Joining Forces Community Challenge Submission for

Birdies for the Brave®

Why:

Birdies for the Brave is steadfast in its support for the courageous men and women of our U.S. Armed Forces and their families, who make innumerable sacrifices at home and abroad in service to our great country so that all Americans can enjoy a quality of life and level of freedom unmatched around the world. From those on the front lines to the military families at home who make it possible for their loved ones to serve so bravely and selflessly, we all owe an enormous debt of gratitude to these extraordinary American heroes.

What:

Birdies for the Brave is a national military outreach initiative designed to show support and appreciation to military members and their families, as well as veterans, for their service and sacrifice. Birdies for the Brave was originally created by PGA TOUR player Phil Mickelson and his wife, Amy, to support combat-wounded veterans. In 2005, the PGA TOUR adopted the program, and expanded it to include a wide variety of military outreach efforts during TOUR events, at the TOUR’s TPC Network of clubs, in the community and at military hospitals and bases across the U.S. and overseas.

Birdies for the Brave activities include complimentary admission for military members and their families during most PGA TOUR events; Military Appreciation Day celebrations, integration opportunities for wounded warriors (including the chance to caddy for TOUR players), care package assembly stations, and complimentary military hospitality chalets – called Patriots’ Outposts – during TOUR tournaments; rehabilitative golf programs for wounded warriors; morale-boosting events for military members and their families, including family barbecues at military hospitals such as Walter Reed and Brooke Army Medical Center, and Operation Shower – group baby showers for expectant military wives whose spouses are deployed or seriously injured; and a series of Birdies for the Brave fundraising events conducted at the PGA TOUR’s TPC clubs nationwide – an effort that has raised nearly $7 million during the past six years for 10 military homefront groups endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense which are supported by TOUR players, which provide critical programs and services to meet the specialized needs of wounded warriors and military families.

Who:

Birdies for the Brave fundraising efforts benefit the following 10 military homefront groups, which are supported by PGA TOUR players:

  • Green Beret Foundation supported by Bubba Watson
  • Homes for Our Troops supported by Phil Mickelson
  • K-9s for Warriors supported by David Duval and Bob Duval
  • Military Warriors Support Foundation supported by Ted Purdy
  • National Guard State Family Readiness Council supported by Jim Colbert
  • Navy SEAL Foundation supported by Jerry Kelly, Vijay Singh and Frank Lickliter II
  • Operation Homefront supported by Corey Pavin
  • Special Operations Warrior Foundation supported by Phil Mickelson
  • United Through Reading supported by Rory Sabbatini
  • Wounded Warrior Project supported by Frank Lickliter II, Jason Gore, Nick Watney and Boo Weekley

Birdies for the Brave is spearheaded by retired 12-year distinguished Navy SEAL Stephen Kupcha, and supported by a team devoted exclusively to supporting, engaging, developing programming for and raising funds in support of military members, veterans and their families.

Birdies for the Brave Impact

Direct Impact of Birdies for the Brave Programs

Birdies for the Brave programs and outreach activities have positively impacted the lives of thousands of military members from all five branches of our Armed Forces and their families, as well as veterans. The following is just a brief sampling of outreach activities conducted by Birdies for the Brave:

  • Four mortgage-free homes have been donated to wounded warriors and their families during presentation ceremonies held at TOUR tournaments.
  • Each of the PGA TOUR’s 26 TPC clubs has adopted a local wounded warrior and awarded them and their families with a complimentary honorary club membership to aid in the rehabilitation process and show appreciation for their service and sacrifice, as part of Birdies for the Brave’s Adopt-A-Wounded Warrior Program, which is operated in collaboration with Wounded Warrior Project.
  • To boost the morale of troops stationed overseas, Birdies for the Brave has provided service members with the equipment and merchandise necessary to establish TPC Baghdad in Iraq, TPC Sharana in Afghanistan, TPC Mosul and TPC Kirkuk – four golf courses painstakingly cut from the desert and played on by soldiers in need of a diversion from combat operations.
  • Birdies for the Brave has hosted four Operation Shower events for expectant military wives whose husbands are deployed or seriously injured, most recently showering more than 40 moms-to-be during the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola in Atlanta, GA, in September 2011. Many of these moms-to-be were first-time moms stationed far from family and friends, and would not otherwise have had the opportunity to celebrate the impending birth of their children. Beyond the tangible gifts the women received, these moms had the opportunity to share their stories with and find comfort and support from other military moms in similar circumstances.
  • PGA TOUR players regularly visit wounded warriors and their families in military hospitals, have taken several trips to visit troops stationed abroad, and conduct golf clinics for wounded warriors and military families as part of Birdies for the Brave.
  • As part of Birdies for the Brave, Intercontinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) Room Nights for the Brave program has generated more than 700 hotel room nights, which will be used for wounded warriors and military families in crisis. Many of these rooms were used by the families of Special Forces personnel who lost their lives in the helicopter tragedy in Afghanistan in August 2011.
  • In 2007, Birdies for the Brave joined with Operation Homefront and other organizations to aid a wounded warrior in Texas, whose three young children died in a car crash en route to visiting their father, who was recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center from serious injuries sustained in Iraq. In addition to a mortgage-free home, the warrior and his wife, who was also injured in the crash, were provided with counseling services, financial aid and a new car.
  • Birdies for the Brave conducts postcard and letter-writing campaigns for the troops during TOUR events, as well as the assembly of care packages which are distributed to military members stationed abroad, engaging fans and allowing them to show our courageous heroes how much their sacrifices are appreciated by a grateful nation.
  • Birdies for the Braveregularly hosts free concerts for military members and their families during TOUR tournaments, while dinner and entertainment events are hosted at VA facilities in Los Angeles and other U.S. communities in an effort to show appreciation for their service and sacrifice.

