Our History
Foundation Overview
Beginning in July 2007 the Ft. Detrick Maryland All Services Retiree Council established a committee to provide assistance for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans and their families from Frederick County, Maryland chaired by a retired Command Sergeant Major. In September 2007 they became a sub-committee in the "Frederick County Maryland Veteran's Association", a 501 c (3) non-profit organization. Their new status enabled the retirees to receive donations as a committee in a non-profit organization.
Major General Boyd Cook was asked to chair the sub-committee because of his passion to support deployed service members and their families in need. Originally, the committee's priority was supporting reserve force components only, but as they began supporting families, they became aware that active duty service members' families also needed assistance and began supporting them too. In their first year of the organization's existence over $20,000.00 was disbursed to deployed service members' families in need of support.
In February 2008 Major General Cook passed away and foundation members, with advisory support from Maryland's Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who also serves as Maryland's Adjutant General, decided to establish their own non-profit organization named as the "Major General Boyd Cook Memorial Foundation, Inc." to honor General Cook. A retired PHS Admiral, who is a psychiatrist and a surgeon, replaced General Cook as chair and Mrs. Virginia Cook became vice-chair. The original retiree council CSM chair became the president & CEO of the foundation.
By then a successful county model had been established and the foundation began to continue General Cook's vision of expanding the program to the rest of Maryland's twenty-four counties. Maryland advisory support continues along with the support of Maryland wide American Legions, AMVETS, Marine Corps, VFW's etc. and their state commanders. In February 2009 the foundation's chair was appointed to Maryland's Lt. Governor, Anthony Brown's Health Council for TBI and PTSD. Maryland's Adjutant General believes the foundation has the potential to expand nationwide.
Foundation accolades received to date are the "Seven Seals Award" from the Employer Support of Guard & Reserve in 2008, "Yellow Ribbon Award" from Ft. Detrick Army Community Service in 2009 and the foundation's President & CEO receiving the "AMVETS Member of the Year Award" for 2007 – 2008, "Guest of Honor Award" and Community Service Award" in 2008 from American Legion Post.
LOCATING VETERANS IN NEED started with Ft. Detrick's Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Office (They are the office that processes requests for assistance from active duty service members.) They agreed to respond to our standing offer of family assistance that can't be funded through MWR. For our Reserve Component Service Members, we coordinated our goals with the Command Sergeant Major for the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in the Pentagon and received his support to locate Reserve Component Service Members in need along with help from the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs in Annapolis.
FOR ADDITIONAL EFFORTS we also joined Congressman Bartlett's Veterans Advisory Council to extend our offer of assistance to veterans in need that his office might become aware of. Council members then met with the commander of every veteran's organization in Frederick County and their Maryland State Commanders. We asked all of them to inform us of veterans in need that they become aware of and they all welcomed and supported our goals.
DONATIONS began at our booth at the 2007 Great Frederick Fair which enabled us to begin funding our veterans needs, In June 2008 we became a non-profit foundation, staffed totally by volunteers, to make all donations tax deductible.
ORGANIZING STATEWIDE CHAPTERS also began in June 2008, with the Maryland AMVETS State Commander pledging to support our efforts statewide by Maryland AMVETS Posts beginning the process of establishing foundation chapters in their Maryland Counties. Follow on plans are now being developed for the rest of Maryland's Veteran's Posts to assist in the process of establishing chapters in all Maryland counties based on the Frederick County model.
Our Goals
To provide support needed for our deployed Armed Force's Service Members, both Active Duty and Reserve Component Members. (Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve and Naval Reserve.)
This will be accomplished by establishing foundation "chapters" in all 24 Maryland Counties staffed by volunteer veterans from non-profit veteran's posts.
Each chapter functions under the guidelines of the foundation to raise funds for their county and distribute donated funds exclusively within their county.