SITREP #01: From a Run to a Registry

Welcome to the first official SITREP.

This is an active operational update: where we have been, where we are standing, and where we are marching next.

The Theory of Sports Science vs The Reality of Cardio

Let us start with a brief lesson in human humility.

As some of you know, I spent my final year of university studying Sport & Exercise Science in 2025. One particular subject we had in the final year was Sports Nutrition. I learned the precise science of glycogen loading and replenishment, electrolyte ratios, how much caffeine to ingest, and how to chemically optimise the human machine for endurance. Armed with this academic superiority, I decided to apply every single scrap of supplementation theory to last year's run.

Unfortunately, I neglected to couple this chemical wizardry with actual running training.

The result was a textbook demonstration of human error. I crossed the finish line with enough caffeine in my system to jump-start a Hilux, a desperate and immediate need to shit myself in front of a crowd, and calves that felt as though they were trying to physically detach from the bone. Science is wonderful, but it turns out it still cannot run the kilometres for you.

The Cold, Hard Numbers

Despite my imminent skeletal and digestive failure, last year's event was a massive success. The growth of this movement is down to you!

In 2024, our grassroots community raised a total of $9,850.94.

Last year, we blew that out of the water. We raised a bees dick short of $28,000.

Across Brisbane and Cronulla, 148 runners stood on the start line. We would have had more, but the universe decided to test our Western Australian contingent. The Karratha run had to be called off because WA Health cancelled all public events due to extreme heat and active fire warnings. While running 21 kilometres in a 10kg weighted vest and budgys when the sand is literally turning to glass appeals to us, the state government disagreed. Safety won that round, but Karratha will be back.

As for the $28,000 you helped us raise, we did not let it sit around:

• $11,050 was donated directly to the Zero79 Foundation, supporting current and former commando operators and their families.

• $10,000 was allocated to Survive to Thrive Nation (STTN), directly sponsoring veterans onto their life-changing transition and mental health programmes.

• The remaining funds were used to cover marketing costs as well as the ancillary expenses that naturally arose as the event expanded, with the leftovers rolled over to help cover the ongoing costs we are now starting to incur. Running on pure passion only gets you so far before you actually have to pay for the fuel. I still stand firm that this will always be a free event, so every veteran can take part no matter their financial situation.

The Bureaucratic Trenches: Weight of War Ltd

At our core, we will always be about mates running along the river. That grassroots grit is the lifeblood of this movement and that will never change. However, to protect this mission, secure our future, and ensure we can fight for veterans on a national scale, we have had to build a legal shield around that run.

As of 29 May, we are now officially registered as Weight of War LIMITED (Ltd), a public company limited by guarantee.

Following quickly on from that, on 4 June we submitted our application for registration as a charity with the ACNC (Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission). We have been told there is an approximate 12-week wait for confirmation.

It turns out that explaining to government bureaucrats why our primary fundraising strategy involves men running around public spaces in weighted vests and budgys requires a massive amount of paperwork. So for the next three months, we wait in administrative purgatory.

But we are getting it done. This structure will ultimately unlock tax-deductible status (DGR), allowing us to secure larger sponsorships, state and federal grants and fund even more veteran placements in the years to come.

For the sake of absolute transparency: neither I nor anyone else, including the other directors for that matter, has ever drawn a wage or received any form of payment from your donations. This is entirely a passion project, funded by spare time and sweat, because it is a cause that deserves nothing less.

Phase 2: The Direct Intervention Pipeline

Getting the paperwork signed was just the preliminary bombardment. Now we enter Phase 2.

Historically, we have been a single major weekend on the pavement. In Phase 2, we are expanding our geographical front line. We are locking in new launch locations: including bringing Canberra into the fold and finally getting back on the ground in Karratha: to turn this into a truly national campaign.

More importantly, we are moving beyond the annual event cycle. We are actively building out year-round programmes, mentorship pipelines, and physical resilience training.

This brings us to our primary operational objectives:

Programme 1: The Wilderness Mentorship (I’m still working on a name)

• The Objective: To bring together all veterans and transitioning defence personnel, regardless of their time out of uniform, to rebuild a shared sense of mission by working towards a single, demanding physical task: a multi-day wilderness trek.

• The Execution: A rigorous cohort selection process, followed by a highly structured physical conditioning pipeline. This curriculum culminates in an intensive, remote wilderness mentorship expedition in Tasmania for up to 15 selected participants per cohort, led by qualified veteran peer mentors and specialised survival guides.

• The 24-Month Target: Secure full corporate or patron placement sponsorships ($2,500 to $3,000 per veteran) to completely fund the approx $40,000 Phase 2 direct-delivery operational budget.

Programme 2: Evidence-Based Validation (Translational Health Research)

This is entirely separate to our wilderness mentorship. This is a dedicated initiative designed to fund and support rigorous scientific research into areas that directly benefit veteran health.

• The Objective: To scientifically validate peer-led interventions, study emerging recovery modalities, and inform broader veteran health policies with hard data.

• The Execution: Collaborative partnerships with Australian academic institutions and university-backed MPhil and PhD frameworks. We collect anonymised, pre-and-post-programme psychological and physiological data from our cohorts to map trauma recovery and transition success.

• The 24-48 Month Target: Secure $60,000 in specialised philanthropic grants to fund ethics committee applications, research infrastructure, and peer-reviewed academic publishing.

This is how we make sure we are not just raising awareness once a year, but holding the line for veterans every single day.

Put Skin in the Game: Company Membership

Because we are registered as a public company limited by guarantee, we do not have shareholders or corporate fat cats. We have members.

If you believe in this mission and want to be more than just a spectator on the sidelines, you can now officially apply to become a member of Weight of War Ltd.

To be clear: this is not a marketing subscription, a loyalty program, or a way to get early access to merchandise. This is a formal, legal stake in the governance, direction, and long-term future of this organisation. It means putting your name on the roll and helping us hold the shield.

The membership application process is now open on the website. If you want a seat at the table and skin in this game, get your application in.

We are no longer just an annual event. We are an organisation built for the long war.

Stay tuned for further announcements.

Some guy with a vision

Josh