We would like to extend a very special thank you to Jim Gilhooly and the Building Inspectors Association of Nassau County (BIANCO) for their tribute to Lead The Way Fund at their 60th Anniversary Gala Dinner on March 13, 2013. We are honored to be recognized by BIANCO and its members for the work we do on behalf of our U.S. Army Rangers and their families and we are incredibly grateful for the support.
The Annual Lead The Way Lacrosse Day For Heroes is a 2-game lacrosse shootout between two of the country’s best high school lacrosse teams, the Manhasset Indians vs the Chaminade Flyers. The one day event will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2013. The Lead The Way Lacrosse Day For Heroes recognizes past and present protectors of the Flag and 100% of the profits are donated to the “Lead the Way Fund.” There will be no advanced tickets sales. All tickets will be available the day of the event at the gate.
| Teams | Manhasset vs. Chaminade Varsity & Junior Varsity Teams |
| When | Saturday, April 13, 2013 |
| Where | Manhasset High School, Manhasset, New York |
| Why | Support our Troops, Help us Help Them. Recognize past and present protectors of the Flag. |
| Honoree | Local hero – Manhasset resident Sgt. James J. Regan (CHS ‘98), Our 75th Ranger Regiment Soldiers. |
| SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – Saturday, April 13, 2013 |
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| 8:15 AM | Gates open |
| 9:00 AM | Manhasset Indians vs. Chaminade Flyers Junior Varsity Game |
| 11:00 AM |
Manhasset Indians vs. Chaminade Flyers |
| SUGGESTED TICKET DONATION TO LEAD THE WAY FUND |
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| Adults 18 years and Older $10.00 | |
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR PARTICIPATION AT THE 2013 LEAD THE WAY LACROSSE DAY FOR HEROES.
Directions to Manhasset High School
200 Memorial Place
Manhasset, NY 11030
(516) 267-7600
Lead The Way Fund Lacrosse Day For Heroes 2013 Event Flyer Final
On Saturday, February 23rd, Brendan Brady competed in the GoRuck Challenge in Atlantic City, NJ, an event he referred to as ” the most challenging event I have ever completed.” The Goruck Challenge is billed as a 15-20 mile, 10-12 hour team based challenged, lead by Special Forces cadre. “You don’t know where you are going, you aren’t told the course, and you don’t know when it will finish. And you are carrying 40lbs on your back plus whatever else the cadre decides to give you on the way.” Brendan also said that “any time I wanted to quit, I thought of my friend Jimmy.”
Lead The Way Fund would like to congratulate Brendan for his incredible accomplishment and extend a special thank you for his fundraising efforts on our behalf. We know his friend Jimmy would be very proud.
Hello Friends & Supporters of the Lead The Way Fund!
It is with great pleasure that we are able to announce that the Lead The Way Fund has been selected as a local non-profit partner for the 2013 North Face® Endurance Challenge Series event to be held on May 4-5, 2013 at Bear Mountain State Park in Bear Mountain, New York.
Through the generosity of the race organizers we have been granted discounted slots for the Half-Marathon ($73), Marathon ($81) and Marathon Relay ($158 – consisting of teams of 2 to 4 people).
The Endurance Challenge Series is a two-day running event and festival that features seven trail racing events and is a hardy test for trail runners of any level. The event, which takes place on the western shores of the Hudson River and through the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, is known as a “tough test of off-road endurance.”
RACING REQUIREMENTS:
*Please email [email protected] with interest in joining Team Army Ranger no later than APRIL 1st as slots are limited and will fill quickly. Please indicate if you have ever participated in a similar racing event and the name of the event(s). (Selection will not be based on past times, however, we would like some indication that you have the ability to train and compete).
*Please be advised that all racers MUST commit to meeting minimum Lead The Way Fund fundraising requirements set at $350 for the Marathon and Half- Marathon and $500 for the Marathon Relay Team.
*All Team Army Ranger participants will be fully supported by Lead The Way Fund and will receive Lead The Way Fund racing gear including a LTWF visor, a LTWF light-weight running top and a LTWF gear bag.
If you can’t race for us, come out and cheer for our racers during what promises to be an exciting weekend. The Lead The Way Fund will have also have a tent set up which will further raise awareness for the work we do on behalf of our U.S. Army Rangers and their families. You can also stay up-to-date with Lead The Way Fund events and news by visiting us at www.leadthewayfund.org, liking our Ranger Lead The Way Fund page on Facebook and following us on Twitter @leadthewayfund.
For more in-depth information about the event, including course maps and weekend specifics, please click here to visit the North Face® Endurance Challenge Series website.
As always, we thank your for your continued support!
Rangers Lead The Way!
Lead The Way Fund would like to give a very special thank you to the Student Ambassadors from First Assembly Christian School (FACS) in Cordova, TN for conducting a special assembly to honor U.S. military on January 23, 2013, featuring Sgt. Jeff Struecker as keynote speaker. As a surprise for Sgt. Struecker, who is a retired Army Ranger, the students took up a love offering for the Lead the Way Fund. It was a very thoughtful and generous donation from such lovely young adults.
Sgt. Struecker served in combat in Operation Just Cause, Operation Desert Storm, and the Battle of Mogadishu, and as a chaplain during more than a dozen tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is best known for leading convoys in and out of Mogadishu, Somalia in October of 1993 in the all-night rescue mission made famous by the book and subsequent movie, “Black Hawk Down.”
On behalf of Lead The Way Fund, Jason Brady ran The Oil Creek 100 mile trail run which included three 50 mile races and a 70 mile race, in addition to thousands of miles in training runs. The Oil Creek 100 mile was incredibly tough with 18,000 feet of climbing and challenging trails! An amazing feat! Thank you for your support Jason!
A huge thank you to Allendale Eats! in Allendale, New Jersey for their fundraiser honoring Cpl. Michael D. Jankiewicz and in support of Army Ranger Lead The Way Fund. This is the second year that Allendale Eats! has raised funds for Lead The Way Fund throughout the month of October and we greatly appreciate the support.
Cpl. Jankiewicz was KIA on April 9, 2010 while on an aircraft mission outside Kabul. Cpl. Jankiewicz was a member of the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.
Rangers Lead The Way!
Northwest Military.com
By Melanie Casey on November 19, 2012
–The world of Special Operations Forces (SOF) is a tight-knit community, none as tight perhaps as the brotherhood that makes up the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. Falling under the purview of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the elite regiment is comprised of four battalions – 1/75 at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., 2/75 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and 3/75 and the Regimental Special Troops Battalion (as well as the Regimental Headquarters) at Fort Benning, Ga.
The few thousand Soldiers who make up the 75th Ranger Regiment are not only brothers in arms, but also brothers for life.
When Charlie Company, 3/75 Ranger Sgt. Jimmy Regan died in 2007 as a result of an improvised explosive device (IED) in Northern Iraq, his father, Jim Regan, experienced firsthand the cohesiveness and camaraderie that hold the Ranger community together.
Not long afterward, he was inspired to begin a foundation in his son’s memory.
That foundation – The Lead The Way Fund (LTWF) – is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization that serves to help active-duty, fallen and wounded Rangers and their families. Beginning next year, it will also be an available charity choice for the government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).
After his son died, Regan “truly realized how tight-knit a community the Ranger Regiment is,” said Larry Moores, a retired Army Ranger who now serves as an advisor to the Lead The Way Fund in Washington, D.C. “He immediately saw the positive impact of having an organization to give back to Rangers, who sacrifice so much and ask for nothing in return.”
The fund helps Rangers with everything from state-of-the-art prosthetics to specialized cars and travel, working to “fill the gaps that the government doesn’t cover,” Moores said, and “work to lift the financial burden from families in crisis.”
