During his sons’ military deployment, now-retired football coach Mark Soto would narrate stories of his older son’s stint in Afghanistan to his students, and they always wanted to hear more. His sons had undergone over 31 months of military combat deployment and saw many of their friends come back injured or with PTSD—some were even killed in action or had fallen victim to suicide. Seeing how these experiences affected his sons, Soto was forever changed.

When asked to take over a football showcase called “Battle at the Capital” in 2011, Soto saw this as an opportunity to honor his sons’ comrades. “As a father and football coach wrapped up in the emotional turmoil of my boys’ multiple back-to-back deployments, I saw this football event as being the perfect venue to speak straight to the hearts of the student athletes, coaches and communities [and educate them] about the needs of our military veterans,” Soto says. Over the years, the event grew to be one of the biggest football showcases in the country and is now called the Honor Bowl, managed and produced by The Honor Group, a nonprofit founded by Soto and based in Rocklin—that raises awareness for veterans through athletic and community outreach.

They also raise money to help injured veterans by giving paralyzed and single or double amputee veterans special motorized Action Trackchairs. “These chairs give freedom to these people who have been unable to do things that they enjoyed before they were injured. Many are now able to fish, hunt and simply take a journey on a beach, trail or in mud with family and friends,” Soto says. 

Soto believes education and awareness are fundamental to helping more veterans. “People are aware of veterans, but they aren’t fully knowledgeable about how they and their families and loved ones are affected when they come home,” he says. To that end, they organize Honor Tours—school assemblies where students, teachers, administrators and the community learn what The Honor Group is and does. Active military, as well as veterans, are invited to give speeches, and demonstrations—like a flag-folding ceremony for a Gold Star Mother when her son is being buried—are showcased. These are solemn moments that install a deep sense of patriotism in the students. 

So far, The Honor Group has had 105 schools, sports programs and communities throughout California, Nevada, Washington and Hawaii participate in their various educational programs. They have also launched an interactive, online streaming video series called Honor Sessions, where a panel of veterans and professionals offer advice and insights to veterans and their families. Through The Honor Group’s efforts to “educate, empower and equip,” Soto’s dedication to “those who choose to do things that could eventually place them in harm’s way, but know that through their actions, will give us the freedom to live what we consider a normal life here in America,” shines through.

—Tara Mendanha