Alvin King was searching for his calling when he found out he was going to be a father. With his daughter's arrival approaching, he felt inspired to challenge himself and reach for greater opportunities. He got his chance when visiting an acquaintance who happened to be a U.S. Army recruiter, where King received a perfect score on the recruitment test. King realized a military career would allow him to make a difference-not only for his family, but for his country-and chose to pursue a career in the intelligence field.

A few years after graduating from training, 9/11 occurred, and King got the call that he'd be deployed to Afghanistan. He served in combat missions for Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as humanitarian missions in Bosnia and Jordan. Throughout this time, he earned multiple Meritorious Service Medals and the Legion of Merit, among other awards.

"From the 2000s into early 2012, it felt like you were either deploying, getting ready to deploy, or in a deployment," King says of the rigorous schedule. Still, he found time to help in his community, earning the Military Volunteer Award for over 1,000 hours of volunteer time during military service. His last duty assignment was Senior Advisor to the General and his staff at the United States Army Central.

As he transitioned into retirement, King realized it was more difficult than he expected to reintegrate back into civilian life. He entered a program called PGA HOPE: a camp run by the Professional Golfers' Association of America® that gives golf lessons to combat or disabled veterans. King found that the sport improved his emotional and mental wellbeing, and it gave him an idea for starting a foundation of his own-one that would allow him to continue enjoying the therapeutic nature of the game while also spending more time with his family.

"I wanted active duty service members, veterans, retirees, and their families to be able to come out and play golf together," King says. "We are turning fairways into pathways FORE healing." He founded the Range Fore Hope Foundation, which promotes golf as a resource for improving veterans' physical, mental, and social well-being; reducing the effects of PTSD, and fostering a community environment where service members can heal together.

This organization welcomes all veterans, and as a member of the U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance, it is accessible to adaptive athletes as well. King's goal is to grow the game of golf for all military members and their families. "It's been amazing to see veterans with their loved ones out on the range every day."

Learn more about Range Fore Hope on their website: https://rangeforehope.org.

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