There are several facets to the Lead The Way Fund, including:
The Ranger Wounded Assistance Program, which works closely with the USSOCOM Care Coalition to help recently injured Rangers and their families with financial support and other services, such as travel expenses
The Ranger Recovery Program, which assists wounded Rangers facing long-term recovery and rehabilitation
The Ranger and Family Health & Wellness Program, which assists Ranger Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) with funds to hold activities during deployments
The Ranger Chaplain Special Program, which supports chaplain services such as marriage retreats and other events
Also in the works is a Ranger Children’s Program, which will focus on the needs of the children of fallen and wounded Rangers.
During fiscal year 2011, the LTWF provided more than $260,000 to Rangers and their families, providing, among other things, a hospital bed for a Ranger with a severe head injury; a retrofitted car for a Ranger who had lost an eye; and travel for family members to visit their wounded loved ones.
“The Lead The Way Fund is invaluable to the health of the unit and its families,” wrote 2/75 Family Readiness Support Assistant Lisa Vos in a recent LTWF newsletter. “Their efforts and their desire to serve our nation’s heroes reflect greatly upon them.”
The Lead The Way Fund wants Rangers and their families in the JBLM area to know that the Fund is there to help. For more information or to donate, visit www.leadthewayfund.org.
The marathon may not have taken place but that didn’t stop these members of Team Ranger! Huge kudos to Lead The Way Fund marathoners Chuck Watson, Carolyn Freeland, Courtney Jones and Shareen Mishrick who joined forces to run 12 mi (mostly uphill) with 60 lbs of supplies in each of their backpacks that they distributed all throughout Staten Island. All agreed it was one of the most challenging runs and most inspiring days they have ever had! Great work helping those in need!
Dear Friends and Supporters of The Lead The Way Fund,
It is with deep regret that we must inform you that we have to postpone our 6th Annual ‘A Run Down Hero Highway’ scheduled for Sunday, November 18th. Due to damage inflicted by Hurricane Sandy, the venue for the post-race celebration as well as Pier 46 will not be viable by next weekend for our event. We are looking to reschedule the event in the Spring and will inform everyone once a decision on a date has been made. You can also find updated status information on our website, our Ranger Lead The Way Fund Facebook page and on Twitter by following us at @Leadthewayfund.
Please note that everyone will receive a full refund for their ticket purchase however we ask for your patience as this might take up to a week. Should anyone have any questions or concerns please feel free to email us at [email protected].
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have been affected by the hurricane.
Be well and safe and we thank you again for supporting our mission to provide assistance to our U.S. Army Rangers and their families.
Regards,
Lead The Way Fund
We cannot thank everyone enough for coming from near and far to join us at our 6th Annual Golf Outing & Dinner (as well as those who couldn’t make it but still supported us)! It was an incredible day and night and we are so grateful for the love and support we continue to receive from everyone. And thank you so much to all of the volunteers who helped us, your assistance was invaluable!
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!!
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Lead The Way Fund would like to announce that we have expanded our operations to the Washington, D.C. metro area to assist with our fundraising and increase linkage with the USSOCOM Care Coalition Wounded Warriors and families.
The Washington Team is up and running and has already held some great events.
The D.C. team hosted a hockey night out in January with members of the Wounded Warrior team from Walter Reed / Bethesda and several active duty Rangers from 1/75 Ranger Regiment from Savannah, GA.
The first Friends of Lead The Way Fund Social was held at PJ Clarkes in D.C. on May 10, 2012 and was a large success with nearly 50 people in attendance. A wide variety of personnel were in attendance including Lead The Way Fund advisors, Army Rangers, USSOCOM Care Coalition Wounded Warriors and Liaison personnel. The team recently held another Social on September 5th which was also a great evening.
The major event for the D.C. team this year will be the Army Ten Miler on October 21, 2012. There will be 8 teams running (64 people) and supporting with fundraising for the Lead The Way. There will be a dinner prior to the run and we will have a HOOAH tent set-up at the race so stop by if you are in the area!
The D.C. team is planning for a spring golf tournament in May of 2013 so stay tuned for more information. We are very excited about our growth in this area and look forward to new events in our Nation’s Capital.
For more information about our Washington, D.C. Committee and how you might be able to get involved please contact Larry Moores at [email protected].
Lead The Way Fund is very excited to announce that we have a team participating in the 2012 Tri-State Tough Mudder and raising funds on our behalf! The event will take place on Saturday, October 21 and Sunday, October 22, 2012 at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ.
The Tough Mudder – The Premier Obstacle Course Series In the World!
Tough Mudder events are hardcore 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by British Special Forces to test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. Tough Mudder courses are not finalized until a few days before the event, and it will not be available to view until event day.
To support the team or any of the below team members please visit our FirstGiving fundraising website at:
http://www.firstgiving.com/rangerleadthewayfund/tough-mudder-tri-state/fundraisers
Team Ranger
Ryan Breslin
Michael Breslin
Kevin Breslin
James Breslin
Neil Asinger
Andrew Boccio
Justin Boyer
Rich McLaughlin
Ryan Crupi
Ann-Marie Iovino
Regina Kravitz
Jennifer Bencivenga
Tough Mudder Location
Raceway Park
230 Pension Road
Englishtown, NJ 07726
To Learn More About the Tough Mudder Click Below!
We would like to extend a big thank you to Dianne Hammon and the family and friends of Sgt. Alessandro L. Plutino aka “Sandrino” for continuing to support our Mission and for their incredibly generous donation again. For the second year in a row, the funds raised from the “Honoring Sandrino’s Sacrifice Fund, Inc.” golf outing were directed towards our organization.
Sgt. Plutino was K.I.A. August 8, 2011 in Afghanastan. He was part of the 1st Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment.
RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!
The Lead The Way Fund is excited to announce that we have generously been granted discounted slots in the (CMC’s) Civilian Military Combine’s NYC Urban Assault Race in Brooklyn, NY on September 22, 2012. This is the first time ever that CMC Urban Assault Series “the ultimate test of strength, agility, and endurance” is being held in the NYC area. This is an extremely physically demanding race.
Please email [email protected] with interest in participating in this event. Once participants have been approved, they must set up an individual fundraising page on FirstGiving and meet the minimum required Lead The Way Fund fundraising goal for this event of $350.
The CMC competition is broken down into three components to test strength, endurance and agility.
For more information about the Civilian Military Combine and the NYC Urban Assault event see below or visit the CMC website at www.civilianmilitarycombine.com. You can also click here to watch the CMC Urban Assault Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GO6NY_yLSS8.
CMC Overview
The Civilian Military Combine (“CMC”) is the premier race event in the fast growing obstacle course adventure race space. CMC provides the best designed, most exhilarating and unique format of any race available to the public. Designed for all level athletes to test strength, endurance and agility, CMC’s race day structure consists of the adrenaline pumping strength element called “The PIT” transitioning into an exhilarating military grade obstacle course race strategically positioned throughout. The difficulty of the CMC competition is determined by the competitor and attracts both weekend warriors looking for the ultimate challenge as well as competitive athlete looking to win.
The PIT
At the Civilian Military Combine the PIT is the inspirational start of the race where each heat of roughly 100 competitors charge into an area size of a football field surrounded by cheering fans and motivating music. The PIT is designed to be the great equalizer by leveling the playing field between power athletes and endurance runners to determine the best overall conditioned athlete. It consists of 4 basic movements: 2-body weight resistance and 2 with light weight resistance:
The Race
The Civilian Military Combine race takes place over 5 mile course with obstacles and natural terrain. Designed to test participants’ endurance, this race is unlike any mud run they’ve been in before. Taking place after completion of the lifting pit, the race includes massive military obstacles, strategically positioned to put participants’ athletic skills to the test. CMC has designed its race to put endurance and strength athletes on equal footing.
On behalf of the Lead The Way Fund we would like to congratulate Ben Fenton for his incredible finish and fundraising efforts on our behalf. Ben displayed a stellar performance in the highly coveted Ironman! Way to go Ben!
By Nancy Gould
Hunter Public Affairs Office
FORT BENNING, Ga. (USASOC News Service, July 30, 2012) – Forsyth Park provided a scenic backdrop for the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment change of command ceremony, July 25.
