Special Operations Association Of America

What Special Operations Association Of America does

Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization founded in 2019 that advocates on behalf of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community, including veterans, active-duty members, families, and broader supporters. The organization operates across three functional pillars: National Security (delivering operator "ground truth" to senior policymakers), Operations (purpose-driven support for American objectives, including emergency coordination such as the September 2025 evacuation of a Navy Corpsman's family from Gaza via a Signal chat network of diplomats and former defense officials), and Politics & Policy (engaging 400+ legislative contacts annually and advancing named legislation such as the Jax Act reintroduced by Rep. Darrell Issa in November 2025). SOAA reached 73,813 community members and 1.99M total social media reach, and was invited to the Oval Office on Wounded Heroes Day in April 2025.

SOAA's product portfolio consists of community programs rather than technology products. The Ground Truth is a monthly newsletter serving as the primary communication channel. Project Phoenix is a 60-day health-optimization program combining correctional exercise, functional medicine, quarterly bloodwork panels, and behavioral health programming. Project Valkyrie is a transition-to-leadership program, and Lions Leadership is a venture-accelerator mentorship pathway pairing SOF veterans with VC/PE expertise. Underlying coordination relies on a Neon CRM-backed website membership portal, organic social channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok), and the proprietary Signal-based coordination network for crisis response.

SOAA's business model is donation-driven, with revenue sourced from individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. FY2025 total revenue was $895,637 against expenses of $542,124, with a notable $75,000 donation from Leonid Capital Partners and the Leonid Sentinel Foundation. Pricing is not transactionally disclosed; membership tiers are voluntary. Distribution combines a self-serve website portal, annual conferences (July 21-22, 2026; SOAA-IWI co-hosted events), and direct field advocacy targeting government stakeholders. The organization is led by Founder Daniel Elkins (Green Beret, SOF combat veteran), co-founders Ian Boeye and Dr. Ryan Ziegler, Board Director Alex Plitsas, and Board Advisor Sarah Verardo, with President Jack Barry listed in leadership records.

Name

Special Operations Association Of America

Legal name

Special Operations Association Of America

Website

https://www.soaa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SOAA is a U.S.-based nonprofit founded in 2019 that advocates for the Special Operations Forces community through policy engagement, crisis-coordination operations, and a veteran transition program portfolio including Project Phoenix, Project Valkyrie, and Lions Leadership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Advocacy Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Management & National Resilience (Civil Protection) (BPAIAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)

Keywords

• Veteran advocacy services
• Special operations support
• Nonprofit policy advocacy
• Veteran transition programs
• Legislative engagement services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants. In 2025, total revenue was $895,637 with expenses of $542,124.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

SOAA is a nonprofit advocacy organization that advocates for the U.S. Special Operations Forces community through direct engagement with Congress and federal agencies, legislative initiatives (e.g., the Jax Act), and operational support including emergency family evacuations. It offers a portfolio of veteran transition programs: Project Valkyrie (leadership pathway), Project Phoenix (60-day health optimization), and Lions Leadership (mentorship), along with community communications via The Ground Truth newsletter.

Product overview

SOAA is a non-profit advocacy organization for the Special Operations Community, offering a portfolio of programs focused on veteran support and community advocacy rather than a traditional technology product. The organization's offerings include the Ground Truth Newsletter for community communication, and a comprehensive veteran transition ecosystem consisting of Project Valkyrie (transition program), Project Phoenix 60-Day (health optimization), and Lions Leadership (mentorship), which work together to support SOF veterans transitioning from military to civilian leadership roles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Phoenix: A holistic 60-day program for SOF veterans combining correctional exercise, functional medicine, quarterly bloodwork panels, and behavioral health programming to prepare veterans for business leadership roles.
• Lions Leadership
• Project Valkyrie
• The Ground Truth

Products and services

• The Ground Truth Newsletter
• Project Valkyrie
• Project Phoenix 60-Day Program
• Lions Leadership

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully coordinated family evacuation from Gaza for U.S. Navy corpsman family members (September 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• Irregular Warfare Initiative (IWI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOAA and IWI teams jointly hosted a conference in July 2025 in Reston, Virginia to discuss emerging threats including cartel activity, critical minerals, and SOF-Space-Cyber nexus. Leaders from government, industry, intelligence community, and academia gathered for this initiative.
• Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)keyOthersRep. Darrell Issa reintroduced the Jax Act in November, named after SOAA board member Jaclyn 'Jax' Scott. The bill addresses recognition and benefits for women who served in combat roles including CST members.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Special Operations Warrior Foundation: Direct peer that provides financial assistance and advocacy for SOF families, including surviving families of special operations personnel. Highly comparable mission focus and constituency overlap with SOAA.
• Navy SEAL Foundation: Direct peer providing support to Naval Special Warfare community through veteran transition, family resilience, and legacy programs. Closely comparable beneficiary base and program mix to SOAA.
• Green Beret Foundation: Direct peer providing financial, medical, and transition support to Army Special Forces soldiers and families. Highly comparable advocacy and direct-service model for the SOF community SOAA serves.
• Army Ranger Lead the Way Fund: Direct peer supporting Army Rangers and their families through financial assistance, wounded warrior programs, and transition support. Highly comparable constituency and program structure to SOAA.

Emerging players

• Student Veterans of America: Veteran advocacy and transition organization supporting veterans in higher education. Overlapping transition-advocacy model though focused on education outcomes rather than SOF-specific policy.
• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led disaster response organization that pairs military skills with humanitarian missions. Adjacent to SOAA's crisis coordination work and shares a veteran-driven leadership model.
• Travis Manion Foundation: Veteran service organization focused on character-based leadership development and community engagement among post-9/11 veterans. Comparable advocacy and transition orientation, broader veteran base than SOAA.
• Hire Heroes USA: Veteran transition organization providing career coaching and job placement services. Comparable transition support orientation and veteran constituency, though focused on civilian employment rather than executive leadership.

Broad incumbents

• Wounded Warrior Project: Large incumbent serving the broader post-9/11 wounded veteran population with transition, mental health, and advocacy programs. Comparable mission but broader scope and significantly larger scale than SOAA's SOF focus.
• DAV (Disabled American Veterans): Large incumbent veteran service organization providing benefits navigation, legislative advocacy, and transition support. Overlapping advocacy model but serving a much broader veteran population than SOAA's SOF niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/soaaorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0qwPKbuJlnDMXlqI8JYxdw
• Facebookfacebook.com/SOAAorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soaa-us
• Instagraminstagram.com/soaaorg
• TikToktiktok.com/@soaaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Special Operations Association Of America