OGO’s Home Town Veterans Golf Program

On this Fourth of July weekend as we celebrate the independence of our United States it’s a perfect moment to announce that we have now launched our Home Town Veterans Golf program.

Our first participating Home Town Veterans are getting their ‘Game On’ in Zelienople, PA, North Las Vegas, and Odessa Texas. The program will run just like our program in San Diego but taught by a local PGA Certified pro in the Veteran’s home town. The PGA Pros are quite excited about this program as it gives them the opportunity to give something back. This program is specifically geared for those with combat-related injuries while engaging the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Because of you, Operation Game On is able to bring hope and confidence to our Veterans, “one swing at a time”.

May God protect and bless our troops still in harms way. May God bless all of your families, and may God Bless America!

Tony

MORE ABOUT OPERATION GAME ON’S HOME TOWN VETERANS

During the past several years, many of the troops going through rehab at the Naval Medical Center San Diego and Wounded Warrior Battalion West were on a waiting list to join Operation Game On but were subsequently discharged before attending the OGO golf program. Needless to say, they were very happy that their medical discharge was finally approved but disappointed that they did not have the opportunity to learn how to play golf.  On several occasions, some of the troops called OGO still wanting to learn how to play golf now that they are no longer serving and living back in their respective home towns. OGO researched where they lived and called a local certified PGA Teaching Pro asking if he/she would give our home town heroes a series of eight beginner golf lessons. OGO offered to pay the pro’s fee. In addition, at the completion of eight weeks of lessons, OGO asked the pro to have the Veteran fitted for some Taylor Made clubs and send the specs to OGO so we could provide our home town hero with a custom set of clubs. This concept of extending OGO’s commitment to doing more for our combat wounded Veterans led to a new program called “Home Town Veterans Golf Program”.

The Home Town Veterans Golf Program is slated to be available to those veterans with severe physical and mental combat injuries (PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), and spinal cord injuries that resulted while engaging in combat during OIF/OEF campaigns.

The program is as follows:

1. Upon verification of the application (see #4 below), the Veteran is asked to find a local PGA Certified Teaching Pro where he/she would like to take lessons and forward the name and contact info to OGO.
2. OGO will contact the pro and set up a schedule and make the arrangements for payment of the pro’s fee. The only requirement for the pro is that he/she must be PGA Certified and in good standing with the PGA. OGO will verify the certification through the PGA of America.
3. Upon completion of the eight week series of lessons (one lesson per week), the pro will perform a fitting session for the initial set of Taylor Made clubs and submit the specifications to OGO to place the order with Taylor Made. OGO will provide the initial set of clubs on a one time basis. OGO will also provide a golf bag.
4. Prior to any lessons, as a verification of injuries, a completed OGO registration form and a copy of their DD-214 and Letters of Disability from the VA must be accompanied with the OGO registration form stating that injuries are combat related.