The outgoing commander, Col. Michael Foster, passed the mantle of leadership to Lt. Col. Robert Harman on the park’s grassy field. Eight hundred Rangers stood proudly in formation and watched the transition of power, along with Savannahians who lined the sidewalks with their children and dogs.
“There’s no place as special as Savannah,” said the new commander, Harman, who served previously as the battalion liaison officer and the executive officer of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “This community has always embraced Rangers and made us feel at home.”
In his final remarks from the podium, the former 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment commander, Foster, stated the same praise for Savannahians and thanked them for the hospitality given his family over the last 28 months. He spoke emotionally as he addressed the community and his Rangers before leaving for his new assignment at Vicenza, Italy as the 173rd Airborne Brigade commander.
“These Rangers are a lethal fighting force,” he said. “I’ve seen them perform great acts of courage and violence but I’ve also seen them show compassion that almost defies explanation. Plain and simple, if you stand on a battlefield in opposition, it’s the last thing you’ll do. It may be immediate or it may take some time but you’ll not live through the experience or more likely, not make it through the night.”
The 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment has employed those lethal combat skills since 2001, while deployed to combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan over 16 times, taking the fight to the enemy in order to preserve our Nation’s freedoms. While targeting high value marks across Iraq and Afghanistan, the battalion has conducted more than 2,500 raids during its 16 combat deployments, resulting in the capture or killing of thousands of key al-Quaeda, Taliban and other insurgent leaders.
“These are not ordinary men,” Foster continued. “They are adaptable and can take on any shape or coloration temporarily, if that’s what the mission requires. The whole of our tribe is a power that is so much greater than the sum of its parts.”
Foster also commended the 451 Ranger wives and credited them for their contribution to the ‘tribe.’
“Our ladies carry on with the grace and dignity that we do not posses,” he said. “They raise our children, handle emergencies, make great decisions and care for one another.”
Foster praised several of the wives individually for their leadership and strength, calling them ‘angels in disguise.’ Before leaving the podium, he also praised the 10 Rangers who made the highest sacrifice to the Nation with their lives.
“Like all great warrior tribes, these men practiced the dominance of honor,” he said. “They valued loyalty and cohesion; they had the capacity to endure hardship and they eventually paid the ultimate price. We will not forget them.”
Foster closed by thanking the men of his battalion for the opportunity to be a member of the ‘warrior tribe’ of Rangers.
“I’ve taken so much more from you than I’ve given,” he said. “This is a debt on I can never fully repay. Thanks for allowing me to walk by your side these past months. The door to my house is always open.”
http://www.soc.mil/UNS/Releases/2012/July/120730-02.html
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Please help support Army Lacrosse Player Pat Brennan and his teammates as they compete in the Lake Placid Lacrosse Tournament on August 3-5, 2012 on behalf of the Lead The Way Fund.
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ScunionNation/i-support-lead-the-way
We would like to congratulate Ben Fenton for being recognized as a Feature Athlete by the Ironman Foundation for his incredible fundraising efforts on behalf of the Lead The Way Fund. Best of luck on August 11th Ben and we thank you for your support of our mission.
To Support Ben Fenton in his NYC Ironman fundraising efforts on behalf of Lead The Way Fund please visit his fundraising site at:
http://ironman.kintera.org/uschampionship2012/benfenton
To view Ben’s personalized Ironman Feature Athlete Page which details his inspiration for the race and his dedication to Lead The Way Fund click the below link:
http://www.ironmanfoundation.org/site/c.8qKLJUMuFdLYG/b.8279271/k.1D8C/Ben_Fenton.htm
On behalf of the Lead The Way Fund , the 75th Ranger Regiment and their families, we would like express our sincerest gratitude to those who participated in the Ryder Cup Fundraiser. We would to especially thank Bill Breslin for so generously donating his winning proceeds from the 50/50 raffle. We are grateful to the Club and Pro Shop staffs for your continuing support of our mission to provide assistance to our U.S. Army Rangers and their families.
LaxPower
Foxborough, Mass. — The NCAA and the Kraft family will honor two fallen heroes on Memorial Day (May 28) prior to the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship Game at Gillette Stadium.
The families of U.S. Army Sgt. James J. Regan and Navy Seal LT Brendan Looney, both collegiate lacrosse players who were lost while serving their country, will be Honorary Captains for the game at 1:00 p.m. on Monday.
Army Ranger Sgt. James (Jimmy) J. Regan was assigned to Company C, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment when he was killed by an IED while on a mission in northern Iraq in February, 2007. Deeply affected by the terror attacks of September 11, Sgt. Regan rejected lucrative Wall Street job opportunities and law school scholarships. Sgt. Regan volunteered for military service in February, 2004 and served four tours of duty. He grew up in Manhasset, Long Island, graduated with Honors from Chaminade High School and was a High School Lacrosse All American. He played midfield for Duke University and helped lead the Blue Devils to two Atlantic Coast Conference championships and an NCAA quarterfinal appearance. The Regan family and friends have honored his spirit, his patriotism and the way he lived his life by establishing Lead the Way Fund (www.leadthewayfund.org), which supports U.S. Special Operation 75th Rangers and their families. Jimmy’s parents Mary and James Regan, and sisters Maribeth, Colleen and Michaela will serve as Honorary Captains in his honor prior to the Division 1 Championship Game.
Navy Seal LT Brendan Looney was one of nine U.S. service members to lose his life in a 2010 helicopter crash in Afghanistan. He proudly volunteered to serve his country, knowing full well what dangers lay ahead of him. He answered that call to make a difference in the world and in the fight for freedom. Brendan grew up in Owings, Md. and attended DaMatha Catholic High School before graduating from the United States Naval Academy. One of the proudest lacrosse seasons for both Brendan and his family took place during his senior season at Navy. That year, Brendan and brothers Billy and Stephen helped lead Navy to the NCAA National Championship Game played in Baltimore. Serving as Honorary Captains on Monday in Brendan’s honor will be his wife, Amy, his parents, Maureen and Kevin, and sisters Bridget, Erin and Kellie.
Fans attending Monday’s Division I championship game are encouraged to enter the stadium early in order to participate in the pre-game Memorial Day ceremonies. As part of the ceremony a large American flag will be displayed by members of the military and a flyover will be performed by the Rhode Island Air National Guard’s 143rd Airlift Wing. The 143rd Airlift Wing flies C-130 Hercules, which primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, unprepared dirt strips and is the primary aircraft for aerial delivery of troops and equipment into hostile areas. The C-130 operates throughout the U.S. Air Force, serving with Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command.
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In honor of Memorial Day, we would like to take a moment to pay tribute, and give thanks, to the men and women of our Armed Forces. We will never forget the brave soldiers who have given their lives for our country and our freedom as well as the soldiers who continue to fight for our freedom every day.
We would also like to thank you, our Patriotic supporters. Your continued support of the Lead The Way Fund helps to ease some of the tremendous burden that our soldiers and their families bare.
God Bless America!
The Lead The Way Fund is pleased to announce that, through the generosity of the TOBAY race organizers, we have secured slots at the 2012 TOBAY Triathlon on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at a discounted price of $50 per slot. The TOBAY Triathlon consists of 1/2 mile swim, 15 k bike and a 5k run throughout Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay, New York.
The Lead The Way Fund will have have a tent at the race to further raise awareness for the work we do on behalf of our U.S. Army Rangers and their families. We hope you will come out and cheer for our racers!
Can’t join us but have a friend or relative that you would like to support in their fundraising efforts for the Tobay Triathlon? Please click on the link below to be directed to their individual fundraising pages.
http://www.firstgiving.com/rangerleadthewayfund/tobay-triathalon2012/fundraisers
TEAM RANGER PARTICIPANTS!
