A new veteran-founded nonprofit is trying to turn race registrations into a route back to structure, purpose and community. Operation WarriorFit, based in North Carolina, provides free or substantially discounted entries to veterans, active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and first responders. Founder and Executive Director Jonathan Milkovich told Military.com in an interview that the organization’s immediate goal is to remove the financial barrier that can keep people from committing to races and other active events. The organization has held federal tax-exempt status since October 2025.
From Airborne Infantry to Endurance Racing
Milkovich said he served five years in Army airborne infantry and later in the Wyoming National Guard. Repeated parachute jumps contributed to a serious knee injury and compressed discs in his spine, he said. After leaving service, he found that his physical injuries represented only part of the adjustment.
The main thing was ... missing the people, Milkovich said.
He continued contacting recruiters about returning because he missed the community and shared mission, but his injuries prevented him from going back. Running eventually supplied another demanding goal. Milkovich, who had competed in cross-country and track, began pursuing half-marathons, marathons and ultramarathons despite being told that he might never return to his previous athletic level. That experience helped shape Operation WarriorFit. Milkovich said many races cost $150 to $200, creating a barrier for people who might benefit from having a goal, a training schedule and a group that expects them to show up. “I truly do believe, and I’ve been very fortunate to have been able to experience it myself, that fitness is something that helps people,” he said.
