Supporting Air Warrior Courage Foundation as Armed Services Project
Recently, the Riverlake Village Republican Women's Federation (CA) brought a worthwhile Armed Services support organization to the committee’s attention. They chose to support this group as a subset of their support to the Gary Sinise Foundation.
The Air Warrior Courage Foundation (AWCF) was formed by military aviators to “care for their own.” They work closely with the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association (RRVA) to do that. Their mission is to provide active duty, guard, reserve and retired military personnel and their families financial assistance for medical, educational, and other extraordinary expenses not covered by other military, veteran, or charitable institutions.
The name of "Air Warrior Courage Foundation" was adopted to preserve the "who" of its intended constituency - military aviators and their families - and the "what" of those it expects to serve - those "air warriors" with the courage to fight the financial ravages of illness or injury, those whose air combat actions deserve recognition of their "courage," and the youth of our country striving to become military aviators.
The RRVA started in 1970 during the Vietnam War providing assistance to surviving dependents of U.S. military personnel killed-in-action, missing-in-action, prisoner-of-war, or killed while performing aircrew duties in a non-combat aircraft accident. The AWCF was formed by the membership of the RRVA in 1998 as it had become clear that other philanthropic, civic and patriotic programs were necessary in order to achieve the RRVA's guiding principles of Pride of Patriotism and Defense of the Constitution
The Foundation has continuing programs in the following areas:
MEDICAL EXPENSES
The "Earl Aman Courage Fund" provides assistance or equipment to those military-aircrew veterans/families in "need" for medically-related extraordinary expenses;
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
The HAND (Helping Achieve Normal Development) Fund provides assistance for therapeutic riding programs and other therapeutic activities for military-dependent children with anatomical, physiological or mental deficits;
TROOP SUPPORT
The TROOP SUPPORT 9/11 Terrorism Memorial Fund provides financial assistance, 529-College Savings Accounts and/or material support to surviving family-members of those, since 9/11/01, military-aircrew personnel lost or injured in the War on Terror; and, assist military units performing humanitarian activities worldwide;
GENERAL
Other philanthropic projects that the Board determines are consistent with the AWCF's tax-exempt purposes. The AWCF welcomes learning of new ways to assist their Military's members, veterans and families in need.