Brendan McCormick
Dan Lamonaca
Charles Bennett
Julia Musso
Thomas Finnican
Brian Werner
Tim Miller
John O’Brien
Brian Carroll
Ryan Saitta
Justin Castellanos
Kendel Fiorentino
Siobhan McCormick
Kevin Flannagan
Suzanne Kenney
Jon Kuczmarski
Brian Ellwood
Jeffrey Hussey
Kevin Minicus
William Wolcott
David Nachman
John Huelskamp
About The Tobay Triathlon
When: Sunday, August 26, 2012
What: The TOBAY Triathlon (1/2 mile swim, 15 k bike and a 5k run)
The Course:
Swim: 1/2 mile in calm Oyster Bay Harbor
Bike: 15 kilometers (one loop), over hill & dale, through beautiful Oyster Bay, Laurel Hollow, and Cove Neck. Fairly hilly but with a 2.9 mile downhill to the finish!!
Run: 5 kilometers through Mill Neck & Brookville, “up” to Planting Fields Arboretum & back “down” to Roosevelt Park.
Where: Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay, New York
Rangers Lead The Way!
A big thank you to everyone who came out to support Lead The Way, as well as those who volunteered their time to help us, at our Lacrosse Day For Heroes “Regs Rock” event! With over 2,000 people in attendance, the event featured an intense and exciting match-up between the Chaminade Flyers and the Manhasset Indians Junior Varsity and Varsity teams. While Chaminade came out on top this year, all teams displayed incredible talent and patriotism and helped to make the day a tremendous success. Thank you again to all for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you next year!
Rangers Lead The Way!
Twelve soldiers from 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, were awarded the Silver Star during a ceremony March 16 at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. The soldiers were honored — two of them posthumously — with the nation’s third-highest award for valor for actions spanning two deployments to Afghanistan. To read the Army Times article about these incredibly heroic and brave men we support Click here.
Twelve soldiers from 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, were awarded the Silver Star during a ceremony March 16 at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. The soldiers were honored — two of them posthumously — with the nation’s third-highest award for valor for actions spanning two deployments to Afghanistan.
Here are their stories.
On May 19, 2010, more than 20 armed insurgents attacked Bagram Airfield, one of the largest U.S. bases in Afghanistan, with direct and indirect fire. The enemy breached the outer perimeter of Bagram, and the platoon-sized element of enemy fighters began a coordinated attack against multiple guard towers and observation points.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael A. Eiermann, a platoon sergeant, saw tracer rounds and rocket-propelled grenades flying over his position inside Bagram.
Eiermann, who has deployed 13 times and is now a first sergeant, and his soldiers had just arrived in Afghanistan the night before. He immediately ordered his men to get their weapons and seek cover.
As the battle raged on, the Rangers heard a loud explosion, and the soldiers at the inner walls of Bagram’s security perimeter began calling for a medic.
“I grabbed my platoon medic and a squad and ran toward the portion of the wall where they were calling for a medic,” Eiermann said.
The soldiers ran about 250 meters toward an active minefield that was on the border of the inner perimeter of Bagram. The wounded had stepped on a land mine.
Eiermann and his medic moved through the minefield under enemy small arms, machine gun and RPG fire, with Eiermann clearing the route to the casualties with his footsteps. When they reached the casualties, who were about 20 meters inside the minefield, Eiermann directed and coordinated the treatment of the two critically wounded soldiers.
One of the soldiers had lost a leg, while the other had been peppered with shrapnel from the exploding land mine, Eiermann said.
Eiermann continued to expose himself to sporadic direct and indirect enemy fire by making multiple trips through the minefield to get litters for the wounded.
After the medic treated the soldiers, he and Eiermann moved them out of the minefield and into a waiting ambulance.
Eiermann downplayed his actions on that day. “To me, they were guys who needed help, and my medic and I were in the right place with the right resources to render aid, so we did,” he said.
During a combat operation on Nov. 15, 2010, in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, Sgt. Dylan J. Maynard and Sgt. Todd D. Mark and his military working dog chased a group of enemy fighters down a steep cliff while Staff Sgt. Kevin M. Pape conducted overwatch on nearby high ground.
As the group moved toward their objective, Pape killed one enemy fighter and then moved to kill a second enemy fighter. As Pape fought off the enemy, he unknowingly exposed himself to a cave where 15 to 20 enemy fighters were holed up. The enemy hit Pape in the abdomen with machine-gun fire, mortally wounding him.
Mark, who was about 10 meters away, moved toward the cave, killing the enemy machine gunner. As he continued to move toward the cave, he was joined by Maynard, who saw Pape fall to the ground. The two Rangers engaged six to eight enemy fighters who were fleeing the cave, killing at least two of them.
Maynard then crawled toward Pape while Mark remained exposed in front of the cave to provide security. At that time, Mark reported what had happened over the radio and talked reinforcements into their location. When the platoon sergeant and medic arrived, Mark filled them in and continued to find enemy targets inside the cave.
As the soldiers moved toward Pape, they received two bursts of machine-gun fire. Mark, standing exposed in the enemy’s field of fire, engaged the enemy machine gunner, either killing him or causing him to seek cover.
This enabled Maynard and the other Rangers to pull Pape to safety so the medic could tend to his wounds. Maynard and the medic worked for an hour to treat Pape, who did not survive.
Under intense enemy fire, Mark stood his ground, calmly engaging the enemy and providing security for his fellow soldiers. His actions denied the enemy the chance to flee the cave or regroup and assault the Rangers.
Maynard, meanwhile, moved Pape to the medevac landing zone, all the while under enemy fire. Maynard killed one enemy fighter, but during this time, Sgt. Eric Cox sustained a gunshot wound to his neck and jaw and fell about 10 feet off a path and into the open, vulnerable to enemy fire.
Maynard and two other Rangers quickly raced toward Cox and dragged him back to safety. Cox has since recovered.
Once at the landing zone, Maynard continued to provide security and fight off the enemy, leading his men until the helicopter arrived to evacuate the casualties.
Maynard said he didn’t think twice about running into the open to get Pape or Cox.
“I just knew I needed to get out there and get them as quickly as possible,” he said. “If I was shot, I know every man that stands beside me would run out there themselves, they would put themselves in harm’s way to get to me.”
That’s why Maynard, who has deployed seven times, said he has mixed feelings about receiving the Silver Star.
“It’s pretty hard to say you’re deserving of that when you’ve seen so many amazing, valorous things occur,” he said. “But it’s cool to accept it and it’s humbling, and it’s good to know I did my job right.”
On June 13, 2011, Sgt. 1st Class Michael A. Duchesne, a platoon sergeant, and his soldiers were part of a daylight mission to interdict a suspected suicide bomber.
When Duchesne arrived at the target compound, he saw a man trying to escape. He sent a portion of his soldiers to stop the fleeing man while he and the medic covered the team’s sector of fire. At that moment, the enemy inside the compound opened fire. Duchesne was hit in the chest plate, which caused the bullet to break off and pierce his right forearm.
Despite his wounds, which later would require 22 staples to close, Duchesne continued to fight and direct his soldiers’ fire onto known enemy positions.
“I had a medic with me and he was able to bandage me up really quickly,” Duchesne said. “I wasn’t losing blood or anything like that, and I felt I could still run things on the ground.”
Duchesne refused to leave his men even after his platoon leader called for a medevac. Duchesne also refused painkillers, knowing that they would impair his ability to fight.
“I think when you get a traumatic injury like that, your body tends to manage the pain itself,” he said. “It was manageable pain.”
He then moved to the northern end of the compound, directed effective fires and lobbed grenades at enemy positions. During these critical moments in the battle, Duchesne gave his rifle to one of his squad leaders whose own weapon had malfunctioned. For the next 90 minutes of fighting, Duchesne was armed only with a sidearm, but he continued to fight and maneuver his platoon.
When the force finally assaulted the target compound, Duchesne discovered an enemy fighter in the rubble, holding a grenade. Duchesne quickly killed the enemy with his pistol.
“Despite his wounds and loss of blood, his courage under fire and calm, competent decisions prevented further injury to the assault force,” according to the narrative accompanying his award.
Duchesne finally was medevaced almost three hours after he was wounded. He spent about three weeks recovering, then returned to duty. He downplays his actions on that day.
