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'Team Rubicon' documentary series spotlights veteran volunteers in global disaster zones

Team Rubicon's greyshirts at work in Nashville. (Courtesy of Team Rubicon)
Team Rubicon's greyshirts at work in Nashville. (Courtesy of Team Rubicon)

Though many have not heard of Team Rubicon, those who’ve had the misfortune of being at the scene of any of the country’s worst weather disasters — including Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Ian, and Superstorm Sandy — have seen them.

Nicknamed “greyshirts” because of the T-shirts they wear while volunteering, the mostly-veteran operation started in 2010 when a former marine and some buddies decided to go to Haiti to help rebuild in the aftermath of that country’s earthquake. It’s since grown to include 170,000 volunteers.

Roku’s new 13-episode “Team Rubicon” series follows the team as they do their work, highlighting their value to those affected by disasters and the profound effect their efforts have on their lives. The series is produced by PBS’ “This Old House Team” and hosted by Kevin O’Connor.

Host Robin Young along with veteran and Team Rubicon members Dean Wagner, who credits the team with bringing back his confidence.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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