Intro
QUIETLY HELPING THOSE WHO QUIETLY SERVE.
Third Option Foundation seeks to heal, help, and honor members of the CIA’s Special Operations community and their families.
Intro
QUIETLY HELPING THOSE WHO QUIETLY SERVE.
Third Option Foundation seeks to heal, help, and honor members of the CIA’s Special Operations community and their families.
They’re driven by an innate sense of honor, not the promise of glory.
You will probably never know the names of these silent heroes who defend our safety and freedoms in the most distant corners of the world. They’re often the first in and the last to leave many conflicts around the globe. For decades, the operators of CIA's Special Operations units have served and sacrificed in quiet anonymity. Particularly in the years since 9/11, this small group, along with their families, has borne an unprecedented burden in the fight to protect our nation. The nature of their service means they and their loved ones cannot seek the support or relief available to military service members and their families. Third Option Foundation is the only organization that fills this gap, by providing crucial survivorship assistance and resiliency programs to heal the wounded, help the families of those we have lost, and support those who are still serving.
Mission
“The greatest benefit of Third Option Foundation is the community. Just having someone to talk to—who knows what you went through and still go through every day and who understands the complexity of your loss—is helpful in the grieving process. We’re a very isolated group. We’ve had to keep quiet, for obvious reasons, so having someone to reach out to is so incredibly comforting.”
— Pam Zembiec, husband KIA
Mission
“The greatest benefit of Third Option Foundation is the community. Just having someone to talk to—who knows what you went through and still go through every day and who understands the complexity of your loss—is helpful in the grieving process. We’re a very isolated group. We’ve had to keep quiet, for obvious reasons, so having someone to reach out to is so incredibly comforting.”
— Pam Zembiec, husband KIA
Vision
I was the commander of a unit that, within the span of about 18 months, sustained a number of casualties of operators killed in action overseas. There were more than a dozen children who were suddenly without fathers, and wives who had lost their husbands. As we were flying across the country notifying the families, we saw just how significant the need was for those family members for a safety net, for support and understanding. We decided to create an organization to address the really unique needs of our agency’s Special Operations community that weren’t being met.
— Anonymous, Co-Founder of Third Option Foundation
Vision
I was the commander of a unit that, within the span of about 18 months, sustained a number of casualties of operators killed in action overseas. There were more than a dozen children who were suddenly without fathers, and wives who had lost their husbands. As we were flying across the country notifying the families, we saw just how significant the need was for those family members for a safety net, for support and understanding. We decided to create an organization to address the really unique needs of our agency’s Special Operations community that weren’t being met.
— Anonymous, Co-Founder of Third Option Foundation
Support
Their sacrifices are great. These are debts that can never be repaid. But we can do our best to honor their selfless service, their legacies, and those they have left behind.
Support
Their sacrifices are great. These are debts that can never be repaid. But we can do our best to honor their selfless service, their legacies, and those they have left behind.