“It’s nice to be recognized, but I don’t feel like I did anything special,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that comes with the job.”
During a raid on a known enemy village in Paktika province on June 13, 2011, a joint task force whose mission was to kill or capture terrorists was engaged on three separate occasions within an hour of arriving on the ground. Staff Sgt. Jeremy A. Katzenberger was killed, and the task force called for a quick-reaction force to be brought in to clear the primary target compounds.
Staff Sgt. Ethan P. Killeen’s team was tasked with clearing the compounds. After successfully clearing the first compound, Killeen prepared his squad to move on to the second compound. After the escalation of force elicited no response, the Rangers moved to assault and clear the southern buildings and then the eastern portion of the compound.
As the soldiers entered the final building on the southeastern side of the compound, Killeen, his Bravo team and the mortar section leader found themselves in a small room that led down a narrow hallway that seemed to be a dead end. When Killeen reached the elbow in the hallway, he discovered an opening to the north. He immediately came under heavy machine gun and small arms fire from the back of an adjoining room.
“Probably on my second step into the room, I received AK47 and [machine gun] fire,” he said. He was shot in the upper left leg.
“I was able to turn and engage the individual who shot me,” Killeen said. “Then he shot me in the left hand, I shot him, he shot me. But I was able to keep engaging him.”
Killeen sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his left hand and arm and his left leg. As the shooting intensified, the room began to fill with smoke and dust. When he realized that the rest of his squad and the rest of the QRF in the adjacent compound were at risk of being ambushed from behind, Killeen rolled onto his back and engaged the machine gun position while simultaneously warning his squad about the threat they faced.
In the chaos, a military working dog entered the building and became disoriented by the dust and smoke.
“Our canine came in the room, noticed me and mistakenly latched on to me, thinking I was an enemy combatant,” Killeen said. The dog bit down on Killeen’s right — and uninjured — forearm.
“They’re good biters,” he said with a laugh. “I can attest to that.”
Killeen found himself firing at a heavily fortified machine gun position that was less than three meters away while severely wounded and with a dog latched to his shooting arm. Despite the odds, Killeen knew that his squad faced imminent danger, and if given the chance, the enemy machine gunner could shift his fire to the squad.
Killeen fought off the dog so he could keep firing at the enemy. He also continued to call out to his squad through the dense smoke, dust and enemy fire, alerting them to the enemy’s location and the makeup of their position.
Killeen refused to give up his ground, remaining where he was until his squad reached him and tried to move him to safety. Even then, Killeen refused to go, gesturing toward the barricaded enemy fighters with his fractured arm and mangled left hand.
“The thing I was thinking most was to stay in the fight,” Killeen said. “I just wanted to keep engaging the enemy and keep swinging. Luckily, I was able to fight through it.”
Killeen, who has been deployed seven times, said he is humbled to receive the Silver Star.
“You’re not sure whether you feel comfortable receiving the same award as so many other outstanding soldiers,” he said. “You hope you’re worthy.”
Killeen said he has mostly recovered from his wounds but still has work to do on his left hand. The gunshot to his hand almost severed his thumb and damaged the bone, tendon and nerves around the thumb.
“It shouldn’t be too long until I’m back to full strength,” he said. “For the most part, I’ll be running and gunning soon.”
On July 21, 2011, soldiers moved out to destroy an enemy encampment of about 30 armed fighters. As the soldiers moved toward their objective, they came under heavy fire and Capt. Jonathan F. Logan’s element became pinned down from “what seemed like every angle,” he said.
As the soldiers continued to fight, one of the Rangers was shot in the shoulder. Unaware of the enemy’s location, the Rangers took cover in a wadi, or dry riverbed, where they remained pinned down by intense and accurate enemy fire. Another team from the task force set up a support-by-fire position and tried to suppress the enemy fire. But as they moved up the ridgeline, the enemy fired on them, killing one service member.
The team broke contact and recovered its casualty, leaving Logan and his men isolated and surrounded by a well-armed enemy.
“At that point, I had several enemy personnel surrounding my team’s position,” Logan said. “Most importantly, one of my soldiers was shot three times and severely wounded, and he and two others were pinned down behind a small mountain face or rock.”
The enemy continued moving in on the group from all sides.
Logan, realizing his team was pinned down by fire from the north and east, quickly took charge and ordered two of his soldiers to coordinate the suppression of the enemy to the east. Logan then exposed himself to heavy enemy fire as he began climbing 130 meters up the ridgeline to kill the enemy to the south. Under heavy fire, Logan got within 15 feet of the fortified enemy position and fired his M4 and threw a grenade at the two fighters inside.
“I was in a position where I could climb a rock face and move up and destroy that position,” Logan said.
His actions saved the lives of three of his teammates and destroyed a fighting position that had pinned down and inflicted multiple casualties on the assault force. But Logan wasn’t done.
“I noticed several more enemy personnel coming out of a cave that was a little further up this mountain we were fighting outside of,” he said. “They continued to engage us, and the only way to eliminate or at least suppress that threat in order to allow us to regroup, I had to move up again and mark that enemy position for our helicopters to engage.”
Logan crawled another 120 meters or so to the second fortified enemy fighting position. Out of grenades, he used a smoke grenade to mark the enemy’s position for an air weapons team. But the team was unable to find and engage the enemy because of their position and the steep cliffs on both sides of the wadi.
Logan, knowing it was impossible to safely fall back without the air weapons team engaging the enemy bunker, again exposed himself to enemy fire and placed a flash-bang at the entrance of the entrenched fighting position.
Using the heat signature from the flash-bang, the air weapons team fired on the enemy position and gave Logan enough cover to rejoin the rest of his team.
However, the area was still hot, with the enemy on all sides and bunker complexes that had not been cleared.
Logan determined that the only way his team would survive was to authorize fire missions danger-close to their position. He authorized the joint terminal attack controller to call in enemy positions to the air weapons teams.
After three danger-close fire missions, Logan quickly organized a plan to get his Rangers out of the kill zone. The plan involved hitting the last remaining enemy position that separated the Rangers from the rest of the joint task force with a Hellfire missile, and coordinating even more cover from the air weapons team as his soldiers bounded back and suppressed the enemy from the ground.
The entire engagement seemed to last “forever,” Logan said, but he downplayed his actions.
“I was in the right place in the right time, doing my job, because I want to bring my men home,” he said.
On the night of May 31, 2010, soldiers from D Company, 1st Battalion, conducted a helicopter assault raid.
Sgt. Jonathan K. Peney, a platoon medic, joined the ground forces as they moved to clear the objective and establish security so that they could continue their operations the following day. Shortly after dawn, multiple concealed enemy fighters began firing on the soldiers. Enemy fire was pouring in from the south, east and west, almost immediately hitting Sgt. James Knuppenburg, a Ranger team leader who was on a rooftop on the northern end of the objective.
“We were taking [rocket-propelled grenades], recoilless rifle fire, machine gun fire, AK47 fire, and we still had that team on the rooftop,” said Capt. Andrew Fisher, the physician assistant for 1st Battalion who was on the ground that day.
Knuppenburg was hit twice — in the right arm and on the right side of his chest. It soon became obvious that the enemy was targeting the squad that was pinned down and exposed on the roof. When the call came for a medic, Peney didn’t hesitate, Fisher said.
“The whole time we were under such heavy, heavy fire,” he said. “It was such heavy contact that no one could move, but without hesitation, he just went up there. He heard his buddy was hurt and he went up there.”
Peney, who was in the main courtyard of the objective, ran to the base of a ladder that was leaning against the south wall of the compound and climbed up through the barrage of enemy fire to reach Knuppenburg. When he reached the top of the ladder, Peney was shot in the lower right flank, right above his hipbone, Fisher said.
Peney made it to the roof, but once he climbed over the ledge, he collapsed, Fisher said. Fisher, who was in a different part of the compound, and two other Rangers rushed up the ladder to treat Peney and Knuppenburg. Peney later died from his wounds.
