GORUCK Honors Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson with CHAD 1000X Workout Aimed at Ending Veteran SuicideAfter dedicating over 21 years of service to this country, Navy SEAL Senior Chief Chad Wilkinson died by suicide on October 29, 2018. His wife, Sara Wilkinson, and GORUCK, founded by veteran Green Beret Jason McCarthy, are now on a mission to raise awareness and prevent veteran suicides.
WHAT IS CHAD 1000X?CHAD1000X is a CrossFit Hero workout of 1000 box step-ups for time, in honor of Navy SEAL Senior Chief Chad Wilkinson, who died by suicide as a result of TBIs, blast-wave injuries, and PTSD from his deployments. The workout takes place annually on Veteran’s Day, with thousands of CrossFit affiliates and garage gyms around the world participating. Funds raised through the event support veteran mental health initiatives, particularly through The Step Up Foundation, founded by Sara Wilkinson, to raise awareness about TBIs and PTSD among veterans. This year, the mission continues: honoring Chad’s life, raising awareness, and working toward preventing further loss in the veteran community.
Chad Wilkinson’s Journey and Impact Chad Wilkinson, who dreamed of being a SEAL since childhood, joined the Navy after following in the footsteps of his father and uncle, both Navy SEALs. After completing BUD/s Class 204, Chad served on SEAL Team 8 before transferring to SEAL Team 6, one of the most elite units in the world. However, like many veterans, Chad's story was also one of invisible wounds. Despite showing no obvious signs of struggle, he battled with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) caused by blast-wave exposure from his numerous deployments. Sara Wilkinson later donated Chad’s brain for research, which revealed scarring from the blast injuries that went undetected during scans.
The Chad 1000X WorkoutIn response to Chad’s story, GORUCK created the Chad 1000X Workout as a tribute and to raise awareness for veteran mental health. First launched in 2020, the workout has raised over $100,000 for the Navy SEAL Foundation and other veteran mental health programs. The workout also aims to prevent isolation and to remind veterans that they are not alone in their struggles. As Sara shared, "They are just made to be larger-than-life humans. That affects them too." McCarthy echoed this, emphasizing the need for connection: "The solution is bringing people together and not letting people isolate to the point of loneliness, depression, or anxiety."Join us This Veteran’s Day, join us in honoring Chad Wilkinson and all those lost to suicide by participating in the CHAD1000X workout. Be part of the movement to raise awareness and change the narrative surrounding veteran suicides. #CHAD1000XTo register for the GORUCK Veterans Day CHAD 1000X Workout, Click here
SRCF
We will be comepleting this workout in all classes on 11/11.
The workout is
1,000 box step-ups completed as a team, partner or individual for time.
3 OPTIONS:
1. Slick/Beginner // No rucksack. You pick the height of the step-ups.
2. Standard/Intermediate // 30#/20# rucksack. You pick the height of the step-ups.
3. Expert // 45# rucksack. Use 20″ box for step-ups.
“Even while serving as a SEAL, Chad took time to scale up to the Expert version. There is zero shame in starting Slick, or with Standard weight, or in sharing the steps with a friend.”
-Sara Wilkinson
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