Content sponsored by Chenega MIOS
Chenega MIOS's annual golf tournament, The Chenega Invitational, is a notable tradition through MIOS, having run the past 14 years to raise funds for the always deserving men and women who served in the nation's military.
The annual event is so popular that not only does it continually sell out, but it has sponsors requesting their sponsorship for the next year while at the event. With proceeds set to be donated to such a worthy cause and a day filled with networking and memories, who can blame attendees for wishing to reserve their spot a year in advance?
The previous 14-years, Chenega MIOS has taken pride in supporting Azalea Charities' Aid for Wounded Warriors, a 100% volunteer organization dedicated to donating comfort and relief items to servicemen and women injured as a result of their duties in the military, and was grateful for the opportunity to raise over $700,000 for the organization through those years.
Unfortunately, Azalea announced it would be dissolving in 2020, splitting its remaining funds among several worthy organizations in the Prince William County area. However, the closing of one door means the opening of another. For the 15th annual Chenega Invitational, to be held on June 3 at Old Hickory Golf Club in Woodbridge, VA, Chenega MIOS will be raising funds for Vigilant Torch Association (VTA). VTA is a volunteer organization that provides vital financial support to the Special Operations Community in their greatest time of need. They do this through emergency relief funds, especially for those wounded or killed in action, family maintenance/resilience support, and scholarships for family members.
For those who may not know, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) are highly skilled individuals trained to carry out special and specific types of missions. With this expertise comes extreme responsibilities as well as intense combat in many situations. On top of this, deployments may be longer, and Special Operations soldiers, in turn, are more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Being in a career that teaches "toughness" and to "keep going no matter the conditions," there tend to be many barriers to seeking help when experiencing PTSD. When this disease goes untreated, mental health, unfortunately, suffers immensely. According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, women veterans are 1.8 times more likely to commit suicide than nonmilitary women, and male veterans are 1.4 times more likely to commit suicide than nonmilitary men. As if those numbers weren't scary and sad enough, according to The New York Times, between 2007 and 2015, there were 117 suicides among the SOF, a rate of 39.3 per 100,000 servicemen/women compared with 22.9 per 100,000 for the armed forces as a whole.
These statistics are why VTA takes such pride in its mission to serve the Special Operations Community. These service members go through enough in their career of serving our country, so even the slightest bit of assistance can take an extreme load off of their shoulders and give their families a much-needed peace of mind.
Travis, a retired Special Ops member, said, "The VTA wants to help families, and they prove that every day. My extended family was in awe of the thoughtfulness of the VTA and their willingness to help. The VTA is like no other organization that I've been part of, and I'm proud to be a member. I can sit back and reflect on all the great moments I was able to spend with my father during his last days, and I owe that to the VTA".
The Vigilant Torch serves "Because our Soldiers and their Families Deserve our Help."
Chenega MIOS is dedicated to the safety and health of attendees, no matter what obstacles are thrown its way. Last year presented many challenges for everyone, the 14th Annual Chenega Invitational being no exception. The team at the Old Hickory Golf Club, Chenega MIOS employee volunteers, and the always generous sponsors and players of the tournament, all rallied together to make sure that the Chenega Invitational was able to be hosted in a still fun, but more importantly SAFE way. There was still the continental breakfast, morning beverage bar, and luncheon, all while observing COVID-19 safety protocols. In the end there were no reports of COVID-19 being present or spread at the invitational. This year, there will be continued monitoring of the current COVID-19 situation and all health guidelines will be followed to ensure this event is a safe environment to raise funds for the brave men and women who have already done so much for us. To support the cause, Chenega MIOS is looking for sponsors, raffle prize donations, and regular donations. Please go to www.chenegainvitational.com to see how you can play a huge role in the betterment of the lives of our soldiers.
The day begins with a continental breakfast including pastries, coffee, mimosas, bloody Mary's and more to fuel the golfers for a full day ahead. Following a brief introduction and the National Anthem, players take the course for a shotgun start and to begin their rounds. Competition does not conclude at the lowest score though, as players are also challenged with feats such as longest drive, closest to the pin, hole-in-one, and the putting contest. Think you might get hungry or thirsty on the course? Have no fear; snacks are provided in players' bags and a hot dog and drink cart circulate the course all day long. After play has concluded, attendees celebrate with a delicious lunch and the announcement of awards followed by winners of raffles and prizes for those who participated. Previous years raffle prizes have included signed sports memorabilia, wine and beer tastings, and even a trip to San Diego!
To learn more about VTA and their cause, please go here.
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