Shortly after visiting deployed troops in the Middle East with a group of college basketball coaches in the summer of 2005, Rick Kell, Co-founder and Executive Director received a casual invitation that would change his life.A Warrior Care Liaison at Walter Reed Army Medical Center asked Kell to visit several OEF and OIF patients recovering from serious combat injuries. After multiple visits, many friendships were forged. These friendships cultivated a strong desire to provide meaningful assistance on a larger scale.Over the next two years, Kell gained invaluable insight into the landscape of Warrior Care and used it to create concepts for new programs. Throughout this development phase, close attention was paid to a belief that new initiatives needed to be very relevant and without duplication.Upon sharing this information with friend and passionate advocate for our troops, David Feherty, the two co-founded Troops First Foundation and incorporated as a non-profit organization in August of 2008.With unduplicated relevance as a core principle, Feherty and Kell have created several programs and specialized events designed for Wounded Warriors and their families that address relationship building, mentoring, reintegration and looking forward.