co-founder Elliott Adler are developing an enhanced remote controlled capability for land clearance and target placement. With this device, a disabled vet working from a pickup could be fully operational. VRHabilis, which stands for Veteran Run Work (Latin derivative), is pioneering the concept of using adaptive technology to bridge the gap between industrial and medical technology ... because the highly trained, motivated and adaptable veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are not looking for hand outs but rather the opportunity to reintegrate into the work force.

Through his consulting firm, Off-Shore Consulting, Tom provides professional advice on leadership, team building, program development and strategic vision.

Alden Mills and Tom Rancich served together in the Teams. Tom has been a guest blogger and “on-line” coach for the Perfect Pushup team many times over the past few years: this is his second guest blog on Charlie Mike.