Green Beret Foundation launches fund to protect Horse Soldier monument

The Green Beret Foundation has created the Sentinel Fund to preserve America’s Response Monument in New York City on the 25th anniversary of the Special Forces insertion into Afghanistan. The initiative aims to defend the memorial from damage, neglect or removal while keeping the story of post-9/11 service visible to the public.

Why it matters: - The Sentinel Fund is meant to keep America’s Response Monument physically protected and publicly visible in New York City. - The effort centers on preserving a memorial tied to the first Special Forces mission in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks. - The fund is designed to support preservation, restoration, advocacy and protective efforts over time. - The Green Beret Foundation is treating the monument as part of the public record of U.S. service and sacrifice after 9/11.

What happened: - The Green Beret Foundation announced the Sentinel Fund on Oct. 19, 2026, in Southern Pines, North Carolina. - The launch coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Oct. 19, 2001 Special Forces insertion into Afghanistan. - The fund will protect America’s Response Monument in Liberty Park in New York City, overlooking the National September 11 Memorial. - An anonymous donor who previously served in the 5th Special Forces Group provided the founding gift.

The details: - America’s Response Monument depicts a Green Beret on horseback. - The memorial honors Special Forces soldiers and their special operations and interagency partners who responded after the Sept. 11 attacks. - The monument is widely known as the “Horse Soldier” monument. - The Sentinel Fund is intended to address deterioration, vandalism, defacement and any future efforts to remove, diminish or compromise the monument’s place of honor. - The initiative also aims to preserve the monument as a place for remembrance, reflection and education. - The Green Beret Foundation’s name appears on the monument because of its role in helping bring the memorial into being. - The monument was described by the foundation as the result of a major effort that required vision, determination and generosity from supporters. - The Foundation is inviting individuals, families and corporate partners to support the effort. More information is available through the foundation’s social media channels, Instagram page, Facebook page, YouTube channel and X account.

Between the lines: - The announcement frames monument preservation as an extension of the Green Beret Foundation’s mission, not a one-time fundraising push. - Foundation leaders are tying the project to national memory, suggesting the monument’s cultural value now matters as much as its physical condition. - The emphasis on “overwatch” signals a long-term defensive posture against neglect, controversy or damage.

What's next: - The Sentinel Fund will support continued protection and upkeep of the monument. - The Green Beret Foundation wants the memorial to remain accessible to the public for future generations. - Supporters can contribute to help keep the monument protected and maintained.

The bottom line: - The Green Beret Foundation is using the 25th anniversary of Afghanistan’s opening mission to turn remembrance into a permanent preservation effort.