Special Forces Association
The Special Forces Association Serves as the Voice for the Special Forces Community; Perpetuates Special Forces Traditions and Brotherhood; Advances the Public Image of Special Forces and Promotes the General Welfare of the Special Forces Community.
Chapter XI of the Special Forces Association serves as the voice for the Special Forces Community in the National Capitol Area. The Chapter perpetuates Special Forces Traditions and Brotherhood, Commemorates the Memory of all Special Forces soldiers who have Given their Lives in Defense of Freedom, Advances the Public Image of Special Forces, and Promotes the General Welfare of the Special Forces Community.
SFA Chapter XI donates significant amounts of charitable funds to the SFA National Headquarters and the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) which supports Green Berets in need and members of the SFA. SFA Chapter XI also participates locally in fund raisers and events supporting “Wounded Warriors” from the Special Operations community.
Special Forces Association Chapter XI (SFA Chapter XI), “The National Capitol Chapter,” was provisionally chartered on 9 April 1974 as “Special Forces Decade Association Chapter XI” and permanently chartered on 9 April 1976. In June1976 the Special Forces Decade Association changed its name to the Special Forces Association and the Chapter did also.
The SFA Chapter XI logo (above) --of the Green Beret and V-42 Dagger superimposed on the US Capitol Dome under the over watch of FREEDOM--was developed by Roger Pezzelle and is Chapter XI’s unique trademark. (In 1952, Captains Roger Pezzelle and Herb Brucker began the wearing of the Green Beret in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). These two officers are known as the "Fathers of the Green Beret.")
SFA membership is restricted to qualified “Green Berets”[a member of the United States Army Special Forces(including the U.S. Army Reserve and Army National Guard Special Forces Units)who has completed Special Forces Training and has been awarded a Special Forces prefix 3, suffix S, and/or Special Forces Tab and MOS, and if discharged, has an Honorable Discharge]; others who have contributed significantly to the support of Special Forces, Montagnards, widows of Green Berets; and Honorary members.
Currently the SFA consists of 86 Chapters throughout the United States and overseas. Our Chapters work to fraternally to unite all persons who are now or have been assigned to the United States Army most elite force, the “Green Berets” and--through the SFA-- to be the voice of Special Forces.
If you would like to join a fraternal organization that supports the most highly qualified soldiers in the world and help to maintain its legacy for future generations, please contact SFA Chapter XI at webmaster@sfa11.org, or SFA National Headquarters @ (910)485-5433, or visit www.sfa.org.
CHAPTER XI PRESIDENTS –Past and Present
1974 Charles Vandever
1975-1976 Bill Bache
1977 Joe Vacarro
1978 Joe Dietrich
1979 Bo Gritz
1980 Donald Bentzen
1981 Andy Paul
1982 Mark Atchison
1983 – 1986 Tonu Parming
1987 -- 1990 Charles Norton
1991 Tom Price
1991 -1994 John Whidden
1995 -1998 Bob Fazio
1999--2000 John Haralson
2000--2006 Wally Johnson
2006--2008 Al Paddock
2008 – 2010 Scotty Crerar
2010 --2012 Lou Hoffman
2012 – 2014 Lynn Mariano
2014-Present Ray Oden
Past & Present Chapter Members Who are Distinguished Members of the Special Forces Regiment:
LTG John Mulholland
MG John Singlaub
MG Ken Bowra
MG Harley Davis
COL Charlie Norton
COL John “Scotty” Crerar
LTC Lewis Burruss
Chief Warrant Officer 4 James F. (“Jimmy”) Spoo
MAJ Clyde J. Sincere, Jr.
SSG Ronald Shurer, MoH
COL Roger Pezzelle
President’s Awardees:
Clyde Sincere 1994 & 1995
Charlie Norton 1994 & 1995
David Shepherd 1994 & 1995
Andy Winfree 1994 & 1995
The Norton Award was established in 2006 by SFA Chapter XI to recognize Chapter members who have provided exceptional long term leadership and support to the Chapter.
Norton Awardees:
Charlie Norton 2006
Andy Winfree 2008
Vic Hugo 2007
Wally Johnson 2007
Gene Russell 2011
John Schram 2013
Mac Dorsey 2014
Andy Winfree 2017
The In-Extemis Award was established by the Chapter President to recognize Chapter members who have provided exceptional and in-extremis short term leadership and support to the Chapter.
In-Extremis Awardees:
Frank Levesque 2017
David Jackson 2017