Guns, Golf & Gills raises $200K for Combat Control Foundation

By AI, Created 9:50 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – The second annual Guns, Golf & Gills charity event at Second Bend Labs raised $200,000 for the Combat Control Foundation, giving a major boost to programs for U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers and their families. The back-to-back fundraising total makes the event one of the foundation’s biggest annual support drivers.

Why it matters: - The $200,000 haul will fund the Combat Control Foundation’s First There programs. - Those programs support immediate crisis response, long-term wellness, education, and resiliency resources for U.S. Air Force Combat Controllers, their families, and the broader AFSPECWAR community. - The second straight strong result turns Guns, Golf & Gills into a major annual fundraising engine for the foundation.

What happened: - The second annual Guns, Golf & Gills charity event and competition took place at Second Bend Labs in Madison, Florida. - The three-day event raised $200,000 for the Combat Control Foundation. - Participants included U.S. Armed Forces service members, colleagues, community members, law enforcement, and sponsors from across the country. - The event featured shooting, golf, and fishing competitions. - Organizers said the total surpassed last year’s milestone.

The details: - All proceeds go directly to the Combat Control Foundation’s First There programs. - Michael Lamonica, retired Chief Master Sergeant, USAF Combat Controller and Combat Control Foundation vice president, opened the event with Sam Kellett Jr. - Rob Gutierrez, a retired CMSgt, Air Force Cross recipient, and former USAF Combat Controller, served as the featured speaker for the Whiskey and War Stories session. - Andrea Dellinger, executive director of the Combat Control Foundation, said the funds will support health and wellness help, educational support, and emergency assistance. - Sam Kellett Jr., founder and CEO of Second Bend Labs and a Force Multiplier partner of the foundation, said the event raised one of the largest single-event totals in the foundation’s history. - Michael Lamonica said the event shows the combat controller community has allies who return year after year.

Between the lines: - The event was not just a fundraiser. It was a public show of support for a community that faces long-term physical and mental health challenges after service. - Second Bend Labs and Aware Defense are positioning themselves as civilian partners in that mission. - The recurring event also helps frame corporate sponsorship as part of a broader support network, not a one-time donation. - Aware Defense’s Stu Booker said the foundation fills gaps that government programs cannot fully address.

What’s next: - Organizers say they want to keep growing Guns, Golf & Gills in future years. - The foundation will continue using event proceeds for resiliency retreats, emergency assistance, scholarships, and family care. - The Combat Control Foundation will keep building its network of civilian allies through Force Multiplier partnerships.

The bottom line: - The second annual Guns, Golf & Gills delivered a record-sized boost for Combat Control Foundation programs and reinforced the event’s role as a major support mechanism for Combat Controllers and their families. - Major sponsors included Second Bend Labs, Aware Defense, Jennifer and Samuel B. Kellett Jr., Stephanie and Blake Selig, Jamie Gilbert, 1861 Distillery, Post Loyal, Accel Innovation Corporation, Anheuser-Busch, P2, Huestis Law, SEI Building Solutions, Tall Timbers, and Torque Wheels. - More information is available at CombatControlFoundation.org and Secondbendlabs.com.