Hello, my name is Leo “Clutch” Rachmel, and it is my distinct honor and privilege to serve as your Sandbox Route Coordinator for Run For The Wall XXXVI.
I’d like to start by expressing my sincere gratitude and deep respect to my predecessor, Bill “COB” Brehler. COB led the Sandbox Route with distinction in 2025, setting a high standard for all of us to follow. While I know I have big shoes to fill, I’m grateful for the time and effort he spent preparing me to be a Route Coordinator. I’m truly looking forward to the year ahead.
I retired from the U.S. Army in 2008 and began riding with Run For The Wall in 2015. Since then, I’ve served Midway Route in various roles, including Staging Team, Road Guard, LEO Liaison, and, for the past three years, Road Guard Captain. I was also proud to serve as the LEO Liaison on the Sandbox Recon in 2019 and the Inaugural Run in 2022. Although I wasn’t able to ride Sandbox in ‘23 or ‘24, I was honored to return in 2025 as the Assistant Route Coordinator.
I’m pleased to announce that the RFTW Board of Directors has confirmed Sam “Polar Bear” Warner as our Assistant Route Coordinator. Sam has been an integral part of Sandbox Route since its inception in 2022, serving as the Maryland State Coordinator and, for the past two years, as Platoon Coordinator. He’s also been a longtime rider on Southern Route since 2015 and has served on their Outreach Team since 2019. Congratulations, Polar Bear—we’re excited to have you on board and look forward to working with you!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the dedicated volunteers and supporters who made Sandbox a success this year. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2026 as we continue the mission.
Planning for RFTW XXXVI began the moment we completed this year’s mission. We’ve been reviewing After Action Reports (AARs) and discussing improvements to make Sandbox even better next year. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, so please continue submitting AARs—they help us refine what works and identify where we can improve.
As we prepare for the year ahead, I encourage each of you to remember why we ride:
- We ride to promote healing among all veterans, their families, and friends.
- We ride to call for an accounting of all Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA).
- We ride to honor the memory of those Killed in Action (KIA) from all wars.
- And we ride to support our military personnel serving around the world.
There will be much more information in the months ahead as planning continues for RFTW XXXVI. If you’re interested in volunteering for a leadership or support role, visit the Sandbox Hub on the RFTW website and fill out a Volunteer Application. We’ve already received quite a few. Please be patient as we sort through them and get the right leaders in place to handle them. You’ll hear something from the leader of the team you’re volunteering for soon.
To learn more about Run For The Wall and the Sandbox Route, visit: www.rftw.us
Leo “Clutch” Rachmel
RFTW XXXVI
Sandbox Route Coordinator
Due to circumstances beyond our control, Midway Route Photos from previous runs are no longer available. 