Sunday, August 10, 2025

Obituaries

August 8, 2025

 

Hello Members and Friends of the Association,

 

Len Cummings is in the process of copying the obituaries from The Drop to the Documents section of Teamhouse. This is a cut and paste process and takes a bit of time. So far, I have completed all the obituaries from the 2019 issues of The Drop to the current one. Instructions on how to search the obituaries folder and how to upload obituaries are in the Teamhouse FAQ section ([Member Support] > FAQ). Please spread the word to your members.

 

When you check out the Obituaries section, you will see several subfolders. The subfolders are necessary because of a glitch in the Club Express software. When you get beyond 1,000 entries in a folder the sort function does not work.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Also

 

 

 

Joe Pruett on behalf of

Ed Pijuan

President

 

Chapter 76 Facebook Site: https://www.facebook.com/SFA-South-Florida-Chapter-76-111343950710574/

 

Chapter Blog is located at http://SFACH76.Blogspot.com/

 

Special Forces Association Online Teamhouse https://teamhousespecialforcesassociation.org

 

Please update your email address to prevent interruptions

 

ED PIJUAN

PRESIDENT

Possible Opportunities

August 7, 2025

Hello Members and Friends of the Association,

Possible opportunities.

 

 

The Special Operations Fund (SOFund) is offering Vocational, Technical, and Community College (VOTECH) Scholarships. These scholarships may be applied for in addition to VTF's TORCH Scholarship.

 

SOFund VOTECH Scholarships are $5,000 annually, limited to two years, and to be used for VOTECH studies. The VOTECH program selected can be either:

  • a career/technical school that results in a professional license, or
  • a community college course of study or program which results in a degree or license (A.A., A.S., LPN, etc.)

 

Selection is based on employment experience/volunteer service, demonstrated leadership, academic achievement (minimum 2.5 GPA), career interest, written goals, and recommendations. If the dependent has not attended school in over two years, the transcript requirement is waived.

 

More information and an application form can be found by clicking the button below. Please send all questions and completed applications to scholarship@vigilant-torch.org.

 

Note: Those awarded VOTECH Scholarships last year do not need to reapply for year two.

 

 

 

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Vigilant Torch | 5680 King Centre Drive, Suite 600 | Alexandria, VA 22315 US

Constant Contact


We Have Lost One Of Our Own

"We Have Lost One Of Our Own"     
        Special Forces Col(R) John Robert Calpini 81
                                  Inline image
                                         DOB October 28, 1943 DOD July 30, 2025

Hello All,
Sadly I am writing to you about the passing of Col (R) John Robert Calpini, of Lake Placid FL & Sylva N.C. John was commissioned an Infantry Officer 
upon graduation from Officer Candidate School Class 5-64, 14 May 1964. His first duty assignment was as Executive Officer, Company A, 6th Battalion, 
2nd Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Training Officer, Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 2nd Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; Unit Commander, U.S. Army Reserve Control Group, IV Corps, Birmingham, Alabama; Detachment Commander, Company C, 20th Special Forces Group, Florida Army National Guard, Miami, Florida; Executive Officer, Company C, 20th Special Forces Group, Florida Army National Guard, Miami, Florida; Detachment Commander, Company C, 20th Special Forces Group, Florida Army National Guard, Miami, Florida; Assistant Intelligence Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 164th  Field Artillery Group (AD), Florida Army National Guard, Miami, Florida; Assistant Intelligence Officer, Motor Officer, Assistant Intelligence Officer, Battery Commander, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 227th Field Artillery Group, Florida Army National Guard, Miami Florida; Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Operations Officer, Logistics Officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 227th Field Artillery Brigade, Miami, Florida; Human Resources/Equal Opportunity Officer, State Area Command, Florida Army National Guard (-), Saint Augustine, Florida; Budget Analyst, State Area Command, Florida Army National Guard (-), Saint Augustine, Florida; Commander, 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, Miami, Florida; Director, Personnel and Administration, Headquarters and Headquarters Company (-), 50th Area Support Group, Florida Army National Guard, Miami, Florida. | Colonel Calpini was working as Deputy Bureau Chief for the Department of Insurance Division of State Fire Marshall, Tallahassee, Florida, at the time of his induction.

RIP John,
William H. "Bill Eades