Homefront Group Impact

During the past six years, Birdies for the Brave has donated $7 million to 10 military homefront groups, enabling these important charities to continue providing programs and services that are crucial in helping military members, veterans, wounded warriors and military families from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard.

The following is a brief overview of Birdies for the Bravenon-profit homefront groups and the invaluable services they provide.

Green Beret Foundationfacilitates the special needs of our nation’s most elite warriors, including rehabilitation equipment, career and educational opportunities, transportation and lodging for medical treatments, and memorial cost assistance.

Homes for Our Troops’ mission is to support veterans who have been severely injured in combat operations since September 11, 2001, through the gift of specially-adapted homes. The high-quality, barrier-free homes are given at no cost and are designed to enable severely injured veterans maximum freedom of movement and the ability to live more independently in their homes. The group also provides support that enables the physical, emotional and financial healing of the entire family unit.

K9s for Warriors raises awareness and funds to pair trained, donated companion dogs to our deserving American warriors who have suffered injuries due to conflict as a result of wars since 9/11. Through its training facility in FL, K9s for Warriors helps to reduce injured service members’ reliance on others and return to civilian life with dignity and independence by pairing them with a service dog trained to perform tasks designed specifically for each individual.

Military Warriors Support Foundation provides a broad spectrum of programs for returning heroes. Among other services, it awards mortgage-free homes to combat-injured service members, connects veterans and retired service members with jobs at top-tier companies, provides mentorship and recreational activities to soldiers and their families, and offers four-year degrees to military members transitioning back into civilian life.

National Guard State Family Readiness Council assesses the needs of the New Jersey National Guard families, recommending solutions to meet those needs, and seeking implementation of solutions on a state level. Since its inception in 2004, the Council has raised more than $1 million for programs benefiting the state’s hometown heroes or their family members who are facing financial hardships during military deployment.

Navy SEAL Foundation is dedicated to providing Navy SEALS and other members of the Naval Special Warfare community with immediate support for death or injuries sustained in service, as well as educational grants for their immediate families. It also hosts morale-boosting family events and commemorates the accomplishments of Navy SEALS by erecting monuments and memorials across the U.S.

Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance and morale to the men and women of our Armed Forces, the families they leave behind, and to wounded warriors when they return home. Among other services, Operation Homefront provides food assistance, vision care, home and appliance repair, moving assistance and auto repair to military families coping with deployment recovery.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation supports the families of fallen and wounded special operations troops by providing full college scholarships to the surviving children of fallen special operations personnel, and immediate financial assistance to wounded special operations personnel, ensuring their loved ones can be bedside when needed most.

United Through Reading helps strengthen the bonds of family for deployed military members, enabling parents to read books to their children via recordings. DVDs of these recordings are then shipped home for their kids to follow along. In return, a photo or e-mail capturing the child’s reaction is sent back to the service member, allowing both to enjoy a boost of morale.

Wounded Warrior Project is dedicated to honoring and empowering wounded warriors. Its purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured service men and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services designed to nurture the mind and body, as well as encourage economic empowerment and engagements.

Additional information

For more information on Birdies for the Brave, the PGA TOUR players who support it, Birdies for the Brave fundraising events happening at TPC clubs in communities across the U.S., and how the public can get involved, please visit