The Special Operations Association (SOA) is a
fraternal organization of American and foreign participants
of special military operations in combat theaters, primarily
during the Southeast Asian conflict. The group includes
World War II, and Korean Veterans as well as those from
the more recent conflicts; membership is limited to Free
World force who aided or took part in missions deep
inside hostile territory in a combat capacity.
SOA is composed of US Army Special Forces personnel,
Air Commandos; Navy SEALs, Force Recon Marines and
veterans of other elite military and civilian organizations,
who were a part of Special Operations. The Special Operations Association is recognized by the Department
of Defense and by the IRS as a non-profit veteran's
organization operating on tax deductible donations.
Proceeds generated by the SOA fund scholarships,
humanitarian aid, memorial programs, and
assistance to SOA members in hardship.
The purpose of the SOA scholarship(s) is to perpetuate
the memory of those personnel who served in a Special
Operations Unit during the Vietnam War, and who were
prisoners of war or missing in action (POW/MIA) and are
still unaccounted for in Southeast Asia...and, to honor
the late Colonel George C. Morton, an original Commander
and innovator of special operations in Southeast Asia.