The attack on the soldiers would end up lasting more than an hour, with enemy fighters firing on the soldiers from three directions and from distances as close as 150 meters.
Peney’s action “inspired the men of the platoon to gain fire superiority over the enemy,” according to the narrative accompanying his award.
The platoon poured an “overwhelming” volley of fire, enabling the pinned-down squad to move off the roof, and the soldiers continued to repel enemy attacks for the rest of the day.
Fisher, who arrived at 1st Battalion at the same time as Peney, described the young soldier as confident and intelligent.
“He was very inquisitive and always trying to pull one on you and see if he could stump you a little bit,” he said. “He was a skinny little kid … but very determined and a very happy kid who really enjoyed doing his job. He was just fearless.”
Staff Sgt. Trevor D. Tow was a squad leader when he and his soldiers from 2nd Platoon, C Company, came under intense enemy fire during an operation in Afghanistan on Aug. 18, 2010.
On that mission, the soldiers had cleared two compounds in a village controlled by the enemy and were moving to clear a third. When they got there, Tow led soldiers from 2nd Squad to the second floor, up an exterior staircase. As they cleared the area, an enemy fighter dropped two grenades and fired 20 to 30 rounds from an AK47 down onto the soldiers.
Tow immediately returned fire and directed his soldiers to do the same. Spc. Christopher Wright was hit by multiple AK47 rounds, and seeing his soldier wounded and unable to defend himself, Tow moved alone farther out into the open to engage the enemy.
When the enemy fighter moved back and sought cover, Tow reloaded his M4 and gave directions to his soldiers, all the while staying in the open to provide security. As his men moved Wright to cover, another enemy fighter appeared on the roof and began firing on the soldiers.
Tow, seeing the threat to his men, turned on his tactical light to distract the enemy fighter and draw attention to himself.
Tow stood his ground, and with the enemy only 10 feet away, he began fighting back, exchanging fire with the enemy fighter.
With the enemy fighter focused on Tow, the rest of the squad pulled Wright to safety. At that point, a second enemy fighter appeared and began firing on Tow with an AK47.
With rounds from both enemy weapons flying by his head, body and feet and hitting the ground around him, Tow continued to fight in the open by himself. Another Ranger then moved into the open to fight alongside Tow, who shortly afterward killed one enemy fighter. The two Rangers then focused their fire on the second enemy fighter, killing him.
As the rest of the squad provided aid to Wright, Tow remained in the open. As he was providing security for his men, he saw a third enemy fighter moving toward them. That enemy fighter threw three grenades that landed as close as 10 feet away from Tow.
Tow continued to stand his ground, firing back at the insurgent. The two exchanged fire until Tow managed to kill the enemy.
Wright did not survive.
On Aug. 18, 2010, the same day that Tow and his soldiers were on their mission, Sgt. Martin A. Lugo, a rifle squad leader, and his soldiers were in a different part of Afghanistan, preparing for their own operation.
Lugo and his team were tasked with isolating the northern side of the tree line and suppressing the enemy to allow another team to assault from the south to the north.
However, the assault force came under effective enemy fire. Lugo and his team immediately laid down suppressive fire, but realizing that the assault force was pinned down and the entrenched enemy had superior cover, Lugo led his team toward the northernmost side of the trench. This enabled the assault force to move to cover.
As Lugo moved toward the enemy position, he identified two enemy fighters with automatic weapons. With no regard for his own safety, Lugo moved up until he was just meters away from the enemy. He exposed himself to engage and eliminate the enemy, but was mortally wounded in the process.
His actions are credited with saving the lives of at least five of his teammates.
As a Ranger assault force prepared to raid an enemy compound on Aug. 28, 2010, they were spotted by an enemy fighter.
Staff Sgt. John M. Rowland, a squad leader, climbed onto the roof of the southwestern corner of the target compound, where an enemy fighter began shooting at him with an AK47.
Rowland fired back, killing the insurgent. This action, however, drew fire from three more enemy fighters, including one who had a machine gun that was oriented toward the door of the compound.
Because of Rowland’s quick reaction and engagement of the enemy, the greatest volume of fire was directed at him instead of the main assault force.
During this time, another Ranger joined Rowland on the roof and they continued to draw fire from the enemy. Exposed and without cover, Rowland maintained his position and continued to fight, killing two enemy fighters and severely wounding the fighter with the machine gun.
Rowland’s “accurate engagement and destruction of three entrenched fighters enabled the assault force to gain entry into the compound without receiving devastating fire and successfully secure the target compound,” according to the narrative accompanying his award.
Rowland is credited with not only saving the lives of his fellow soldiers, but those of the “numerous” women and children in the compound.
On Oct. 26, 2010, soldiers received intelligence showing that a high-value target had been located in a small village.
Information received throughout the day showed armed enemy fighters were moving in and out of the village, and aircraft flying in the area were being engaged with small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
As the Rangers prepared to move toward the target compound, they began taking fire from an enemy machine gun position. As the soldiers moved toward the compound, they heard enemy fighters were moving toward them, and they began receiving harassing fire from multiple directions.
Once the Rangers entered and cleared the compound, they began taking effective machine gun and small arms fire from the west and southwest.
Sgt. 1st Class Keith A. Morges, the platoon sergeant, immediately left the compound and moved to the west side to reinforce the blocking position there. He bounded forward about 25 meters under a hail of enemy machine gun and small arms fire, suppressing the enemy positions as he moved.
Once he got to the blocking position, Morges moved out of a covered position multiple times so he could engage and suppress the enemy, which kept attacking from multiple directions.
Also reinforcing the blocking position was Sgt. Alan D. Solomon, who began providing suppressive fire on the enemy.
After being under fire for about 40 minutes, Morges continued to engage the enemy positions and coordinated for an ammunition resupply for the soldiers at the blocking position.
To get the ammo, Solomon exposed himself to heavy enemy fire as he ran back to the compound. Carrying as much ammunition as he could, Solomon ran back to the blocking position, again under intense enemy fire.
When enemy RPGs landed near the blocking position, Solomon ran through the incoming fire and found seven of his comrades on the ground.
As the platoon medic, Solomon quickly and deliberately triaged all the Rangers and focused on the two most critically wounded patients.
Meanwhile, Morges came up with a plan to break contact under fire and move the casualties to safety.
As his Rangers moved the wounded, Morges continued to suppress the enemy, not leaving until everyone else had moved to cover. He then led the Rangers away to a different position and helped establish a helicopter landing zone.
As the helicopters landed to pick up the platoon, they began receiving heavy enemy fire from the southern wood line. Solomon used his body to shield his patients from the gunfire while Morges remained in the open to suppress the enemy so his soldiers could get onto the helicopters. After loading his patients, Solomon then joined Morges in suppressing the enemy.
The men are credited with saving the lives of several platoon members.
On Sunday, March 25, 2012, 6 Rangers competed in the Annual Bataan Memorial Death March in White Sands, New Mexico. The Bataan Memorial Death March is a grueling 26.2 mile race through the high desert terrain of White Sands Missile Range, conducted in honor of the service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II.
The story of Bataan reflects one of the worst defeats in American military history…a four-month fight for the tiny peninsula of Bataan in the Philippine Islands – the first major land battle for America in World War II. On April 9, 1942, the American forces surrendered to their Japanese captors, who set them (including almost 12,000 American Soldiers) walking sixty-six miles to prison camp, a notorious walk that came to be known as “The Bataan Death March.” Over the years, this race has become quite a tribute to the survivors of Bataan and is popular among military units. Our Rangers competed in the Military “Heavy” category requiring them to race in the desert with 35 pound packs over mountainous terrain. The team finished in 2nd place with a total time of 5 hours and 49 minutes!
Rangers Lead The Way!!
A big thank you to the Port Washington Skating Center for the Stars and Stripes Fundraiser held on March 24, 2012! We are very grateful for the support!
