Just What the Navy Needed: Ron Never Gives Up

Ron Roen began his career in the Navy on submarines before commissioning as an Intelligence Officer

The Midwest has a reputation for being earnest and friendly. Folks generally nod or greet one another as they pass on the sidewalk. Waving to your neighbor is a given. It’s the kind of behavior that makes living underwater for months at a time bearable. 

That’s just what Ron Roen brought to the Navy. 

From the small town of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Ron enlisted in the Navy in 1987. While most people would balk at the idea of living on a submarine for months at a time, Ron volunteered. He liked the idea of tight quarters and the necessity of respect. On a sub, you don’t just have to get along with your team - you want to. It makes life better. 

Most Veteran stories credit the military with shaping who they became. For Ron, it was his innate calm and team-first mindset that helped the Navy. His leadership noticed, too. After five patrols as an enlisted sailor, his Commanding Officer personally asked what he thought about joining the Officer Corps. 

Ron, who didn’t even know the Navy had officers when he enlisted, took the leap. He earned a degree in Sociology from the University of South Carolina and was commissioned as an Intelligence Officer in 1994. From the silent depths of a submarine to the night shifts of Baghdad in 2004, Ron spent 20 years (18 active, 2 reserve) embodying the “team effort” before retiring in 2007. 

Finding Eagle Nation

After retiring and eventually settling in Nebraska to be near his growing family, Ron looked for that same sense of camaraderie he found on the submarines. He found it in Team RWB. 

Today, Ron is a fixture in the Eastern Nebraska veteran community. Whether he’s practicing yoga, a habit he started through Team RWB, or posting his near daily 10,000 steps in the app, Ron is always moving. 

Ron and fellow Eagles prepare for the 2026 Lincoln Half Marathon

“I have always been active,” Ron says. “I’m proud to be active.” 

That pride is being tested in a new way now. Ron is currently navigating a diagnosis of dementia. While the condition has slowed his pace, it hasn’t stopped his progress. If Team RWB challenges members to do a mile a day, Ron does six. He simply doesn’t know how to give up. 

A Family Affair at the Lincoln Marathon

Ron’s fitness journey is a true community affair; both his son and daughter are fellow Eagles and he has a strong community supporting him in Lincoln. In May, he crossed the finish line at the Lincoln Half Marathon.

Ron’s persistence paid off as he crossed the finish line at the 2026 Lincoln Half Marathon

Ron’s participation in Eagle Nation is made possible by a strong support network. He shares a special “thank you” to Ryan Regnier and the Lincoln Track Club (LTC). The LTC partners closely with Team RWB, providing race entries and ensuring Veterans like Ron have a place on the course. Ryan, in particular, has gone above and beyond to ensure Ron could get into the half marathon this year. 

Left: Ron and fellow Eagle Pappy Dodd. Ron is forever grateful for Pappy providing transportation to various events.

Right: Ryan Regnier and Ron Roen, a friendship made stronger through fitness

“I Am Still a Human Being” 

When asked what he wants the world to know about living with dementia, Ron’s answer is as grounded and kind as his Wisconsin roots: 

“The person experiencing it is a human being. And most people treat human beings well.” 

Left: Ron with his grandson Mathias

Right: Ron with his family (left to right): Ron, Alyce, Taylor, Mathias, Matthew, Hannah, and Harper in front

Ron is more than his diagnosis. He is a father, a grandfather to Harper and Mathias, a retired naval officer, and a man who cares deeply about the people who give him rides or walk beside him. He might wish his speed was what it used to be, but his impact on the community hasn’t slowed down a bit. He is doing what’s best for himself while constantly looking out for others - the same way he did on those submarine patrols decades ago. 

The Navy was lucky to have him, and Team RWB is even more fortunate to have him as an Eagle - because Ron never gives up. 

Ron recently gave a TEDx Talk in Omaha; listen to him tell his story here.