When duty calls, these individuals are proud to lay their lives on the line for our country and respond to the challenge. Their frequent deployments require difficult and heartbreaking goodbyes. Families can never be sure their husband, father, brother or son will return safely or return at all from dangerous places in distant lands. These stressful separations are the daily reality of the Army Rangers and their families. When asked to fight, this fraternity of brothers will not hesitate to defend their country, with many making the ultimate sacrifice. These heroes, who include our Sgt. James Regan, are warriors who fought the battle and now rest in the hands of God. Sadly, this tragic story is often repeated within the Ranger community, leaving many spouses and children of these fallen heroes to fend for themselves.

The majority of U.S. Army Rangers are from small town America, many from backgrounds of modest means. Most active duty Rangers are the sole providers within the family unit, and most do not carry or qualify for adequate life insurance. The average income of an Army Ranger is below $25,000 per year. Rangers generally do not have sufficient savings to provide for their families if they are killed or disabled. While the U.S. Army recognizes the Rangers as an elite group of soldiers and provides as much support as possible in times of tragedy, the need often exceeds the available resources. The military and Veterans' Affairs provide spouses with limited ongoing payments, even if the Ranger's death resulted from injuries sustained in combat. Families of the fallen or disabled are left behind with an immediate and ongoing need to meet the financial obligations of everyday life. The Lead The Way Fund was established to help ease these financial burdens and to help these families adjust to the realities of their new life.

Sgt. Regan was every bit a product of his small town roots. From his teachers, to his coaches, to all his many hometown classmates, teammates and friends, he was blessed to have received so much from so many in this closely knit community. Jimmy drew upon these gifts as he matured into the great person and brave warrior that he was. Jimmy lived his life with conviction, character, and a strong sense of duty. His calling to the military was amplified in the wake of the September 11th attacks, when dozens of his neighbors were killed in the World Trade Center. Most of the Rangers who are currently serving, signed up after September 11th. These young men, like Jimmy, enlisted with the profound understanding that we are a nation at war, and that by choosing to serve in the Rangers, they would be in the forefront of this conflict.

The patriots whom we will be honoring through the Lead The Way Fund are men with qualities and character traits similar to those of Sgt. James Regan. They are men who love their country. They are men who put others before themselves. They are men who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so that we and our families may enjoy the freedoms and privileges that come with living in this great country. Our nation will continue to produce young men with all of the qualities listed above. They will leave their small towns to serve, and they will stand up for us and risk life and limb. Through the Lead The Way Fund we will, in turn, be there for them in their time of need. Lead The Way Fund, Inc., works in collaboration with U.S. Special Operations Command Care Coalition (USSOCOM) in identifying the needs of the Ranger and his dependents.