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It wasn’t until 1992 that specific action took place. In January 1992, The
National Ranger Memorial Foundation, Inc. was awarded its charter as a Georgia
registered 501(c)3 organization. Major General, retired, Kenneth C. Leuer was
elected as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Leuer was the perfect choice.
A former Commanding General at Fort Benning, and commander of the first Ranger
battalion-sized unit formed since World War II. Leuer was respected by the
Ranger Community and an experienced leader.
Meanwhile, planning was underway for the 50th anniversary celebration of the
formation of Darby’s Rangers. Ranger leaders and members of the various Ranger
Associations decided to capitalize on the enthusiasm and goodwill that were
being generated. The kickoff was a symbolic groundbreaking during the
anniversary activities. Not wanting to detract from the enormous task facing the
anniversary planners, Leuer decided to wait until the completion of the 50th
anniversary celebration. When the festivities were over, he began the formation
of the Board of Directors.
The board included the heads of the seven Ranger associations, the Commanders of
the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Ranger The second goal was to
raise $500,000 needed for the construction, maintenance, fund raising
expenditures and other administrative expenses. This goal was achieved through
the efforts of the associations, word-of-mouth, and a direct mail campaign.
Corporate donations were solicited. However, the primary sources of funds came
from past and present Rangers, their families and their friends. The funds were
raised by selling memorial stones to be place on the monument walkway. The
stones are engraved with the name and unit of Rangers of all ears—living and
deceased.
At the onset, it was realized that a permanent office was necessary to maintain
records. Colonel, retired, Ralph Puckett established a detailed system and
supervised the fulltime secretary. Columbus Bank and Trust generously provided
space for the foundation office at no charge.
By 1994, the Ranger Monument was completed with 2456 polished stones
commemorating Rangers of all eras. In 1996, Phase II was completed with the
addition of 2200 more stones, indirect lighting, a sprinkler system, ledger
stones, and a locator system.
A prerequisite for the approval and acceptance by the Department of Defense was
that the foundation continue to maintain the monument in perpetuity. This lead
to the formation of a planning committee and the formation of the permanent
Board of Directors in February 1995, six months after the August 1994 dedication
of the Ranger Monument.
Since then, the foundation moved its office to Building 1367 on Fort Benning and continued its
primary mission to build an endowment fund in order to provide perpetual
maintenance. The first addition of 2200 granite stones was exhausted in 2007 and
names are now engraved on the 5000 remaining red granite tiles.
In 2001the foundation embarked on an ambitious plan to expand fundraising to the
national level through the annual Combined Federal Campaign. A scholarship
program was developed with the initial funding from Mr. Bill Heard, III. After
three years proving the foundation’s capability to operate and provide services
at the state level, the foundation applied and was accepted in 2005 to the
national-level campaign. The foundation has expanded it scholarship program to
reach Rangers and their dependants across the United States and globe.
An additional program was developed in 2002 to provide support to Ranger
families in need of help. This program has since provided funding through the
Family Readiness Groups of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Ranger Training
Brigade as requested. In 2007, the foundation began it’s A-net program to keep
Rangers everywhere informed of the happenings at the monument and within the
Ranger brotherhood.
The National Ranger Memorial Foundation, Inc. is poised to achieve the goal of
perpetual maintenance, but only through the constant support of donors can the
other programs be sustained and broadened. The foundation was rated “Best in
America” by the Independent Charities of America association because of the high
standards, services, and professional management of the foundation compared to
the low overhead costs. Please consider
contributing to the foundation. All gifts are tax deductible. Click on either
link below to give.
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