What 173d Airborne Brigade Association does

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association is a 501(c)(19) veterans' non-profit organization headquartered at 2834 County Road 4990, Willow Springs, Missouri. It serves current and former members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade — known as the "Sky Soldiers" — along with their dependents, Gold Star families, and supporters. The Association is dedicated to fostering camaraderie and esprit de corps among brigade veterans, preserving the unit's combat history (Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan), and administering assistance programs for wounded warriors, scholarships for dependents, and memorial services for fallen Sky Soldiers.

The Association operates through a dual-entity structure: the 501(c)(19) Association itself and the separately governed Sky Soldiers Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable arm that administers the General Assistance Fund, Wounded Sky Soldier Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Veteran Sky Soldier Assistance Fund. It maintains 25+ active chapters across the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, publishes the quarterly Sky Soldier Magazine for dues-current members, organizes annual reunion events (Branson 2027 and Italy 2027 are scheduled), and preserves historical archives including Vietnam-era yearbooks that have been digitized through a partnership with the Boston Public Library (6,000+ downloads, 20-year hosting commitment). The technology footprint is a Wix-hosted website (skysoldier.net) plus Facebook and YouTube channels; no native mobile app, API, or AI capability is described.

The business model is supported by three revenue streams: recurring annual and life membership dues from veterans and current service members of predecessor/successor units; tax-deductible donations from members, small businesses, corporations, and the public (processed via PayPal and GoFundMe); and merchandise sales, primarily a custom Spirits of Valor bourbon whiskey (47% ABV, 750ml, $39.99). The organization is 100% volunteer-operated with no paid staff, and financial figures are not publicly disclosed. Leadership includes President Frank Marcantonio and Secretary/Web Master John Barthelemy, supported by an Executive Board and chapter presidents globally.

Name

173d Airborne Brigade Association

Legal name

173d Airborne Brigade Association

Website

https://skysoldier.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association is a 501(c)(19) volunteer-run veterans' non-profit that supports current and former members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers") and their families through membership services, scholarship and assistance funds, reunions, and historical preservation across 25+ global chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterans and Military Membership Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services (BPAIAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Veterans & Military-to-Civilian Transition Programs (EDAAAOAH)

Keywords

• Veterans association
• Military membership services
• Scholarship programs
• Wounded warrior support
• Military reunion events

Headquarters

HQ city

Willow Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: Annual membership dues for veterans and current service members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and its predecessor/successor units. Life memberships also available.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from members, small businesses, corporations, and the public. The organization is a 501(c)(19) non-profit. 100% supported by volunteers.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including the Spirits of Valor 173D Airborne Bourbon at $39.99 per bottle.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association is a 501(c)(19) non-profit veterans organization that provides membership services to current and former members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sky Soldiers). It delivers member benefits including the quarterly Sky Soldier Magazine, scholarship programs for dependents, wounded warrior and general assistance funds via the affiliated Sky Soldiers Foundation (501(c)(3)), reunion events, historical archives, and branded merchandise such as Spirits of Valor bourbon whiskey.

Product overview

The 173d Airborne Brigade Association is a 501(c)(19) non-profit veterans organization with a portfolio of member services including Sky Soldier Magazine (quarterly publication), the Sky Soldiers Foundation (501(c)(3) charitable arm), the Ride To Recovery veteran support program, a Scholarship Program for dependents, Spirits of Valor bourbon merchandise, and membership services. The Association also organizes reunion events (Branson 2027, Italy 2027) and maintains historical archives and yearbooks.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sky Soldiers Foundation: A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting Sky Soldiers, veterans, and active-duty members through scholarships, wounded warrior programs, and bereavement support.
• Ride To Recovery
• Sky Soldier Magazine

