A Policy of Giving Back
At Armed Forces Insurance, we are passionate about supporting the military. We take pride in providing personal service and competitive rates to those who serve and their families. But our commitment does not end there. We also feel that we have an additional obligation to give back to the military and local communities that support us. Below are some of the programs that we sponsor. Because to us it's not just a policy, it's a policy of giving back.
Armed Forces Bowl - Great American Patriot Award
As the official insurance partner of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, AFI was proud to present the 2015 Great American Patriot Award to General Mark K. Welsh III. The award was presented on December 29, 2015 during the halftime show at the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl honoring General Welsh on his exemplary service to the United States.
Welsh currently serves as the Chief of Staff of the U.S Air Force in Washington D.C. where he is responsible for the organizing, training and equipping a team of over 660,000 Airmen serving around the globe. The senior uniformed officer of America’s Air Force, General Welsh is also a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, where he and other service chiefs serve as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the President.
Military Spouse of the Year
AFI is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY) award. The award is presented each year to the person who best represents the sacrifice, patriotism and selflessness of more than 20 million past and present military spouses. In 2016, Natasha Harth, wife of Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Patrick Harth, was named the Military Spouse of the Year. The 2017 winner will be selected from among the six branch winners and announced at the tenth annual MSOY Awards Ceremony. Go to http://msoy.militaryspouse.com/ to learn more.
Military Warriors Support Foundation
AFI has partnered with the Military Warriors Support Foundation (MWSF) as the preferred insurance company for the MWSF programs. The MWSF, through the homes donation program Homes4WoundedHeroes, awards 100% mortgage-free homes to combat wounded veterans.
The Homes4WoundedHeroes program is also available to Gold Star Spouses of Heroes who have fallen in combat. In addition to the home, each family receives three years of family and financial mentoring so that they may learn the skills necessary to become happy and successful homeowners. This program not only changes the lives of the Hero and their family, but is also changes the lives of generations to follow.
To date, the Military Warriors Support Foundation and their partners have awarded over 670 homes to military heroes, and Armed Forces Insurance insures 74 of those homes.
Sky Ball
AFI was a sponsor of Sky Ball XIII, a fundraising event established by the nonprofit Fort Worth Airpower Foundation. In four years, Sky Ball has helped the Foundation give more than $4.5 million to programs that directly support members of all military branches and their families, such as contingency funds at the Naval Air Station, Fort Worth, Joint Reserve Base and other programs. Sky Ball contributions have also helped fund:
- Heroes on the Water - Healing veterans through fellowship and fishing
- Freedom Flight - Taking heroes of the Greatest Generation, our WWII Veterans, to visit their Memorial in Washington, D.C.
- Wounded Warriors Veteran's Day Weekend in Las Vegas
- Snowball Express - Helping children of fallen military personnel heal and make new memories
- Gary Sinise Foundation - Serving the Nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families and those in need
- Plus many of the other programs and causes that directly and solely support of veterans, military members, Wounded Warriors and military families - we're proud to help
Snowball Express
Every day, many of the men and women of the armed forces return to their families and their civilian lives. But not every one will have that chance, and the families left behind are forever changed.
Armed Forces Insurance is proud to sponsor Snowball Express, which remembers those fallen heroes who will never return, and honors the supreme sacrifice their families have made. Snowball Express serves the children of our nation’s military service members who have been killed on active duty since September 11, 2001.
One of our employees, Stacey Unzicker, lost her father in Vietnam. Stacey had the opportunity to volunteer at Snowball Express this year, and in her own words she talks about her experience: "Last December, I was surprised and blessed with an incredible opportunity by AFI. I was asked to attend the 2015 Snowball Express in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area as a volunteer! I had no idea of what I was getting into, nor how I would react – but I will cherish this time for all of my days!
I will always be grateful to Armed Forces Insurance for supporting the Snowball Express. Gold Star families know all too well that Freedom Is Not Free – this experience put a smile on this “little” girl’s face and brought much needed peace to her heart!
I encourage you to take a minute and visit the Snowball Express website (www.snowballexpress.org) for a glimpse at the joy and healing of the new generation. May there one day be no more Gold Stars."
United Way
AFI employees helped raise more than $221,000 in 2015 for the United Way of Leavenworth County. These funds support over twenty agencies delivering services to children, families, seniors and veterans in our community.