TACAMO Community, 

I would like to thank you all for making 2025 a great year as we continue to grow The TACAMO Foundation.  With your support, we will continue to increase our available support to the TACAMO Community each and every year.

The Foundation would like to thank the departing members of the Board of Directors, Dr. Randolph Mahoney and John Alger as they move on to other positions.  The Foundation would not be where it is today without their direct support during the formation of the Foundation and we wish them both fair winds and following seas.

We would like to welcome Charles “Chocko” Baker to the Foundation team.  Chocko is a previous TACAMO Skipper and former Commodore of Strategic Communications Wing ONE.  A big supporter of the TACAMO Community, he has already brought the foundation some exciting new ideas.  Welcome aboard Chocko.

I am glad to report that 2026 has started off just as exciting as 2025.  With your support, we continue to increase the number of available scholarships each year and are now at a total of 8.

We also received our first Qualified Charitable Donation (QCD) which is a direct transfer from an IRA.  QCDs allow donors 70 ½ or older to donate to charities directly from a taxable IRA instead of taking their required minimum distribution.  Please reach out directly if you would like more information on QCDs.

Lastly, our goal for 2026 is the formation of another enduring scholarship.  Enduring Scholarships are funded through the interest they earn from investment funds and do not rely on yearly donations.  This year’s Enduring Scholarship will honor TACAMOPAC Crew 4 who perished off Wake Iland during a TACAMOPAC Mission on 21 June 1977.  We will award the TACAMOPAC Crew 4 Scholarship for the first time in 2027, marking the 50th Anniversary for our TACAMO Crew that are “Always Deployed”.

 Whether you are a TACAMO Shipmate, Veteran, Family Member, Civil Service, or an Industry Partner, the TCVA and Foundation appreciate your service and support of the TACAMO Mission.  We are proud to be part of the team and look forward to continuing to serve our TACAMO Community.

Take Charge And Move Out. 

CAPT Tony Barnes, USN (Ret)