SOF Support Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala raises over $1 Million to support Special Operators and their Families
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Saturday’s SOF (Special Operations Forces) Support Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala at the Del Mar Country Club raised more than $1 Million, which will go toward programs that support American special operators and their families.
The star-studded event featured retired four-star general, former commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) Afghanistan, and the former commander of the nation’s premier military counter-terrorism force, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Stanley McChrystal as its keynote speaker.
McChrystal spoke about the incredible bravery of American special operators. He told stories of Medal of Honor recipients dating to the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr. and Sergeant Eugene Ashley, and more recently, Master-at-Arms Michael Monsoor, who was mortally wounded during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Combat-wounded Marine Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Joey Jones co-hosted the SOF Support Dinner-Gala and gave a moving speech recounting losing both his legs while serving as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician in Afghanistan. And there was nary a dry eye in the house as a military wife and Gold Star Widow Ginger Gilbert Ravella recalled losing her husband, Major Troy Gilbert, an Air Force F-16 pilot, was tragically killed while saving the lives of more than 20 Special Operations soldiers during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It was a fitting evening to have McChrystal and Gilbert Ravella in the same room as McChrystal was the JSOC Commander when the mission was planned to recover her late husband’s remains from Iraqi insurgents, and they were joined at the Dinner-Gala by a number of special operators who took part in the heroic mission to recover his remains.
“It was an incredible honor and at the same time very humbling to have General McChrystal, Joey Jones and Ginger Gilbert Ravella join us at this year’s dinner-gala,” said SOF Support Chair Dominique Plewes. “Each of them exemplifies American character and through their actions, they have given true meaning to the words leadership, courage and sacrifice.”
All funds raised from the golf tournament and dinner-gala go directly to the SOF Support Foundation, whose mission is to help ensure American special operations forces and their families receive the support they need to effectively carry out their operations, keep their families intact, and lead healthy and productive lives after they have left our nation’s service.
Initiatives funded by SOF Support include:
- Mental health services, including individual psychotherapy, family therapy, substance abuse and dependence treatment, and where appropriate, options for residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
- A specialized support services program that responds when others can’t. It includes support during family emergencies, natural disasters and when unexpected medical costs arise.
- A Congressional Fellowship Program that is an exceptional resource for not only those who are involved in the military but also for our nation’s government. Congressional Fellows bring a unique set of skills and experiences derived from their military service. As former members of special operations forces, they lend a much-needed perspective to lawmakers through their specialized expertise and life experiences.
Top sponsors for the 2024 SOF Support Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala include the Del Mar Country Club, “Papa” Doug and Geniya Manchester & The Manchester Financial Group, James Pallotta, American Airlines, Victoria and Michael Fitzpatrick, Sungarden Terrace, Kern & Co., the Burr Family Foundation, Pamplemousse Grille, the Hill Family Estate, Chuck Smith, Axos Bank, Buffini & Company and Eagle Air Heating & Air Conditioning.
Additional Sponsors included WCM Investment Management, Academy Securities, Responsive Deployment, Brandt Beef, K9 Greenside Canine Training, GPW Certified Public Accountants, Onward Jets, Eric Iantorno & Associates, Konica Minolta, Top Class Actions, Shift Group, Western Devcon, Inc. / Mike and Gina Ibe, and Bitmotive.
A selection of press-ready images from the 2024 SOF Support Foundation Golf Tournament and Dinner-Gala can be found HERE.
For more information on the SOF Support Foundation, visit https://sofsupport.org/.
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SOURCE SOF Support Foundation
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