A note from the Task Force Director.

Our first day together started with a hike up Beehive Basin in a foot and a half of snow. Completely uncharacteristic weather for late June, and honestly, it kicked off our week together in classic Montana fashion. We huddled into the trees, got a fire going in the snow, and enjoyed the quiet that comes with mountain snowfall. Something about building a fire in the middle of a snowfield in June sets the tone for a week. Nobody was in a hurry to leave.

Day two we loaded up the side by sides and headed for Buck Ridge. There was still a good amount of snow up high, and between that and the mud, the driving got difficult (and very messy) in a hurry. Fun, but visibility became a problem. We eventually made the call to drop down and settle in at a lower elevation, and we ended up with a camp below the ridgeline that was about as good as it gets. The trip back out the next morning turned into an adventure of its own.

That afternoon we shot sporting clays at Moonlight, and then Canyon Adventures put on a firework display that I think it's fair to say was the most incredible any of us had ever seen.

Thursday we floated the Madison and fly fished. The weather stayed as dynamic as it had been all week, but it was a beautiful day on the water and every single guy caught fish. That evening we cooked deer, elk, antelope, bison and beef on 500 degree Himalayan salt blocks. All of the game meat was hunted by our own volunteer team, which is a detail I don't take for granted. We fed these men from our own freezers.

As is always the case, the conversation on the last night went deeper than any of us expected. These men carry weight most of us will never understand, and to watch them set some of it down, even for a week, in the company of guys who get it, is a privilege.

We arrived as strangers and left as family. That happens because of intentional time spent together in one of the best places on earth, and because of people who genuinely care. Big Sky Bravery exists because of its donors. Thank you for making weeks like this possible.

Special thanks to my fellow volunteers, Matt, Travis, and Jesse. You made this what it was.

Respectfully,
Adam Callinan
Task Force 181 Director

Volunteers to thank

Adam Callinan, Task Force Director
Matt Ryan, Assistant Task Force Director
Travis Lowry
Jesse Gilligan

Patriots to thank

Ascend Properties
Canyon Adventures
East Slope Outdoors
Lone Mountain Ranch
Moonlight Basin
Stone Glacier
Welcome Bag Patriots: Alpine Dentistry, Anthem Snacks, FHF Gear, Graplrz, LMNT, Melissa Ferraro, onX Maps, River's Edge West, & Wild Society Coffee.

“Big Sky Bravery has been a powerful experience with impact far beyond the time spent in Montana. The daily experiences facilitated a candid and insightful assessment of where I was in life and where I wanted to go personally, professionally, and most importantly with my family. The BSB team is world-class, and throughout every interaction, they were welcoming, professional, and ready to help. Especially, I would like to highlight the volunteers’ contributions. They created the conditions for reflection and positive growth that would not have been possible without their deliberate approach. Please accept my very deepest gratitude for an experience I will not forget and will continue to help me for years to come.”

-TF181 Recipient

“Big Sky Bravery gave me something I didn't realize I needed: permission to slow down for a while. It did what years of staying busy never could; it gave me the space to think clearly again. More than that, watching a community come together to support a meaningful cause reminded me what all the hard work and sacrifice are really for.

Bravery isn't just going into the fight. It's having the courage to finally stand down.”

-TF181 Recipient

“The volunteers and staff at Big Sky Bravery are the most selfless, patriotic Americans I have met in my 20 years of service. They simply get it. During our time in Montana, we had the privilege of spending an evening with the Big Sky Bravery team at a company event. The evening felt more like a family gathering, inclusive of the SOF recipients—it takes a special group of people to create that atmosphere. This is what giving back and paying forward look like.

Big Sky Bravery’s approach to supporting the SOF community is unparalleled. Gifting SOF operators the time to immerse themselves in reflection and outdoor recreation simultaneously offers a rare opportunity. A week in Montana gave me the chance to find new meaning in my 20 years of service, learn from other SOF operators’ journeys, and apply different perspectives to planning the next stages of my life. Thanks to Big Sky Bravery, I was able to strengthen who I am as an individual, a SOF leader, and a teammate, while also defining how I want to give back to the veteran community. The donor contribution extends beyond the operator. In addition to the generosity donors bring by funding a SOF operator recipient, the lasting impact on an individual reaches the SOF team, the SOCOM community and mission, and our families. SOF operators are better versions of themselves after leaving Montana.

The question of the day served as an effective daily primer, giving me a sense of purpose and focus for each day. I encourage every SOF operator to lean into this part of the Big Sky Bravery experience during their time in Montana. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reflect and find deeper meaning among members of the SOF community.

All the best,

-TF181 Recipient”

“Big Sky Bravery is such an incredible organization that finds the perfect balance between creating a support structure for special operations soldiers and providing an opportunity to reflect on life, careers, and the future. It widely exceeded my expectations and I am still thinking about the beauty of the region and the friendliness of the people. I told this to the volunteers before I left, and I truly mean it; no other nonprofit I'm aware of understands how SOF veterans think and work better than BSB. I am beyond grateful that I was able to attend.”

-TF181 Recipient