Marine veteran continues mission of service, leading disaster response with Team Rubicon

BALTIMORE — For Marine Corps veteran Larysa Murray, service didn’t end when she left the military.

“I served in the United States Marine Corps for 5 years.”

Murray left the Marines with the rank of sergeant, but the leadership skills she developed during that time continue to shape her work today.

“Challenges in the Marine Corps as a woman, I guess, would be that we're just simply outnumbered.”

At the time she served, women made up only a small percentage of the force. Murray says navigating that environment taught her how to connect with people from different backgrounds and experiences.

“You really develop a skill set to be able to connect with people one-on-one to become an effective leader.”

After leaving the military, Murray returned to school and completed both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Soon after graduating, she found another way to serve. She joined Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization that deploys volunteers to communities impacted by natural disasters.

Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that mobilizes military veterans, first responders, and civilian volunteers to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters around the world.

The organization focuses on providing rapid disaster relief after events like hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, and floods. It leverages the skills, leadership, and teamwork developed in the military to deliver aid quickly and effectively in crisis situations.

The organization has deployed on hundreds of disaster response operations worldwide, assisting communities after major disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and large-scale storms.

Murray's first deployment came just days after finishing graduate school, responding to devastating tornadoes in Moore, Oklahoma.

“During that operation, I really saw that Team Rubicon was drawing the best of the military experiences...the camaraderie and the community through service.”

The mission resonated deeply. Murray became more involved, eventually joining the organization full-time.

“Our primary mission is just getting into areas after a disaster to help the community in need.”

Responding to disasters often means meeting people during the most difficult moments of their lives. Murray says those interactions reinforce the importance of the work.

“You understand how meaningful it is once you interact with the community members and hear their story.”

During Women’s History Month, Murray hopes her journey encourages more women to pursue leadership and service.

“I think it's important that women keep raising their hands and stepping into those leadership positions.”

Her message extends beyond the military.

“The first step is just to make the decision to give to service.”

Whether through military service, volunteering, or disaster response, Murray says helping others is one of the most meaningful ways to make a difference.

“There’s really nothing greater than giving back to the community and giving to those in need.”

Team Rubicon now has more than 200,000 trained volunteers helping communities recover after disasters across the United States and around the world. To learn more about Team Rubicon, its disaster response missions, or how to volunteer, visit: https://teamrubiconusa.org/