Products and services

• Membership Program Regular and life membership offered to current and former members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and its predecessor/successor units; includes access to member services and the Sky Soldier Magazine.
• Sky Soldier Magazine Official seasonal publication of the Association distributed to members who are current on their annual membership dues.
• Sky Soldiers Foundation A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supporting Sky Soldiers, veterans, and active-duty personnel through the General Assistance Fund, Wounded Sky Soldier Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Veteran Sky Soldiers Assistance Fund.
• Ride To Recovery A veteran healing and recovery initiative consisting of a multi-day journey on the Pacific Crest Trail that raises awareness and funds for the Association and Foundation.
• Scholarship Program Scholarship program administered by the Sky Soldiers Foundation for traditional college programs and technical, trade, and vocational schools, available to eligible family members of Sky Soldiers.
• Spirits of Valor Bourbon Custom 173D Airborne bourbon whiskey (47% ABV, 750ml) sold at $39.99 per bottle through the Spirits of Valor partnership to honor the legacy, sacrifice, and brotherhood of the Sky Soldiers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Spirits of ValorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for branded merchandise. Spirits of Valor produces custom 173D Airborne bourbon whiskey to honor the legacy, sacrifice, and brotherhood of the Sky Soldiers. Priced at $39.99 per bottle.
• Sky Soldiers FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sky Soldiers Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports the association's mission through scholarship programs, wounded warrior funds, and general assistance programs. Works closely with the Association and the active-duty brigade in Vicenza, Italy.
• 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose cooperation between the Foundation, the Association, and the central command of the 173d Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Vicenza, Italy. The association maintains connection to the active-duty brigade.
• Chapter 9 (Boston Public Library)minorOthersChapter 9 partnered with the Boston Public Library to digitize and host all past 173d Airborne Brigade yearbooks. To date, there have been 6,000 downloads. Chapter 9 has arranged for these yearbooks to remain available for the next 20 years.
• GoFundMeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGoFundMe platform used for the Ride to Recovery fundraising campaign to support veterans and raise awareness of veteran plight while raising funds for the 173D Airborne Brigade Association and Foundation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Military Order of the Purple Heart: A membership-based VSO for combat-wounded veterans that shares the dues/reunion/chapter model and provides assistance funds analogous to the Wounded Sky Soldier Fund.
• 82nd Airborne Division Association: A fellow U.S. Army airborne division veterans association with a comparable model of membership dues, reunions, chapter network, and chapter-published heritage content supporting paratrooper veterans.
• Vietnam Veterans of America: A congressionally chartered VSO specifically serving Vietnam-era veterans — directly aligned with the Association's largest membership cohort and mission of supporting that generation.
• 101st Airborne Division Association: Direct peer as another major airborne division veterans organization with chapters, reunions, and member-driven support programs for Screaming Eagles veterans and families.
• Special Forces Association: An elite-unit veterans association with chapters and member dues that supports Special Forces soldiers and families — comparable unit-affiliated VSO with similar chapter and reunion-driven operations.

Broad incumbents

• The American Legion: One of the largest U.S. wartime veterans organizations with a local-post structure analogous to chapters, providing member benefits, scholarships, and advocacy — a broader incumbent in the same VSO category.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): A national veterans service organization providing benefits advocacy and support to wounded/disabled veterans — overlaps with the Association's Wounded Sky Soldier Fund and assistance programs.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): A large, established veterans service organization with membership dues, posts (chapters), and programs for veterans and families — operates on a much larger scale but with a comparable member-funded nonprofit model.

Emerging players

• Wounded Warrior Project: A modern, well-funded VSO providing programs for post-9/11 wounded veterans — competes for the same donor dollars and represents the kind of digitally-enabled, staffed nonprofit model the Association does not operate.
• Team Rubicon: A modern veteran-led nonprofit that engages post-9/11 veterans in disaster response — represents the new generation of VSOs that may pull donor attention and younger veteran participation away from legacy unit associations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@173AirborneBrigade
• Facebookfacebook.com/173rdAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/173ridetorecovery
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/20x-entrepreneur

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 173d Airborne Brigade Association