Spirit of America (charity)
Spirit of America is a US based non-profit company founded by Jim Hake that raises money for United States veterans. SoA has solicited money for Special Forces troops operating in Afghanistan and for the 1st Marine Division in Iraq. The organization claims its funds will help build schools for Iraqi children and support media outlets that advance counterpoint to news presented by local Arab-run outlets.
Spirit of America was launched under the auspices of Cyber Century Forum.
Working with the US Embassy in Kyiv Ukraine, in 2016 Spirit of America funded the establishment and optimization of ArmyFM, a Ukrainian Ministry of Defense radio station that provides information and entertainment to soldiers defending their country in eastern Ukraine, who are suffering from a barrage of Russian propaganda.
In 2010, Mr. Hake worked to formalize the ties between commanders in Afghanistan and his organization as a "Commander Support Program" with support from senior Marine officers "who had developed a good working relationship with the group in Iraq".
This resulted in scrutiny from Pentagon lawyers, who ruled that sending goods to commanders violated ethics rules. With help from John Bellinger, Jeh Johnson, General Joe Dunford and General Jim Mattis, the rules were changed to allow the CSP to operate.
