Team Rubicon, the disaster response organization known for mobilizing Veterans in response to tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters, has once again begun deploying its Veteran volunteers to the Navajo Nation to provide medical relief and assistance.

It’s the second time this year that the Tribe and Team Rubicon have worked together. Over 91 days, beginning in April, Team Rubicon placed 128 volunteers – including 47 Veterans – within the Navajo Nation, where they helped treat more than 3,000 patients.

woman volunteer

One of many Team Rubicon volunteers helping with disaster recovery.

With hospitals and medical centers across the U.S. beginning to stagger under a growing wave of coronavirus infections, the remote Navajo Nation is being especially hard hit. To help meet the needs, Team Rubicon is deploying former military medics, physicians, nurses and more to the Navajo Nation to serve alongside Indian Health Services medical teams in hospitals and clinics, and to help staff ambulances.

That it is primarily military Veterans who are volunteering at the Nation is perhaps appropriate as the Navajo tribe has a legacy of military service: In addition to the famed Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, the Nation boasts approximately 12,000 Veterans among its ranks.

With no end to the pandemic in sight, and relief operations from the most active disaster season ever ongoing, Team Rubicon is actively recruiting medically trained volunteers – including VA clinicians and former military medics – to join it in helping serve Veterans and civilians across the U.S. In the future, Team Rubicon’s medical volunteers will also be needed for international operations, such as on Team Rubicon’s 2014 mission treating refugees in Greece, and its 2019 mission to the Dondo District in Mozambique where it provided medical support to residents impacted by Cyclone Idai.

What is Team Rubicon?
Team Rubicon is a Veteran-led disaster relief organization that serves communities by mobilizing Veterans, first responders, and civilians to help people prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters and humanitarian crises.

How Medical Providers Can Volunteer with Team Rubicon
From disaster medicine to pandemic relief, Team Rubicon deploys EMTs, nurses, paramedics, physicians and more to serve people in need in the U.S. and around the world. Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org and sign up to put your medic skills to work for good.

How Veterans Can Volunteer with Team Rubicon
Want to put your experience in the military to new use? Team Rubicon helps Veterans of all stripes find new ways to serve. To volunteer, visit www.teamrubiconusa.org/volunteer.

The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on part of the VA.


Julie H. Case is the communications editor at Team Rubicon.

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