Marine Corps Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team 2025

I'm proudly supporting Semper Fi & America's Fund as a Community Athlete for the 2025 Marine Corps Marathon Semper Fi & America's Fund Team.  

We live in uncertain times.  I don't care if you cheer or blow raspberries, the cold, hard fact is that the Federal Government is slashing the budgets of the VA, the NIH (where I received lifesaving treatment), Medicare, Medicaid, the CDC...essentially, everywhere an American Veteran might turn to receive help or assistance.  I'm asking you to give a little, to have a lot of impact.  Where our traditional means will likely soon fall short, the Semper Fi & America's Fund needs to be ready to shoulder that pack and take the strain.  It's not going to come cheap. 

Semper Fi & America’s Fund cares for our Nation’s critically wounded, ill, and injured service members, veterans, and military families. Supporting all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, we provide one-on-one case management, connection, and lifetime support. Today. Tomorrow. Together.

• Semper Fi & America’s Fund is A+ rated from CharityWatch — their highest rating.

• Semper Fi & America’s Fund ensures our combat wounded, critically ill, and catastrophically injured U.S. service members and military families experience the appreciation and respect of our supporters. Our warriors and their families will achieve the highest possible quality of life and independence in a loving, caring, and committed community and will not be forgotten on their road to recovery and beyond.

• Semper Fi & America’s Fund manages and operates diverse, comprehensive programs in the areas of Service Member and Family Support, Transition, and Integrative Wellness through a “needs-based” approach. All grants are delivered through a one-on-one case management relationship, the result of which is life-changing and lifesaving.

• Semper Fi & America’s Fund employs a powerful holistic approach, integrating physical, mental, and emotional recovery through powerful therapies and innovative technologies, which most often leads to both healing and post-traumatic growth.

• To date, Semper Fi & America’s Fund has given $500 million in vital and ongoing assistance to over 34,000 service members, veterans, and military families.

My dad got his parents to sign the forms, and he joined the World War II Navy at 17.  Cycled through Basic Training at Great Lakes and was sent to the Pacific.  Served on the USS Menifee (APA-202) and USS Fuller (APA-7).  Participated in the Battle of Okinawa--used to tell me that he lost a cuff button off his dungarees shirt on the beach there, and asked if I would please look for it while I was stationed there? He was discharged as a Hospitalman Apprentice First Class (HA1), equivalent to a Marine Corporal at the time.  Naturally, I'm fundraising as part of the group called "Sons of Pacific Heroes."

Thank you for supporting Semper Fi & America's Fund and for helping those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom!

[Oh, I'm chipping in too -- and have also pledged to run 250 miles between July 4 and November 10, a mile for each of the years the United States Marine Corps will be celebrating on its November 10th birthday]