Announcing: Our support of The Wingman Foundation (TWF)! #missionpossi

April 06, 2018

Announcing: Our support of The Wingman Foundation (TWF)! #missionpossible

Home The Skinny Announcing: Our support of The Wingman Foundation (TWF)! #missionpossible

We are thrilled to announce our support and partnership with The Wingman Foundation (TWF) athlete team! As a mission-driven organization, The Speed Hound continues to look for ways to help bring awareness, visibility to causes that matter to our athletes. The Wingman Foundation was founded by three Active Duty Marine Corps aviators in 2014. Each of them served nearly a decade with multiple deployments and saw many tragic losses in the aviation community. Sadly, friends and families of fallen heroes were often left to seek support through sister organizations. On October 1st, 2014, a MV-22 crew chief died in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. Deeply affected by yet another loss to the community, they agreed to make a change that evening and The Wingman Foundation was born.

Photo of LT Caleb King (pilot of F/A-18 that crashed in March 2018) and family (received support from TWF)

Justin Topping, the lead for TWF athlete team, talks about his own experience:

"My motivation for starting this team is to spread awareness for TWF and keep a close connection to the job those Marines and Sailors do on a daily basis. I lived it for almost 10 years. I know the sacrifices that are made in this line of work. I was gone for most of my wife's pregnancy with our first child. I deployed a week before my son was born and didn't meet him until he was 8 months old."

Since 2014, TWF has grown to an all-volunteer staff of over a dozen active and former Marine and Navy pilots and civilians. The organization now supports both Navy and Marine Corps aviation on both coasts as well as those stationed abroad, dedicating to provide immediate post-mishap support for the Navy and Marine Corps Aviation community and their families. In addition to providing immediate support, we are also proud to ensure our fallen heroes are never forgotten and the loved ones they leave behind are always supported.

Justin says, in how others can help, "I have seen immense strength in the Marines and Sailors and their families as they leave for weeks and months to go put it all on the line for a greater good. We do this job for the Marines on our left and our right, and for our families and friends back home. That feeling doesn't leave when you leave the Corps, you just find other ways to serve. When we lose Marines due to the inherent dangers, I stay connected through sport hoping that in some way, we are honoring their good name in helping people to never forget who they were."

If you are passionate about the mission of TWF and want to learn more, please go to www.wingmanfoundation.org or contact Justin Topping at jstopping@gmail.com or follow TWF on Instagram @twf_Endurance. TWF will be at IM Superfrog and the Marine Corps Marathlon in 2018.

Please join us in welcoming The Wingman Foundation to the family!