CAF's Operation Rebound Back at Ironman Florida 70.3

Event provides easy and awesome way to Support the Troops

Army Major David Rozelle is headed back to the Ford Ironman 70.3 Florida, and he's searching for comrades to join him in the 2008 version of Operation Rebound.

Rozelle, a multiple Ironman finisher and the first military amputee to return to active duty after being injured in Iraq, led a troop of nearly 60 individuals to a sensational day in Orlando last May. According to CAF-Florida, once the smoke cleared, Team CAF Operation Rebound generated $200,000 specifically to help injured veterans returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It was a great experience, and we’re ramping it up big time in 2008,” says Rozelle, now the Aide de Camp to the Surgeon General of the Army, and stationed at the Pentagon. “If we could get 200 or so triathletes to join the team and raise funds, we could help so many brave fighters who have put themselves out there to serve the country, and have paid a very high price.”

To join Rozelle on the Operation Rebound team, triathletes already registered for this sold out event can simply go to a special CAF Race for a Reason website and follow the simple directions to sign up. (Once “in the system,” supporters can join any CAF fund raising team year round. For this race, those signing up would join Team CAF Operation Rebound 2008).

The site creates a personal web page for each person who joins, and provides all the e-mail tools needed to invite friends and family to support individual fund raising efforts at the event. This year’s race is scheduled at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort on Sunday, May 18. The minimum fund raising amount to qualify as a team member is $1,500, and last year the team fund raising average was $3,300.

“That’s just about what one sport wheelchair costs,” said Rozelle, “and would satisfy a grant request for an individual warrior. So everyone can help.”

Team members earn the following race weekend benefits for their efforts:
• A private team breakfast on Saturday, where team members can meet their captains, Rozelle and Foley, and other injured veterans who may join the cause;
• NO WAIT race check in – at a specially designated “Operation Rebound” area;
• NO WAIT bike check-in, PLUS early bike racking in a private bike compound;
• Special EARLY WAVE START on race morning right on the heels of the pros;
• A Team Operation Rebound Florida 2008 racing singlet and tri-top to identify all team members throughout the day;
• A personally autographed, complimentary copy of Major Rozelle’s book about his experience in Iraq;
• A team photo, and unmatched camaraderie with others working for a common good.

To join the team, please go to www.raceforareason08.kintera.org/ORFlorida08. You can also get more information about CAF on their website, www.challengedathletes.org.