More than $1.2 million was raised to support nonprofits working to prevent suicides

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is Part 1 of a two-part series about the Troops First Foundation, its mission and the Soldiers it serves. Today’s article looks at the Foundation’s goals and efforts; Part 2 looks at the people it helped, including local soldiers and combat survivors.

George Strait took the stage and thrilled the audience. Gourmet dishes lined seven serving areas. Drinks were plentiful and stories were told about rounds of golf that evoked laughter and envy.

The annual Vaqueros Del Mar Golf Tournament ran smoothly this week at Tapatio Springs Hill Country Resort, raising more than $1.2 million for the Troops First Foundation.

Rick, CEO of Troops First

“Isolation is the enemy of this suicide epidemic. We know that a call or conversation at the right time can be life-changing and life-saving.” Rick Kell Troops First CEO

Former Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, right, and three-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver Ed McCaffrey warmed up the crowd at Tapatio Springs Resort on Wednesday for a four-person “Dream Team” golf game in Cabo San Lucas with Shanahan and Kyle were promoted by Juszczyk, George Kittle and McCaffrey’s son Christian McCaffrey.

Star photos by Jeff B. Flinn

George Strait took the stage at Tapatio Springs to entertain players, sponsors and guests at the Vaqueros Del Mar tournament.

Kell attended the three-day event from the foundation’s main office in Fredrick, Maryland.

“We’re here to do a pretty significant fundraiser, which is great,” Kell said. “The people here understand, they care about the troops and their families. And they have been very supportive of us for 13 years.”

Since 2012, Tom Cusick, Strait and David Feherty of Tapatio Springs have hosted a golf tournament and concert to benefit Feherty’s Troops First Foundation.

Kell explained the motive behind founding Troops First.

“The idea was to build trust and develop programs that were relevant and didn’t duplicate what other people were doing,” he said.

The organization’s service dog program has paired more than 60 dogs with veterans across the country.

Soldiers spend a week in Wisconsin learning and bonding with the dog before “our man returns to his house for a few days” to ensure the dog is properly integrated into the home atmosphere.

There is a housing initiative, the Petry Village of Honor, in Riverdale, Maryland, about 35 miles from Walter Reed Hospital.

“There are seven individual single-family homes. The idea is to be there and start again. We take care of everything except an electric bill,” he said. “That’s their buy-in, there has to be buy-in.”

However, Troops First’s primary focus is suicide prevention efforts.

“Isolation is the enemy of this suicide epidemic we face today,” Kell said. “We know that a call or conversation at the right time can be life-changing and life-saving.”

On the surface, “Warrior Call” is about suicide prevention, “but really it’s about overcoming isolation.”

Kell said Troops First has at least 10,000 active-duty soldiers each year, with people like Boerne native and Army veteran Chris Schwope and (double amputee and blind golfer) Matt Bradford there to tell their stories.

“The whole idea is to motivate and inspire people who need help to raise their hands, reach out to their minister or mental health providers and start a conversation,” he said.

On a trip to Langley Air Force Base next month, Kell and his Troops First crew will be in front of about 4,000 Airmen.

“When we see 4,000 Airmen at Langley, we take 4,000 cards with our Warrior Call promise on one side – ‘Make A Call, Take A Call, Have An Honest Conversation’ – and on the other side the number of an organization called Vets For Warriors,” he said.

Vets For Warriors is a 24/7 call center founded by retired Army Gen. Mark Graham and his wife, who lost two sons within months of each other, one in combat and one to suicide.

As a graduate of Rutgers University, everyone who answers the phone there is a veteran.

“No matter who you are and what your program is, you need a willing participant who wants to accept help and who recognizes, ‘I’m in a bad situation, I need help.’ What our team does is help people evaluate, “Is this me?” NEXT – In Part 2, we meet Chris Schwope, a Boerne High School graduate and Army veteran who works at Troops First and in the Office of the Kendall County Sheriff’s Officer on the move is Investigator Chad Sells, recipient of a special Troops First award.