Hello,

As the Grandson,Son, Brother and Brother-in-Law of educators and as a veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets)  two things that have been a major influence in my life have been education and special operations. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation is a non- profit organization that seeks to take care of its own. To raise funds for this outstanding charity I have been training for and plan to run the Dances With Dirt 50 mile UltraMarathon in Baraboo WI. I have previously completed 6 marathons and a 50 kilometer UltraMarathon. This will be my first attempt at 50 miles. Knowing I will be supporting a great cause will give me motivation and with the support of my family and friends "TEAM FORMER ACTION GUY" I hope to finish the race. Please consider making a donation to this worthy charity.

De Oppresso Liber

Mike McElmeel

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation mission is devoted to providing a college education to every child who has lost a parent while serving in Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Special Operations during an operational or training mission. The forces covered by the Foundation are some 50,000 military special operations and support personnel stationed in units throughout the United States and overseas bases.

The Warrior Foundation is currently committed to providing scholarship grants, not loans, to more than 760 children. These children survive over 600 Special Operations personnel who gave their lives in patriotic service to their country, including those who died fighting our nation's war against terrorism as part of "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan and the Philippines as well as "Operation Iraqi Freedom." To date, 143 children of fallen special operations warriors have graduated from college.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation also provides immediate financial assistance to special operations personnel severely wounded in the global war on terror. Once notified of a special operations soldier, airman, sailor or Marine hospitalized with a severe injury, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation immediately sends funds to the service member (or his/her designated recipient) so the family and loved ones can immediately travel to be bedside.

To date, the Special Operations Warrior Foundation has provided over $700,000 to wounded special operations personnel.