The Lead The Way Fund is pleased to announce that, through the generosity of the TOBAY race organizers, we have secured slots at the 2012 TOBAY Triathlon on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at a discounted price of $50 per slot. The TOBAY Triathlon consists of 1/2 mile swim, 15 k bike and a 5k run throughout Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay, New York.
The Lead The Way Fund will have have a tent at the race to further raise awareness for the work we do on behalf of our U.S. Army Rangers and their families. We hope you will come out and cheer for our racers!
Can’t join us but have a friend or relative that you would like to support in their fundraising efforts for the Tobay Triathalon? Please click on the link below to be directed to their individual fundraising pages.
http://www.firstgiving.com/rangerleadthewayfund/tobay-triathalon2012/fundraisers
TEAM RANGER PARTICIPANTS!
Brendan McCormick
Dan Lamonaca
Charles Bennett
Julia Musso
Thomas Finnican
Brian Werner
Tim Miller
John O’Brien
Brian Carroll
Ryan Saitta
Justin Castellanos
Kendel Fiorentino
Siobhan McCormick
Kevin Flannagan
Suzanne Kenney
Jon Kuczmarski
Brian Ellwood
Jeffrey Hussey
Kevin Minicus
William Wolcott
David Nachman
John Huelskamp
About The Tobay Triathalon
When: Sunday, August 26, 2012
What: The TOBAY Triathlon (1/2 mile swim, 15 k bike and a 5k run)
The Course:
Swim: 1/2 mile in calm Oyster Bay Harbor
Bike: 15 kilometers (one loop), over hill & dale, through beautiful Oyster Bay, Laurel Hollow, and Cove Neck. Fairly hilly but with a 2.9 mile downhill to the finish!!
Run: 5 kilometers through Mill Neck & Brookville, “up” to Planting Fields Arboretum & back “down” to Roosevelt Park.
Where: Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park, Oyster Bay, New York
Rangers Lead The Way!
We would like to thank the USPSA for supporting the Lead the Way Fund at SHOT Show 2012 in Las Vegas on January 19th in their Charity Prize Raffle Drawing. The proceeds were split equally between three charities, including the Lead the Way Fund.
Lax.com attends Lead the Way Fund’s 5th Annual ‘A Run Down Hero Highway.’ See their tribute video to the life of Sgt. Jimmy Regan and the work that the Lead the Way Fund does on behalf of the Army Rangers and their families.
Watch FIOS TV’s “Heroes on Our Island” biopic on the Lead The Way Fund, Inc.
Jim Regan speaks to the Wall Street Journal about our 5th Annual ‘A Run Down Hero Highway’ and about his mission to provide support, beyond what the government can offer, for the U.S. Army Rangers and their families.
A Run for Heroes, Inspired by a Son
To James P. Regan, it’s a moral responsibility to give back to the U.S. Army Rangers who serve. It’s also a way to honor his son, Sgt. James J. Regan, a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment who was killed in Iraq in 2007.
Mr. Regan began his Manhasset, N.Y.-based Lead the Way Fund in 2007 to help U.S. Army Rangers who have been injured or who are currently serving and their families. He says the fund is on pace to distribute some $300,000 this fiscal year to help fill in the “gray area” of costs that the government doesn’t cover.
The organization raises about $500,000 in an average year through various events, including the annual “Run Down Hero Highway,” now in its fifth year, to be held Sunday in Manhattan.
Mr. Regan takes his inspiration to help Rangers and their families from the determination he saw in his only son who died at the age of 26. “Jimmy was an awesome kid,” says Mr. Regan, “a kid that walked the walk.”
The younger Mr. Regan was a graduate of Duke University. He turned down job offers to follow in his father’s footsteps and work in the financial-services industry. He declined a scholarship to attend law school.
Instead, he wanted to serve and then become a teacher like his mother, Mary Regan, who worked for the Port Washington, N.Y., school district. He planned to coach high-school lacrosse and football.
On Feb. 9, 2007, he died while on combat patrol in northern Iraq from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
It was an immense, traumatic loss, says Mr. Regan, but “instead of folding your tent, you have to meet the challenge.”
The Lead the Way Fund works with the U.S. Special Operations Command Care Coalition to exclusively provide support to U.S. Army Rangers, and the fund steps in when a Ranger is wounded or dies. The charity aids the soldier and family during recovery, helps to improve the quality of life for families and supports active soldiers through activities like pre- and post-deployment morale parties.
Whether it’s flying in family friends to attend a funeral, helping with a sick child while a soldier is away from home, providing a more comfortable bed for a wounded soldier or sending a “morale package” filled with new socks and magazines, the Lead the Way Fund helps when a need has been identified.
Much of the fund’s work is in helping families at home. “Essentially, it makes sense that if the government is not taking care of it, we try to help out,” says Mr. Regan.
“It comes down to this: If the wife and family is being taken care of at home, the soldier doesn’t have stress in the battlefield and he’s a better soldier.”
Tune in to FOX News Channel’s national morning show “FOX & Friends” tomorrow at 7:30AM to see Lead the Way Fund’s Jim Regan speak about Sunday’s 5th Annual ‘A Run Down Hero Highway,’ as well as our efforts to assist our elite Special Operations Force, the U.S. Army Rangers.
Video Update: Watch “Fox & Friends” interview Lead the Way Fund’s Jim Regan
To view the video and read more at Newsday.com (Free Registration)
**Online registration for our 5th Annual ‘A Run Down Hero Highway’ IS NOW CLOSED. ** Walk-ups are welcome on Sunday but entry fees increase by $10 and we cannot guarantee you a shirt!
*Registration for golf is now closed. Please send all payment directly to the Lead The Way Fund. Seats are still available for Dinner so please join us! *
Dear Friends and Supporters of the U.S. Army Rangers,
The Lead The Way Fund is excited to announce our Fifth Annual Lead The Way Fund Golf Outing on Thursday, September 15th 2011 at the Plandome Country Club. With over 400 participants last year, there is no doubt that this year’s tournament will go off bigger and better than ever! We are excited this year to, once again, have with us Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, who was on July 12, 2011, awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Obama for his heroic actions in Afghanistan. Please come join us for a day full of fun and patriotism as we celebrate and honor our U.S. Army Rangers.
This golf outing is a great opportunity to give back to those who have sacrificed so much to protect our freedom and the quality of life we are privileged to enjoy here in the United States of America. Those of you who have attended in the past will undoubtedly recall many of the moments that make this yearly event so special. Participants will enjoy a round of golf at the Plandome Country Club or Sands Point Golf Club, a lovely brunch as well as an evening full of cocktails, dinner, awards and amazing live and silent auctions.
Since its inception in 2007, the Lead The Way Fund has helped many Army Rangers who have been injured while fighting for our country by offering financial assistance that the government is unable to provide. With your ongoing support, the Lead The Way Fund can continue to reach out across this great country of ours to these brave soldiers and their families.
You can learn more about the Lead The Way Fund and how it continues to make a positive impact on the lives of our American heroes and their families by visiting the Mission section of our website, www.leadthewayfund.org . To participate in this day of golf and festivities, please complete and return the attached form, or sign up online via the links below.
Looking forward to seeing you all on September 15th!
Sincerely,
The Regan Family and the Lead The Way Fund Board of Directors
*This is not a Department Of Defense sponsored event*
Registration Options
Registration for golf is now closed. Please send all payment directly to the Lead The Way Fund. Seats are still available for Dinner so please join us!
Two registration options are available, Pay Online using a credit card, or Register Online and Pay by Mail (via check). Both options will secure your registrations. For those who feel more comfortable registering via paper please print the registration form below (PDF) and send it with a check to Lead The Way Fund.
Online Registration Opens Friday July 8 2011 at 5PM.
Paper Registration by Mail
| Thursday September 15, 2011
Plandome Country Club 145 Stonytown Rd, Plandome, NY 11030 http://www.plandomecc.com https://www.leadthewayfund.org |
Schedule of Events:
9:30 AM Registration & Brunch 12:00 PM Shotgun Start 5:30 PM Cocktail Hour 6:30 PM Dinner, Awards, Auctions |
From the moment his broken body was pulled from an armored vehicle in Iraq — after an enemy grenade, dropped through a hatch, detonated inches away —Army Ranger Joseph Kapacziewski vowed to be back in the fight.
