The Special Operations Warrior Foundation provides comprehensive educational funding and advocacy for the children of fallen Special Operators. They also offer immediate financial assistance to severely wounded, ill and injured Special Operations personnel.
Clay Hutmacher currently serves as the Foundation’s President and CEO. Clay served our nation for 40 years in both the Marine Corps and the Army, retiring at the rank of Major General.
Clay had served six and half years in the Marines when he saw a brochure about the Army’s Warrant Officer flight training program. His first assignment was as a Blackhawk pilot with the 101st Airborne. He would eventually be accepted into the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. (SOAR) The “Night Stalkers” are some of the most qualified aviators in the Army and promise to be on target “plus or minus 30 seconds”. Clay would go on to command the SOAR.
Clay notes that both the SOAR and his foundation were borne out of the tragically failed “Operation Eagle Claw.” They began by helping the 17 children of personnel killed on that mission. They now work with 1,209 children.
Their programs are open to members of any branch that are part of US Special Operations (or support them) and Medal of Honor recipients. They consider any line of duty death or injury. He also emphasizes that they don’t push children toward college, it can be any type of career training. He takes pride in the fact that many previous recipients return to mentor those currently going through the program.
Just like Special Operators, Clay says that the foundation also can adapt and pivot according to the needs of their families. One such example is the addition of programs to help Operators who lose a spouse.
Clay hadn’t intended to work with a non-profit when he retired but jumped at this opportunity because as an Operator himself, he knew the positive impact the organization was having in that community.