To honor the service and sacrifice of the American military through active remembrance.
OUR MISSION
Who We Are
A healthy, ready, and resilient military family. We enhance and exemplify community, wellness, respect, grit, and excellence in everything we do.
We run for the fallen, for the fighting, and for the families.
Our Vision
wear blue: run to remember is a national nonprofit that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military while supporting the families who live with that loss every day. We serve Gold Star and Surviving families, veterans, and the communities who stand beside them by bringing people together through active remembrance. Through our programs, we create spaces where names are spoken, stories are shared, and miles are taken with purpose, whether at a Community Run, a major marathon, or a youth mentorship gathering. By combining community, movement, and remembrance, we help families feel seen, supported, and never alone.
Through every run, mile, and mentorship moment, wear blue turns remembrance into action. Our programs strengthen Gold Star and Surviving families, empower youth, and unite communities so no one carries their loss alone and every fallen hero is honored by name and by movement.
“For over fifteen years, wear blue has been a gathering ground. It’s where connection takes root, where healing begins, and where ordinary people are reminded of their strength through the power of community.”
Lisa Hallett, CEO & Co-Founder
Our Story
On 9 March 2010, wear blue: run to remember was founded following the redeployment of 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team to their home station of Joint Base Lewis McChord. While deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the 1-17 Infantry Battalion, Buffalos, sustained significant combat losses and casualties. During that deployment, a small group of 5-2 wives and battalion staff met weekly to run, creating a support network for one another during this challenging and heartbreaking deployment. wear blue co-founder and current Executive Director, Lisa Hallett, lost her husband, CPT John Hallett, when he and three other soldiers were killed on August 25, 2009, while returning from a goodwill mission in Southern Afghanistan. The Hallett children were young when John was killed - 3 years, 1 year, and only three weeks old. John never met his youngest child. A lifelong runner, Lisa turned to running and community to navigate this incredibly difficult time, and work through her grief and loss.
When the brigade returned, Lisa and fellow Army wife, Erin O’Connor, turned this small group into a nationwide organization that now helps thousands across the country heal from the devastating effects of the loss of a military loved one.
The original wear blue runners wore blue Buffalo PT (physical training) shirts when they were running together while their spouses were deployed from 2009-2010. Blue shirts are now worn as a tribute to the 5-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
When an individual dons a wear blue: run to remember shirt, they are indicating their support of our service members, veterans, and their families, and their commitment to ensuring that our fallen service members will always be remembered.
Today, wear blue honors all members of the military who pass away while in service and has evolved into a powerful network of currently serving, veterans, military families, Gold Star and surviving families, and community members.
With every step, wear blue creates a living memorial to the service and sacrifice of the American military. And on race day, our wear blue Mile allows all athletes to pay tribute to the service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It is a reminder that Freedom isn’t free – it was bought and paid for by men and women in uniform.
Our Logo
wear blue’s logo is the sole of a shoe with 41 stars for the 41 soldiers killed during 5-2’s deployment to Southern Afghanistan. The tagline, “For the fallen. For the fighting. For the families.” is embedded in the shoe print. The name of the organization is written in all lower case to represent that the mission (who we serve; who we honor; who we remember) is more important than the name.