The Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation has ceased operations as of June, 2009. It has been an extraordinary honor for all of us to work on this most worthy cause. We would like to express our great appreciation to the Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard veterans who have served this country with such courage and honor in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. The recipients of the grants awarded by the Foundation represent the very best of America, and we thank them once again for their service. We will never forget their sacrifices.
The Board would also like to take this opportunity to thank John O'Neill for the generous contribution of his share of the royalties from the best selling book Unfit for Command, which initially funded the Foundation.
We would also like to thank T. Boone Pickens and the Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth for the generous funding which allowed the great work of the Foundation to continue.
Finally, we would like to thank Rear Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann, USN, Ret., for his inspired leadership and dedication; Jack Chenoweth for his dedicated work; Susan Arceneaux for being there since 2004; and the Swift Boat and related veterans who personally delivered checks to the severely wounded recipients of grants.
The Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation was initially funded from John O’Neill’s share of the royalties from his 2004 best selling book, Unfit for Command Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry. Mr. O’Neill was entitled to receive nearly $1 million from his co-authorship of the book. He assigned all rights and control of the royalties to endow afoundation to honor Rear Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann, USN, Ret., for his leadership of Task Force 115 in Vietnam (Market Time/Sea Lords forces which included Swift boats); and for his founding and leadership of Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth.
With Mr. O’Neill’s initial donation the Admiral Roy F. Hoffmann Foundation was formed on January 5, 2005, as a nonprofit corporation incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia and regulated by the provisions of United States Code section 501 (C) (3). Subsequently, T. Boone Pickens donated an additional $2 million to the Foundation, and Swift Boat Veterans and POWs for Truth has donated $1,117,880 to the Hoffmann Foundation. The Foundation is a private charity and does not solicit donations from the general public.The Foundation began awarding grants on May 4, 2005. The Foundation Board approved a $50,000 donation to the Vietnam Unit Memorial Fund to honor and help perpetuate the memory of fallen shipmates who are still on patrol from the Vietnam War. Since then, the primary mission of the Foundation has been to honor and assist veterans, predominantly severely wounded veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
The Board of Directors of the Foundation reviews all grant requests, contacts the proposed recipients and their military points of contact, and directly approves all grants. Grants are awarded on combat circumstances, severity of wounds and financial needs. The Board operates without compensation, so the Admiral Hoffmann Foundation has been able to return over 98 per cent of all funds received back to veterans. All checks are personally delivered by former Swift boat combat personnel (or related veterans), to provide a heartfelt thank you to the wounded warriors for their service to America.
The attitude of the veterans who have sacrificed so much for America is remarkably positive. All are proud to have served; many regret their disabilities do not allow them to return to combat units with their fellow soldiers, sailors and Marines.
Results
Foundation grants totaled more than $4,000,000 through May 2009, and 490 grants were awarded directly to severely wounded warriors and their families. Grants generally ranged from $4,000 to $12,000 for the most severely wounded. The average grant was almost $8,000.