WARRIORS

This program area includes camaraderie and organic conversations at soldier excursions and in partnership at some of our Fundraising Events.

SPOUSE

THRIVE programs are spouse focused, and are designed to bring resources driven by the needs that are felt during deployment and living a military life. These include Spouse Appreciation Gatherings, Mix & Mingles, and workshops with world class speakers.

CHILDREN

STRIVE programs are kid focused. These include special event outings and workshops with world class speakers.

a special forces trust partnership

Andy's Fund is named after Master Sergeant Andrew Marckesano, who died by suicide in 2020. In addition to serving as a Green Beret with 7th Special Forces Group, he served in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment and was a Silver Star recipient.

#ANDYSFUND exists to honor his life and fight back against the crisis of suicide in our military and veteran communities. Every dollar provides resources, awareness, and support to those silently struggling, so no other family receives that devastating call. Andy’s Fund apparel directly supports the SFT’s Beyond the Battlefield platform which focuses on mental wealth and suicide prevention.

The SFT presents “Beyond the Battlefield” — a behavioral-health platform built to confront Operational Stress, fatigue, and suicide within the Special Forces community. This program provides soldiers and families a confidential, stigma-free space to explore mental and emotional wellness on their own terms.

While the military prepares Soldiers for war, it often cannot fully prepare them — or their families — for the invisible battles that follow. After decades of continuous deployments, many operators return home carrying the weight of trauma, guilt, or overwhelming fatigue. These struggles can manifest as Post-Traumatic Stress, depression, or suicidal ideation, yet many hesitate to seek help due to fears around reporting or career impact.

Beyond the Battlefield exists to close that gap — offering accessible, anonymous, career-safe support for those suffering in silence. Our mission is simple: ensure every Green Beret and their family has a trusted path to healing, hope, and sustained mental wealth.

METTLE & MOXIE: A 3-Day Weekend Event to Refresh, Refuel, and Reset

The Mettle and Moxie is a 3-Day Weekend Event program.  For over 50 years, Special Forces and their families have endured arduous training and deployment cycles with no end in sight.  While these war-torn families express amazing resilience daily, there is no denying the negative impacts of the ongoing stress felt within their families. Our Mettle and Moxie 3-Day Weekend Events are designed to encourage Special Forces service members and their families to refresh, refuel, and reconnect. 

A Mettle and Moxie Event is defined as a 3-day weekend chalked full of educational information and activities presented to both adults and children (together and some separately) led by experts in their fields of the topic. The leading experts center upon the physical, emotional, and mental challenges that families encounter in their daily lives.  They are committed to actively working with these families to promote healthy, helpful strategies.  These events provide new concepts and skills that can be immediately implemented in their personal and professional lives. 

Events are open to all families whether it's a single service member, a couple, or those with children.  Each event is individually designed for a specific Special Forces Group based on the unique challenges they face.   Every session takes into consideration the single service member, the couple, and the family with children.