REDCON1 Foundation: Giving back to military families and Veteran Foundations

Redcon1 Foundation
Redcon1 Foundation

REDCON1 Foundation

REDCON1 Foundation: Revolutionizing Veteran Foundations

I could not fathom at twenty years old thinking that I could play a role in helping improve the lives of our brave men and women veterans who so selflessly served America.

This was because at that time in my life my thoughts were consumed by my life crippling addiction with heroin.

This powerful addiction wasn’t my most proud moment in life but I’m open and honest about it in hopes that if someone out there finds themselves in the same position they know that they too can overcome and achieve what seems nearly impossible.

A LIFELONG RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR VETERANS

I come from a military family. Both of my grandfathers served in wars. Hearing their stories from a young age completely shaped my respect and admiration for all servicemen and women.

Growing up in the 80’s there was not a shortage of larger-than-life role models. Being raised in New Orleans I remember how excited my friends were that Super Bowl XX came to town. But, as for me — football never excited me. To be honest, neither was basketball, baseball, or hockey. I didn’t idolize Richard Dent, Super Bowl XX MVP, or Mike Tyson, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or Wayne Gretzky.

I thought the ultimate role models were Navy SEALs and professional bodybuilders.

I would voraciously read any book I could get my hands on about Navy SEALs. Back then access to information about this elite unit of super-warriors was scarce and hard to come by in a pre-public internet world.

As I continued on my journey after overcoming drugs and focusing all of my energy and effort on the sport of bodybuilding but I never lost sight of my passion for serve those who serve us so bravely.

FOUNDING REDCON1 TO BE MORE THAN A JUST SUPPLEMENT COMPANY

In 2016, Eduardo Silva, Eric Hart, and I sat at my kitchen table to plan out a sports nutrition company that would change the industry forever.

We wanted to create a company that stood for more than just the ingredients in the bottles.  We wanted to create a brand that brought meaningful change to the customers and served a higher purpose. 

We created REDCON1’s brand book and brand filter that became our measure of True North.  This defined our product standards of excellence, our commitment to building and nurturing a community, and our path to supporting military foundations.  

REDCON1 MEANS THE HIGHEST STATE OF READINESS

REDCON1, the name itself is actually a United States military term that defines a unit’s Readiness Condition.

There are five defined Readiness Conditions;

REDCON-1 The highest state of readiness.  It means fully alert and the unit is ready to move immediately.
REDCON-1.5 The second readiness level.  It means the company is ready to move and all personnel is alerted and weapons are manned.
REDCON-2 The third readiness level.  It means the unit is at full alert and ready to move within 15 minutes of being notified.
REDCON-3 The fourth readiness level.  The unit is at a reduced alert and 50% of the unit executes work and rest plans.  At this readiness level, it would take the team 30 minutes to be ready to move after notification.
REDCON-4 The fifth and final readiness level.  This is the minimum alert level where one soldier per platoon is designated to monitor the radio.  It would take a company team at this level up to an hour of notification to be ready to move.

We loved the inclusiveness of the term REDCON1.  This could apply to a Navy SEAL on a mission, to an athlete preparing for a championship game, to a soccer mom who needs to be at her best.

REDCON1 Foundation

WITH REDCON1 ESTABLISHED IT WAS DURING 2019 THAT SPARKED THE CATALYST OF THE FORMATION OF THE REDCON1 FOUNDATION

REDCON1’s rapid growth enabled the company to help more military families faster than we expected.  We met amazing heroes and had the opportunity to donate to and participate in many honorable fundraisers.

There were a few occasions when a family reached out with an imminent need for help and we wanted to help them.  We reached out to a few of the nonprofit organizations to help facilitate the donations.

It’s during these occasions that we discovered that most nonprofit organizations aren’t set up to facilitate this type of donation structure.

The objective was clear – we simply wanted the ability to solve a problem through a donation on a local family level to make a dramatic impact.  As we talked to different organizations they explained how donations are received then split across multiple initiatives.  With respect to their structures, they didn’t fit the objective we had defined.

It was clear that the solution was simple – create a new type of veteran foundation that runs with complete transparency and ongoing donations going directly to military families in need.

REDCON1 FOUNDATION FORMS THE OFFICIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

I reached out to a long-time friend, Master Sergeant Robert Wilkins, Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, who honorably served for 26 years.  Additionally, Robert Wilkins was appointed to serve as a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition.  

When I explained my vision of a nonprofit organization that has the structure and capacity to directly and positively impact families of our United States Military Heroes he agreed that this was a noble cause and volunteered to become the Founding President of the REDCON1 Foundation.

Now with a clear goal, we formed the REDCON1 FOUNDATION's founding board of directors;

PresidentHonorable Robert Wilkins
Vice PresidentEric Hart
Director of Public Relations Darielle Singerman
SecretaryJonathan Manfre, Esq.
TreasurerRobert Conley

With the growth of the Foundation, we added Emily Ahlbum as the Director of Marketing in early 2021.

VETERANS NEED A HAND UP NOT A HANDOUT

Veterans do not seek charity, assistance, or handouts.  Many simply need an opportunity to transition from being a service member to a civilian.

It’s heartbreaking that many soldiers deciding to leave military service, they find that it’s hard for them to adjust back because society doesn’t offer many jobs in their fields of expertise. These men and women are highly trained, extremely disciplined, and highly detail-oriented.  These skills serve as the thin line between life and death while serving yet don’t always transition smoothly into a civilian job or at times simply civilian life.

Furthermore, veterans are now more than 60% more likely to separate or divorce than non-veterans.

There's an exceptionally high rate of divorce among active military and veterans due to the symptoms they've experienced during their service

Faith Lane, a VA clinical social worker

Post-traumatic stress, the strain of repeated deployments, injuries, and medication issues can be challenging for military-affiliated couples. A veteran’s spouse might become his or her caregiver, changing the dynamics of their relationship.

VETERANS ARE THE BRAVEST HEROES THAT NEED HELP BUT SELDOMLY ASK

Each year, more than 50% of American veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan develop PTSD or depression. And on top of that, military suicide rates are at an all-time high.  According to a study from the Department of Veterans Affairs, there were an estimated 22.0 veteran suicides per day (roughly one every 65 minutes). This is higher than non-veteran suicide rates by more than 50%.

PTSD, depression, and other related mental health problems are the leading cause of disability among veterans. And when you consider that a veteran is four times more likely to die by suicide than being killed in combat, these invisible wounds have an enormous impact on military families as well – not just individuals.

It is with honor, respect, and gratitude that we can serve families in need.

NINE LINE FOUNDATION
NINE LINE FOUNDATION

OTHER NOTABLE MILITARY VETERAN FOUNDATIONS

NINE LINE FOUNDATIONNine Line Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, dedicated to meeting the financial and specialized needs of severely injured soldiers and their families.
Pawsitivity Service DogsVeterans Service Dogs Program
Wounded Warriors ProgramWounded Warrior Project is a charity and wounded veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services, and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001.
Veteran AffairsVeterans who use VA health care must undergo mandatory TBI screening if they served in combat operations.
Vietnam VeteranVietnam Veterans of America Vietnam War
Veteran HomelessnessThe National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV)
ScholarshipMilitary Scholarships for veterans, military spouses, dependents scholarship.