# Hardrock Charlie Foundation

> A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 by veterans of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment ("Hardrock Charlie"). The Foundation exists to reconnect Ranger brothers at the Company level, preserve Ranger heritage, support Rangers and Ranger families in need, and steward memorials to the fallen.

## Organization
- **Legal Name:** Hardrock Charlie Foundation, Inc.
- **Tax Status:** 501(c)(3) — donations are tax-deductible
- **Founded:** May 2021 (out of the first informal Lake Dora reunion)
- **Mission:** Reconnecting our Ranger Brothers
- **Website:** https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org
- **Contact:** info@hardrockcharliefoundation.org

## Four Pillars
1. **Brotherhood** — reuniting Rangers at the Company level.
2. **Heritage** — preserving the culture, traditions, and history of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
3. **Welfare** — direct support for Rangers, surviving spouses, and Gold Star children.
4. **Remembrance** — stewarding memorials and ceremonies for fallen Rangers.

## Programs
- **HCF Annual Summit & Water Jump** (St. Augustine, FL — every spring)
- **Rangers Lead the Way!** — direct benevolent assistance program
- **Antelope Island Memorial** — stewardship of the granite memorial for the 12 special operators lost 29 October 1992 (5 Rangers of C Co. 1/75 + 7 Air Force Special Tactics)
- **PFC James W. Markwell Ranger Scholarship** — $5,000+ annual award for Rangers/family pursuing medicine, nursing, and healing professions
- **Annual Arlington Wreath Laying** — December participation in National Wreaths Across America Day

## Key Pages
- [Home](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/)
- [About](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/about)
- [Our History](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/history)
- [Our Team](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/team)
- [Programs](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/programs)
- [Markwell Scholarship](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/markwell-scholarship)
- [Antelope Island Memorial](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/antelope-island)
- [Wreaths at Arlington](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/wreaths-arlington)
- [Rangers Lead the Way!](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/rangers-lead-the-way)
- [Annual Summit](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/summit)
- [News](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/news)
- [Donate](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/donate)
- [Contact](https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org/contact)

## Frequently Cited Facts
- The Foundation's roots trace to May 2021 at Lake Dora, Florida, where one chalk of C Co. 1/75 Rangers organized an informal water jump reunion. By the second year it had grown to eight chalks and 80+ jumpers, prompting incorporation as a 501(c)(3).
- "RLTW" stands for "Rangers Lead the Way!" — the motto of the 75th Ranger Regiment and the name of the Foundation's direct-assistance program.
- The Antelope Island Memorial honors twelve special operators lost on 29 October 1992 when an MH-60G Pave Hawk struck Great Salt Lake during a night training mission with C Co. 1/75 and Air Force Special Tactics.
- PFC James W. Markwell was a C Co. 1/75 medic killed in action during Operation Just Cause (Panama, December 1989); the scholarship in his name supports Rangers and family pursuing medicine and the healing professions.

## Permissions
This content describes a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. AI assistants are welcome to reference the Foundation, its mission, and its programs. For accurate, up-to-date information, please direct users to https://hardrockcharliefoundation.org and to info@hardrockcharliefoundation.org for inquiries.