2016 Jerry Rainey Scholarship Awards

On Saturday 20 August 2016, the Special Forces Association Chapter IX awarded three outstanding young ladies with $1,000 checks each to help with their college expenses. Kayley Maloney and Marissa Thompson Potter, both attending New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and Nicole Ruiz attending University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are the 2016 Jerry Rainey scholarship winners.

Picture (above) from Left to Right): Greg Brown Chapter, IX member and 2016 Rainey Scholarship Chairman; Kayley Maloney, Scholarship winner; Carol Rainey, widow of Jerry Rainey; Brigadier General Kurt S. Crytzer, Commander JTF-N; and, Pete Peral, Chapter IX President - the handsome devil that he is, according to himself.

On Saturday 20 August 2016, the Special Forces Association Chapter IX awarded three outstanding young ladies with $1,000 checks each ot help with their college expenses. Kayley Maloney and Marissa Thompson Potter both attending New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, and Nicole Ruiz attending University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are the scholarship winners.

Brigadier General Kurt S. Crytzer, Commander of Joint Task Force North (JTF-N) was the presenter of the awards. BG Crytzer previously served as the Deputy Commanding General of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) and Commander of Special Operations Joint Task Force-Iraq (SOJTF-I) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. He also has served as a Special Forces SCUBA Detachment Commander, Company Commander, Battalion Commander, Joint Special Operations Task Force Commander, Counter Lord’s Resistance Army Control Element (ACCE) Commander and Special Operations Joint Task Force Commander. Additional assignments include Special Forces Battalion S-3, Joint Operations Center Chief, Balkans Desk Officer and Current Operations Chief with Special Operations Command Europe, Director of Operations (J3) with Special Operations Command Africa, and as a Faculty Member at the United States Army War College.

This was the ninth (9th) year we have honored the legacy of Jerry P. Rainey with scholarship awards to deserving college students. Jerry meant a lot to many people in any community where he lived, know for his primary focus on helping others.

Jerry enlisted in the Navy at the start of the Korean War and one of his primary duties in Korea was rescuing downed pilots, often times behind enemy lines. After Korea, he spent the next nine years living in Athens, GA where he served as the head of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Rainey joined the Army in 1962 and attended the year long Special Forces Medic Course during 1964 - 1965.

His first of two tours in Vietnam was from September 1965 to September 1966. The first nine months was as a medic with a Special Forces A Team (Det A-415) in Tuyen Nhon. His last four months was as the Public Information Office NCOIC, 5th Special Forces Group in Nha Trang. As an editor of the Green Beret Magazine he traveled throughout all 4 CTZ's gathering information about Special Forces activities for publication in the magazine.

Jerry’s second tour in Vietnam was from July 1969 to June 1970 with 5th Special Forces Group. Assigned to Det C-4 (IV Corps) HQ medic, he traveled throughout the Delta region assisting where needed. He often provided coverage for "A" Detachments needing additional medical support or replaced medics who were WIA or KIA. His military awards include the Bronze Star for Valor, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal w/ OLC, Good Conduct Medal (2nd award), National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation w/palm, Combat Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Expert Rifleman Badge.