--- title: "Documentary captures veterans’ historic journey carrying the flag across the US" date: "2026-09-30" modified: "2026-09-30" authors: - name: "Stephen Ruiz" job_title: "Editor, Writer" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/stephen.md" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/veterans/documentary-captures-veterans-historic-journey-carrying-the-flag-across-the-us/" categories: - "Veterans" tags: - "Veterans" --- # Documentary captures veterans’ historic journey carrying the flag across the US ![Old Glory Ultra Relay]() *Retired Army calvary scout Jordan Buck crosses the finish to complete the 3,006-mile-long Old Glory Ultra Relay in Washington, D.C., on May 18, 2025. (Jordyn Nguyen)* Zach Polega was injured so severely in Afghanistan in 2018 that doctors thought he would lose his right leg. Seven years later, the retired [Army]() Ranger was on the deck of the [USS Midway]() for Team Red, White and Blue’s most ambitious endeavor yet. Along with a select group of other determined veterans, Polega hoped to establish a world record. Their goal was to run while carrying the American flag more than 3,000 miles cross country to its final destination in Washington, D.C., in the shortest amount of time ever. **Also Read:** [**A former soldier with a TBI found his purpose in helping other veterans**]() To do so, these vets ran around the clock in 30-minute segments. From the time that Polega started on May 2, 2025, until former Army cavalry scout Jordan Buck crossed the finish line 16 days later, they pushed ahead despite multiple challenges that arise during such a lengthy road trip. Their journey to squash the “wounded veteran” narrative is captured in “No Off Days: The Old Glory Ultra Relay Documentary.” The 1-hour, 25-minute film—Team RWB’s first feature-length documentary—is available for free on the nonprofit’s YouTube channel. Polega spoke to We Are The Mighty after “No Off Days” recently premiered at the 2026 Military Influencer Conference (MIC) in Tampa, Florida. “Everyone on the team has so much to be proud of,” Polega said. “This is definitely one of those moments. I’m excited that I was commissioned from West Point and I had the Army career that I did, but a lot of those things can go unnoticed. When we look at what is going to impact more people and try to be a beacon for society and other military veterans, this is absolutely near the top.” ### Starting Slowly ![Old Glory Ultra Relay]() *The 2025 Old Glory Ultra Relay took military veterans through the Southwest early in their 16-day journey toward Washington, D.C. (Jordyn Nguyen)* Team RWB has done flag relays over considerable distances previously. For example, citizens carried Old Glory 1,600 miles during a monthlong journey from Philadelphia to Chicago in 2024. That was impressive. Now, Team RWB’s leadership had the idea of basically doubling the distance and cutting the time required to cover it in half. It was the most logistically challenging mission that Mike Sullivan, who served 25 of his 30 years in the Army in [Special Operations](), ever undertook. “The first 48 hours, we were seriously questioning if we had bitten off more than we could chew,” Sullivan, Team RWB’s executive director, admitted to WATM. “We only had twice to get the runners together to figure out how we’re going to actually do this nonstop. We were slow coming out of California, and I was, like, ‘We’re not going to hit the target. We’re not going to hit the 16 or 17 days…. We figured we would get there eventually, but we questioned whether we were being too aggressive.” They weren’t, and that’s a tribute to the runners who survived a selection process to make the cut. Organizers separated the runners into four-person teams. Former Green Beret Johnny Glenn joined retired Ranger Cole DeRosa and Army veterans Mary Kreis and Zack Lever on Team Red. Buck and fellow Army veterans Roel Gonzalez and Jason Wood, along with [Marine Corps]() veteran Lindsay Kasow. Polega was assigned to Team Blue, as were fellow former Rangers Bill Savage and Gavin Woody and [Navy]() veteran Josh Kraus. Peter Consalvi, the crew chief, was a nuclear surface warfare officer in the Navy. For the purposes of seeking a record, Team RWB was allowed to insert an alternate runner only once if someone pulled out. When Woody couldn’t continue because of an injured hip, Army veteran Jeremy Adams replaced him. “This documentary is really about community, service, and the power of coming together to do something really hard,” said its producer, Jordyn Nguyen. “When you come together as a community, you can do things that you never imagined.” ### Problem-Solving on the Fly ![Old Glory Ultra Relay]() *Retired Marine Lindsay Kasow runs with the American flag during the Old Glory Ultra Relay last year. (Jordyn Nguyen)* The runners and their support team confronted myriad challenges during a route that took them from California, then through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. They continued on through Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky before making their way to the nation’s capital. Road closures and traffic congestion forced the runners to adjust. They ran in the heat and cold, and in extreme elevation. They forged ahead despite little sleep, and at times, frayed nerves led to conflicts. Everyone involved missed sleeping in their own beds. The mental and physical toll increased the longer they were out on the road. “There were some different moments there that were challenging,” Polega said. “I actually love what I’m doing, and there’s a purpose behind it, but some of us questioned \[whether\] we made the right call, taking a break from our jobs or our families to do this.” Polega was in graduate school during the Old Glory Ultra Relay. Not only was he running several times a day for more than two weeks, but he also took tests in his supposed downtime. At least Polega had some familial support along the way. His then-12-year-old son trained with him, and his father, Steve, drove a recreational vehicle for the Blue team. Zach Polega recalled that on Day 15, his Achilles’ tendon began to bother him. By that point, the mission was almost completed. Nothing was going to stop him then. ### “This Was Pretty Epic” ![Old Glory Ultra Relay]() *Former Army Ranger Zach Polega (right) was among the veterans carrying an American flag across the country in May 2025. (Jordyn Nguyen)* The flag that Team RBW carried across the United States used to fly over Helmand Province in Afghanistan. It now resides at the site of the planned National Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall. [Groundbreaking is tentatively planned]() for next year, according to the American Legion. The Old Glory Ultra Relay raised $1 million to support veteran health and wellness. In the end, the runners traveled 3,006 miles, according to the documentary, and averaged about an 8-minute pace for every mile. They stayed true to their mission, leaving everyone involved with an unforgettable experience. Polega, who had never run an ultramarathon, called the cross country trek the runners’ [Super Bowl](). Nguyen—whose husband Santi served as the documentary’s editor and director—will remember traveling slowly on country roads, appreciating America’s beauty in a way that one can’t while maneuvering past cars on the interstate. She will recall young students cheering for the flag as it passed their schools. Those memories will linger long after the aches and pains subside. “I don’t know whether you can top it,” Sullivan said after the showing at MIC. “Maybe you can replicate some of the enthusiasm. This was pretty epic…. It really validates our mission that every day can be better.” **Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty** **•** [**A Marine Corps veteran once weighed 424 pounds. Now he is completing triathlons**]() **•** [**A roadside bomb made this Army vet a triple amputee. Adaptive surfing gave him a new life**]() **•** [**Why the Eagles’ Joe Walsh relates so closely to Gold Star families**]() ## Author Stephen Ruiz is an editor and writer at We Are The Mighty. His writing revolves mostly around military history and sports stories, but it can branch into other areas. Stephen has more than 35 years of journalism experience. His career began with stints at The Ledger newspaper in Lakeland, Florida, and The Kansas City Star in Missouri, but most of his time was spent on the copy desk at the Orlando Sentinel. After accepting a buyout from the Sentinel in 2020, Stephen worked at Military.com for 4½ years as a content editor and writer. He joined the We Are The Mighty staff in December 2025. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()