Our Mission

Our Mission Statement

(1) Upon application to our organization, and on verification of a death certificiate, emergency financial assistance will be provided to widows and widowers of United States military personnel killed in an action performed under the umbrella of Operation Enduring Freedom in a foreign country.

(2) The monetary assistance will not be a loan. The assistance will be in the form of a cash grant to those who qualify to the criteria in our policy.

(3) There will be first time cash awards to K.I.A. widows and widowers, and in the future, as our available funds grow, there will be additional cash added to the original awards.

(4) The board will also consider emergency appeals and hardship cases such as, but not limited to, a K.I.A. widow with a significant number of dependent children.

Who Are We?

Board of Directors

  • Daniel Espensen — President, Chairman of the Board
  • William "Bill" Salinger — Senior Vice President, Jewish Veterans Group
  • Gerald Williamson — Vice President, Consulting Design Engineer
  • Les Carlyle — Secretary/Treasurer, Former USMC, WWII
  • Roy Wilson — Riverside County, 4th District, Supervisor
  • George Stettler — Former Mayor of Cathedral City
  • Karin Davidson — Customer Service Manager, Millionaire Palm Springs
  • William Byrne — Board Member, Palm Springs Water District
  • John Philip Sousa IV — Musical Patriot
  • Joanne Miller — CEO, Remembering.com

Advisors

  • Mary Bono — U.S. Congresswoman
  • Maj. Sherry-Lynn Womack — Military Medical Advisor United States Army
  • Stephen G. Hoffmann — President, CEO Canyon National Bank
  • John Durst — Retired military, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Artist
  • Bruce J. Legaviec — CPA, Partner Maryanon Madson Gordon and Campbell
  • Denys Arcuri — Legislative Assistant, Public Affairs Officer
  • David Cohen — Retired military, Jewish Veterans Group
  • Stewart Wavell-Smith — Artist
  • Robert Webb — Past 'K.I.A. Fund' Board Member, Program Officer — The Webb Foundation

Supporters

  • Local Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Local Pearl Harbor Survivors
  • Local Civil Air Patrol Senior Members & Cadets - Squadron 11, Palm Springs
  • Local Air Force ROTC Cadets - High School & College of the Desert
  • Local Police Academy Cadets - College of the Desert