Veteran of the Quarter April - June 2023: U.S. Army 1st Sergeant Alvin King
United States Army First Sergeant Alvin King has been selected by SCDVA's Internal Selection Commitee as the newest Veteran of the Quarter (April - June 2023).
1SG King served in the United States Army from December 1998 to December 2018. He served several deployments including: Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia) 2000, 2001; Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) 2002, 2003, 2004; Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) 2005, 2010; and Operation New Dawn (Iraq) 2011. King served several assignments before retiring as a First Sergeant Senior Intelligence Advisor. Those assignments included: 2/3 Special Forces Group (Airborne) Fort Bragg, NC; 4/4 Aviation Reconnaissance Battalion [4th Infantry Division] Fort Hood, TX; 157th Infantry Brigade Fort Jackson, SC; 3/7 Infantry [3rd Infantry Division] Fort Stewart, GA; and US Army Central, Shaw Air Force Base, SC.
Upon completing his sophomore year in college, 1SG King realized that school was not for him. At the time, he was searching for more direction in his life; inevitably, he stumbled upon an opportunity to join the US Army. While at first, 1SG King was hesitant, the moment he signed his name on the dotted line, he knew that he had found what he had been searching for. King says that the culture of camaraderie and the brotherhood in the military was like nothing he had ever experienced. Since leaving the military, 1SG King has authored the book, Purpose Fulfilled: A Guide to a Life Well Lived; started a consulting company specializing in leadership development and mentorship; and traveled around the state to different organizations and schools, delivering talks as a keynote speaker. Additionally, in 2018, 1SG King launched King Fore A Day, a charity golf tournament designed to give back to Veteran nonprofit organizations in the Midlands. Since its inception, King Fore A Day has filled all 36 teams for the past three consecutive years. Thanks to sponsors and tournament participants, up to $20,000 have been donated to nonprofits, including Hidden Wounds, Project Josiah, and PGA HOPE (Columbia). Most recently, donations from King Fore A Day facilitated funding for the Tammy Finney VA Volunteer Scholarship—awarded to Serena Parmar, a first-year student at the University of South Carolina selected for her commitment to serve Veterans at the Dorn VA through the VA Youth Program.
The success of King Fore A Day inspired other Veterans and 1SG King to found Range Fore Hope Foundation, a military nonprofit organization. Its mission is to facilitate outdoor activities as a positive outlet for active-duty service members, Veterans (combat and disabled), and their dependents to help them overcome life's difficulties attributed to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The organization believes that providing programs and resources to Veterans and their families directly impacts their healing process. Additionally, their inclusive approach encourages participation amongst adaptive sports participants—the nonprofit's framework provides an equitable environment for those we serve. After the nonprofit’s inception, King launched a six-month golf program that catered to military communities at Fort Jackson and Shaw Air Force Base.
Range Fore Hope Foundation is nationally recognized as a certified adaptive golf instruction program and became a US Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) member. With an emphasis on adaptive golf, King's organization hosted the inaugural golf charity tournament, Fairways to Freedom. All proceeds went towards purchasing a ParaGolfer, an all-terrain power wheelchair typically used for golfers with high-level spinal cord injuries. 1SG King's organization hosts weekly free golf lessons on Wednesdays from 5-6:30 p.m. at James Clyburn Golf Center and Thursdays from 5-6:30 p.m. at Cobblestone Park.
Range Fore Hope joined the South Carolina Veteran Coalition this past Spring. You can read more on the partnership and WATCH more on how Range Fore Hope is inspiring Veterans by clicking HERE.
