Today we’d like to introduce you to Kymberly Koenig.
Hi Kymberly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2015, I traveled to Washington, DC, to reconnect with friends I had previously served with and to run the Army Ten-Miler. That weekend was unexpectedly chilly, so I stopped by a booth at the Expo to purchase a long-sleeved shirt-coincidentally, a wear blue one. Nearly four years later, I saw a flyer on base looking for Active Duty service members to volunteer as mentors in the wear blue Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program. I remembered thinking, “I have that shirt.” Little did I know that brief stop at the Expo would eventually lead me to an incredible organization and an opportunity to connect deeply with Gold Star and Surviving family members.
I have proudly served in the United States Army since 2009. Over the years, my service has taken me to many places and introduced me to countless incredible individuals. No matter where I’ve been stationed or what challenges I’ve faced, I’ve found strength and a sense of belonging through the wear blue community. This organization has become a constant in my life – a community that reminds me of the values of service, connection, and remembrance.
wear blue: run to remember is a community that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military through active remembrance. This community unites and supports military members and their families, veterans, Gold Star and Surviving families, and civilians through active remembrance and meaningful relationships. Each spring, wear blue hosts the transformative Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program (GSYMP), designed to foster wellness, belonging, and connection within the military community.
The Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program offers Gold Star and Surviving children (K-12) who have lost a parent or sibling due to military service the opportunity to be paired with active duty or recently transitioned service members. Through this partnership, mentees receive support, guidance, and encouragement from mentors who understand the unique challenges military families face. The program pairs mentors and youth based on shared interests, hobbies, and military connections, ensuring that each relationship is personalized and meaningful.
I joined the GSYMP in 2019, where I was paired with a young girl in North Carolina. Her father was killed in action in Afghanistan when she was just a few months old, and her connection to him came from stories shared by her loved ones. Over ten Saturdays that spring, we shared stories about her father, played games, and prepared for her and the other youth to run the Memorial Day 5K hosted by wear blue and community sponsors in honor of their fathers.
A few years later, I was paired with a seven-year-old girl who had lost her father to suicide just six months prior. During wear blue’s weekly Community Runs, we wore matching outfits, chased each other on the playground, shared stories, and sang Disney songs as we-along with 13 other youth and their mentors-trained to run a 5K. We were paired together for 3 years until I relocated to San Antonio.
Changing duty stations is a part of the military career, but no matter where I go, I know I have the wear blue community – a family bound by the shared purpose and a commitment to honoring those who have given so much.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Loss and grief are never easy. For the wear blue community, the journey has been marked by the profound weight of honoring sacrifice and supporting those who have faced unimaginable loss. Building an organization rooted in remembrance and healing means acknowledging that these emotions don’t have simple solutions or quick fixes.
Despite these challenges, wear blue: run to remember has grown into a powerful and enduring resource. Today, we are proud to engage over 150,000 runners and walkers across 40 communities annually, with representation from all 50 states and several international locations. This growth reflects the profound need for connection and purpose among those navigating loss.
Movement has been a cornerstone of our mission because it promotes both emotional and physical wellness, especially when managing grief. Research and our own experience show that physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms of depression, improve mood, and foster resilience. For wear blue participants, each step represents a purposeful act of remembrance and healing—a tangible way to process emotions while honoring their loved ones.
Through every step of our journey, we’ve learned that the strength of this community lies in its ability to turn grief into purpose, loneliness into belonging, and remembrance into action. Each mile we run, every story we share, and each connection we make reflects a steadfast commitment to honoring service and sacrifice while ensuring no one navigates this road alone.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
wear blue: run to remember is a not-for-profit organization that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military through active remembrance.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Even in a time when our Nation is not actively engaged in war, our military service members and their families continue to stand ready to defend our freedoms. Yet, the sacrifices they endure persist. From training accidents to illness and the invisible wounds of war, including the devastating impact of suicide, loss remains a constant reality for this community.
As the challenges our military families face evolve, so must the support structures available to them. The need for organizations like wear blue: run to remember is growing, and we must rise to meet this demand. Over the next 5-10 years, we see a future where the wear blue footprint expands significantly to provide critical support and healing opportunities wherever military families live and serve.
Together with our stakeholders, we are committed to:
Expanding our national reach to serve more military communities and connect individuals to a network of remembrance and resilience.
Strengthening our organizational infrastructure to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness in fulfilling our mission.
Enhancing our proven programs, such as the Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program, to deepen their impact and foster connection, belonging, and healing for survivors.
Creating sustainable healing communities that empower military families through movement, remembrance, and shared purpose.
By growing alongside the needs of our military families, wear blue will continue to honor the sacrifices of our service members while fostering strength and connection for generations to come.
If you are looking to join or support our wear blue San Antonio community, please visit www.wearblueruntoremember.org/san-antonio to learn more.
Pricing:
- Support: Visit www.wearblueruntoremember.org to learn how to support our mission to honor the service and sacrifice of the American military.
- Request a Tribute Poster: Honor a fallen service member with a personalized tribute poster at your next race or event.
- Shop Our Gear: Show your support by purchasing wear blue apparel and gear. Proceeds help fund our programs.
- Volunteer: Give your time to support our Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program, tribute events, and community runs.
- Join a Community Run: Participate in our next Circle of Remembrance and run/walk alongside others in honor of our fallen service members.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wearblueruntoremember.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearblue/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearblue/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wear-blue-run-to-remember/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wearblueruntoremember
