The SOTF Team is excited to announce that Silas Ostaff has successfully transitioned into a Project Management role with @SAICinc.

Silas is a seasoned Special Operations leader who recently retired from the @USArmy as a Sergeant Major after 28 years of selfless service.

A snapshot of some of Silas` accomplishments includes:

🇺🇸 Silas retired as a US Army Senior Enlisted Advisor, Sergeant Major, out of the 10th Special Forces Group. During his 24-year tenure in 10th SFG (A), he served as a Battalion Operations Sergeant Major, Company Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, Sniper Master Trainer, Team Sergeant, Communications Sergeant, and Sniper Instructor at the JFK Special Warfare Center and Schools.

🇺🇸 Silas delivers decisive execution as an operational executive candidate for the industrial defense industry to drive profitable improvements in products, processes, and client experience. Silas excels at swiftly understanding key drivers of opportunity and solutions, taking confident action with clarity of purpose, and translating strategy into results without hesitation.

🇺🇸 As a leader, Silas’ mission is to lead autonomous teams with a relational approach, clear direction, and generative guidance that motivates the team to realize their potential at scale.

🇺🇸 In his free time, Silas enjoys competitive shooting, pursuing additional education and technical certifications, and cabin weekends in the mountains with his wife.

“The SOTF program enabled the first critical steps in reinventing my value proposition to the Defense Industry, where I can continue to serve National objectives with key industry partners. Reflection and introspective awareness are decisive in personal growth, and the SOTF personnel, as well as Melba and Edwards Holiday with the Atlantic Leadership Group, guided my exploration through the transition process. I am grateful for the time and resources the SOTF program provided to enable my success.”

To learn more about Silas` incredible leadership journey, connect with him on LinkedIn.

#TransitionTuesday #SOTF #usarmy #SOFOperators #sof #specialoperators ...

After many years in the corporate world, I’ve learned that most organizations are not short on strategy.

We have plans, technology, talented people, and ambitious goals. But even the best strategy means very little without leaders who can turn it into execution.

As organizations invest in AI, technology, transformation, and growth, I believe we should also be asking whether we have the leaders who can establish priorities, align teams, make decisions without perfect information, adapt when circumstances change, and ultimately deliver results.

It’s also worth considering how we identify those leaders.
Industry experience and functional expertise matter, but they don’t always tell us how someone will lead when the plan stops working.

That’s something I’ve come to appreciate about the Special Operations leaders we work with at SOTF. They have spent years operating in complex environments where they are expected to understand the objective, establish priorities, empower others, adapt quickly, and execute.
The terminology may differ in the corporate world, but the leadership capabilities remain remarkably relevant.

As organizations think about the next 12 to 18 months, perhaps the question isn’t simply, “Who do we need to hire today?”

It’s also, “What leadership capabilities will we need tomorrow, and are we building relationships with those people now?”

Great strategy without execution is simply intention.

Where does execution tend to break down in your organization, and what have you found actually helps?

Kerry Black
SOTF Director of Corporate Engagement ...

The SOTF Team is excited to announce Steve Cheap has successfully transitioned into a Safety Officer (CBRNE) role with The City of Houston. Steve is a seasoned Special Operations leader who recently retired from the @USArmy as a SFC after 20 years of selfless service.

A snapshot of some of Steve’s accomplishments includes:

🇺🇸 Steve served in both the Infantry and Special Operations Civil Affairs communities throughout his career, progressing from an Infantry Mortarman to senior leadership positions within Civil Affairs.

🇺🇸 Steve now dedicates his time to his family and to continuing to serve his community.

“The transition from a 20-year military career into the civilian workforce came with challenges that were very different from anything I had experienced in uniform. The SOTF Team helped me translate my military experience into something civilian organizations could understand while providing mentorship, networking opportunities, and guidance throughout the process.

"What stood out to me most, however, was that their support extended beyond my career transition. When my family encountered major and unexpected health issues during an already challenging period in our lives, the SOTF Team was there for us. They reached out, checked on my family, and made it clear that if we needed assistance, they were ready to help in any way they could. That meant more to me than any résumé review, job lead, or professional connection.

"SOTF showed me that their commitment to transitioning service members is about more than finding the next job; it is about taking care of the service member and their family. I’m incredibly grateful for the support they provided to my family and me as I transitioned into my next chapter with the City of Houston, and I encourage other transitioning service members to take advantage of the community, resources, and network SOTF provides.”

To learn more about Steve’s incredible leadership journey, connect with him on LinkedIn.

#TransitionTuesday #SOTF #specialoperators #SOFOperators #sof ...

🏈 Want a shot at NFL or college season tickets for 2027–2028?

Support SOTF through Tix for Good for your chance to win season tickets while helping Special Operators successfully transition to life beyond military service.

Enter by February 14, 2027

👉 Click the link to enter, or copy and paste it into your browser: https://tixforgood.org/product/season-tix?npo=10321

Every donation makes an impact. Good luck! ...

Trust is one of those things that’s difficult to earn, easy to lose, and nearly impossible to lead without.

My time in uniform taught me that trust wasn’t simply a leadership concept, it was foundational to everything we did. Trust was rarely built in the big moments, but in the small ones – doing what you said you would do, being candid when the news wasn’t good, owning a mistake when it would be easier to explain it away, and consistently showing up for others. Position and rank may give one authority, but they don’t give them trust. That is earned through our actions, over time, often when we don’t realize anyone is paying attention.

This lesson becomes especially clear during transition from service. For many, military service comes with decades of accumulated credibility. Your teammates know your reputation - they know what you’ve done and what you bring to the fight. Then you walk into a completely new environment… the uniform is gone, the rank is gone, and the title has changed. What travels with you is your character.

At SOTF, we see trust at work every day. A Fellow trusts a coach enough to admit what they don’t know. An alumnus trusts another Fellow enough to open their network. A business leader trusts that experience and character developed through years of service will bring value to their organization. A donor trusts SOTF to turn their generosity into meaningful impact for Special Operators and their families.

Different relationships, different circumstances, the same foundation… trust. We establish it by showing people who we are… by listening, showing humility, keeping our word, and putting others first… by showing up.

Our titles will change throughout our lives, but our character travels with us… earn trust every day.

Keith Pritchard
Director of Development
SOTF Alum ...