Our Story

Reconnecting warriors, restoring purpose

Why SOAF was founded

Jason Borges honorably retired from the U.S. Army in 2013 after 25 years of service. Selected for Special Forces in 1997, he served as a Green Beret with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), then spent eight more years as a U.S. government security consultant in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Inspired by Operator Syndrome by Dr. Chris Frueh and his own transition experience, Jason founded the Special Operations Adventure Foundation to help veterans rediscover purpose, healing, and connection through shared adventure.

The need we saw

Transitioning out of Special Operations isn't simply about finding another career. For many veterans, it means losing a lifelong identity, a close-knit team, and the daily sense of purpose that defined decades of service.

Few outside the community truly understand the intensity, structure, and shared purpose of the experience. Without connection to others who've walked the same path, challenges like Operator Syndrome can intensify.

How the Foundation developed

What started with a simple idea — reconnecting Special Operations veterans with the sense of purpose, camaraderie and adventure that defined so much of their military lives — is becoming something much bigger.

In 2026, SOAF hosted its inaugural Dual Sport Adventure Ride near Park City, Utah, rode more than 1,000 miles in the Appalachian 1000 with Backroads of Appalachia, joined REV'IT! Denver for a charity ride, and was selected as a funding recipient by the Outdoor Market Alliance.

Where SOAF is going

The Women's Rocky Mountain Retreat in October 2026. The 2027 Dual Sport Adventure Weekend at Grit Moto Ranch — with veterans from the inaugural ride coming back as guides. A 24-hour Colorado backcountry adventure. And a possible East Coast base of operations alongside Backroads of Appalachia.

Participants becoming leaders. Veterans helping veterans. That's how a community is built.

SOAF riders gathered at a waterfall during the inaugural Dual Sport Adventure Ride