Sgt. Leroy Petry awarded the Medal of Honor
The Lead the Way Fund joins all patriotic Americans everywhere as we celebrate the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry.
President Barack Obama will bestow the medal on Sgt. Petry at a White House ceremony on July 12, 2011. He is only the second living serviceman from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq to receive the Medal of Honor.
Sgt. Petry was nominated by fellow soldiers for his heroic actions in saving their lives and preventing serious injury while wounded and under enemy fire during a combat operation in Afghanistan on May 26, 2008.
The Lead the Way organization first came into contact with Sgt. Petry after he returned from Afghanistan with serious injuries sustained on that day. Sgt. Petry lost his right hand and sustained shrapnel wounds when he threw a live enemy grenade back at the enemy during combat, saving the lives of Army Rangers. At the time the Sgt. Petry had already taken bullet wounds in both legs. He also applied a tourniquet to his own grievously wounded arm and continued to communicate with command while under fire.
The Lead the Way Fund’s mission is to provide aid beyond that which the U.S. Government can give to wounded Army Rangers returning from combat. The fund also supports Rangers’ families in a variety of ways.
Many Lead the Way supporters first met Sgt. Petry in September of 2009 at a fundraising event for Rangers hosted in Manhasset, NY. Sgt. Petry, in full uniform and by then walking and fitted with a high-tech mechanical hand, made a lasting impression on all attendees. Sgt. Petry met and spoke with many supporters at the event and even demonstrated his new hand’s capabilities. On that occasion in 2009 it was already widely known that Sgt. Petry’s fellow fighting men had nominated him for a Medal of Honor.
Since then Sgt. Petry returned to Afghanistan for his ninth and last tour – this time in an administrative role. He had previously deployed twice to Iraq and six times to Afghanistan in service to the War on Terror.
Today Sgt. Petry serves his fellow 75th Ranger Regiment soldiers as they return from combat. He works as a Special Operations Command Care Coalition liaison officer tracking and monitoring injured Rangers in the Northwest Region at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, WA. Sgt. Petry lives there with his wife, Ashley, and their four children.
As Sgt. Petry helps provide oversight to returning wounded warriors and their families he has reconnected with friends at the Lead the Way Fund. “All of us at Lead the Way extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry on his Medal of Honor,” says James P. Regan, the fund’s Chairman and CEO. “We are humbled and honored to work with him in support of the men of the 75th Ranger Regiment and their families who give so much to our nation. What better person to continue serving his country this way than Leroy Petry? Sgt. Petry well understands the position of the wounded soldier and his family due to his own experience. ‘Selfless’ is the best single word to describe him.”
Regan is the father of a fallen 75th Regiment Ranger, Sgt. James J. Regan, who died in fighting in Iraq in 2007. The Lead the Way Fund was created in Sgt. Regan’s honor.
Sgt. Petry has already been awarded numerous awards for heroism in combat, but the Medal of Honor is a rarity, especially given his survival to receive it. The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who “distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.”
The service member’s meritorious conduct must involve great personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his or her comrades. And it must have involved risk of life. There must be incontestable proof of the performance of the meritorious conduct, and each recommendation for the award must be considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. Sgt. Daniel Higgins, a team leader in the combat operation on May 26, 2008, was with Sgt. Petry that day – in a rare daytime raid on a high-value target – and sustained wounds alongside Sgt. Petry. Sgt. Higgins later reported, “If not for Staff Sergeant Petry’s actions, we would have been seriously wounded or killed.”
Sgt. Petry has gone on the record stating his appreciation for his fellow soldiers who recommended him for the Medal of Honor. In his humility, he wishes to share this unique honor with all those who fight and risk it all for their country.
For more information on Sgt. Petry and the Medal of Honor, visit the Army Special Operations Command website: http://www.soc.mil/75th%20Ranger%20Regiment/Petry.html. The site also offers many photos and a storyboard that illustrates the combat operation on the day of Sgt. Petry’s heroism.
The Lead the Way Fund is pleased to announce that we have secured slots at the Army Ten-Miler race on October 9, 2011 in Washington, D.C. All remaining slots will be filled on a first come-first served basis. We hope that you will be able to race for us or at least come out and support our runners. All funds raised by our runners will go directly to the Lead the Way Fund to support our ongoing programs and initiatives.
Each year tens of thousands of runners and spectators come to Washington, DC to join in this race classic. Produced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, the Army Ten-Miler proceeds support Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation, a comprehensive network of support and leisure services designed to enhance the lives of soldiers and their families. The race starts and finishes at the Pentagon, passing by DC landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the Capitol Building. For more details about the race as well as the activities that will take place in conjunction with the event, please visit the Army Ten-Miler website at www.armytenmiler.com.
Already have a slot in the Army Ten-Miler? Head on over to our Army Ten-Miler First Giving page and sign-up to raise funds. (Never raised funds before? Check out our First Giving instruction page at the bottom of this page)
To secure one of Lead The Way Fund slots in the Army Ten-Miler, first contact our Army Ten-Miler race leader using the contact information below. Once you are approved for a Lead The Way Fund slot, head on over to our Army Ten-Miler First Giving page and start raising funds for Lead The Way Fund!
Lead The Way Fund race leader:
Email: [email protected]
WHEN: Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 8:00 AM, Rain or Shine.
WHAT: Army Ten-Miler
WHERE: Washington, D.C.
Racing Requirements:
Please note that in order to qualify for a Lead the Way Fund slot, each Participant is asked to raise $500 on behalf of the Lead the Way Fund. To sign up for one of the remaining Lead the Way Fund slots, please email your interest to [email protected] by August 1, 2011.
First Giving Instructions
Go to Army Ten-Miler First Giving page
1) Click the green “Join Now” button on the top of the page
2) Follow the instructions from Firstgiving
5) Share your new Firstgiving page with family and friends.
The Lead the Way Fund is pleased to announce that we have been able to secure slots at the MightyMan Triathlon series. This will be the Lead the Way Fund’s first year at MightyMan.
We hope that you will either be able to race for us or just come out and cheer for our racers. The Lead the Way Fund will have a tent at the event, which will further raise awareness for the work we do.
The Lead the Way Fund, through the generosity of Event Power Long Island, the MightyMan race organizers, has secured slots for the 2011 MightyMan Series.
The slot allocation and date of the races are as follows:
1. Sprint Distance (10/1/2011) – event slots (Swim: 750 Meters, Bike: 17 K, Run: 5K)
2. Olympic Distance (10/2/2011) – event slots (Swim: 0.93 Mile, Bike: 23.8 Miles, Run: 6.2 Miles)
3. Half-Iron (10/2/2011) – event slots (Swim: 1.2 Mile, Bike: 56 Miles, Run: 13.1 Miles)
When: Saturday October 1, 2011 (Sprint) or Sunday, October 2, 2011 (Olympic & Half Distance)
Where: Montauk, NY
*The price for each race is as follows: $95 (Sprint), $175 (Olympic) and $220 (Half). (Prices reflect individual racer prices).
Racing Requirements
To be considered for a Lead the Way Fund slot please email your indication of interest to
[email protected] by 4PM EDT ON SUNDAY, May 22, 2011. Please indicate if you have ever participated in a triathlon or a similar event and the name of the event(s). (Selection will not be based on your past times, however, we would like some indication that you have the ability to train and compete in a triathlon). Prospective registrants will be notified shortly thereafter of their status.
* Please specify which race or races you would like to compete in.
** Please note that in order to qualify for a Lead the Way Fund slot each contestant is asked to raise $500. We will discuss multi-race participants on an individual basis.
*** Each entrant will receive gear including a LTWF visor and a LTWF light-weight running top.
More information at the office Mightyman Triathlon race site.
Once approved please visit the Firstgiving.com event page and start the registration process.