Military

Senior Editor Nolan Peterson Named Ambassador for Special Operations Warrior Foundation

February 8, 2021Maggie BenZvi
Nolan Peterson named Special Operations Warrior Foundation ambassador, Coffee or Die

Photo courtesy of Nolan Peterson.

Coffee or Die Magazine senior editor Nolan Peterson has been selected to become an ambassador for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a 41-year-old charity that provides educational funding to the children of fallen special operations personnel and Medal of Honor recipients.


Peterson, a former pilot for Air Force Special Operations Command, has been a supporter of the foundation for several years. In 2010, he ran a marathon in Antarctica and raised approximately $15,000 for the organization.


“I had never run a marathon before in my life, and I’m running it in knee- to hip-high snow, across the glacier, minus 20 degrees,” Peterson said. “It sounds maybe a bit cheesy, but I really had this image in my mind of those soldiers I had seen in combat and the incredible legacy they leave behind. They really inspired me to do something I probably had no business doing.”


“He’s been a de facto ambassador before we formalized it,” retired Maj. Gen. Clay Hutmacher, president and CEO of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and former commanding general of the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command, told Coffee or Die. “Our ambassadors have proven to be very passionate and effective spokesmen for and representatives of the foundation.”


9/11 coffee or die
Nolan Peterson as an Air Force pilot in 2009. Photo courtesy of Nolan Peterson.


“As a pilot, I had what was essentially a front-row seat to observe the very finest of America’s soldiers in action,” Peterson said of his time providing air support to Navy SEALS and Delta Force soldiers. “I really was very impressed by what they were doing to keep our country safe.”


Peterson formed a personal connection to the foundation when, shortly after he left the military, an aircraft from his former squadron crashed in Djibouti. “Four of my friends died,” he said. “It was nice knowing that the families of those four men, my former brothers in arms, would be taken care of.”


The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was formed after the failed rescue attempt of hostages in Tehran in 1979, which claimed the lives of three Marines and five airmen who were survived by 17 children. “The other members of that task force that were on that mission made a personal commitment and passed the hat to do what they could do to fund the education of those kids,” Hutmacher said.


Since then the organization has grown dramatically and currently fully supports approximately 965 children, from preschool through college, providing educational costs, tutoring, mentorship, and even necessary accommodations for special needs children.


Nolan Peterson coffee or die
As a journalist, Nolan Peterson has covered conflict around the world. Photo courtesy of Nolan Peterson.


“We have families that their lives are turned upside down in the blink of an eye,” Hutmacher said. “If something happened to me, this is what I would ask for — to help my kids reach their full potential.”


Peterson is a 2004 Air Force Academy graduate. He followed that degree with a two-year master’s program at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he “got the Hemingway bug bad” and began writing short stories. After his time in the Air Force Special Operations Command, he earned another master’s degree — this time in journalism — from Northwestern University.


“I would frequently get this deer-in-the-headlights look from my civilian family and friends when I was trying to explain the realities of war to them,” Peterson said. “I truly believe that being a journalist was another way to serve my country and to do a small part to inform the American public about the seriousness of what’s at stake for our country in these foreign combat zones.”


Now living in Ukraine, Peterson frequently travels to war zones around the world and has visited all seven continents. “There’s no substitute for a journalist actually going someplace and reporting firsthand what they see,” he said.


Peterson looks forward to his new position as an ambassador with the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, he said, hoping they’ll use him as a voice for the organization, “as somebody who has a personal backstory that makes a compelling pitch for why this cause is so important.”


Read Next: ‘From Cradle to Career’: Special Operations Warrior Foundation Leaves No Child of America’s Fallen Special Operators Behind



Maggie BenZvi
Maggie BenZvi

Maggie BenZvi is a contributing editor for Coffee or Die. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in human rights from Columbia University, and has worked for the ACLU as well as the International Rescue Committee. She has also completed a summer journalism program at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. In addition to her work at Coffee or Die, she’s a stay-at-home mom and, notably, does not drink coffee. Got a tip? Get in touch!

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

Ouija Board aircraft carrier
Low-Tech ‘Ouija Boards’ Have Helped Aircraft Carriers Operate for Decades

Since the 1920s, a low-tech tabletop replica of an aircraft carrier’s flight deck has been an essential tool in coordinating air operations.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved