Who we are
Every August, a special group of men gather — veterans of the 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment. They served together from 2001 to 2006, when the unit was based at Fort Riley, KS. Since then, the unit has moved to Fort Bliss, TX, and later to Fort Carson, CO, where it resides today.
This group is unique because of the shared experience of back-to-back deployments, compounded by “stop loss” and “stop movement” orders. When their service terms ended and they were finally able to change duty stations or separate from the Army, they scattered across the country. Back then, staying in touch was difficult — social media didn’t exist, cell phones weren’t common among soldiers, and internet access was rare in the “sandbox.” Even keeping a phone number during deployment was a challenge; service providers wouldn’t pause accounts, so you either paid for an unused phone for months or canceled and got a new number when you returned.
Years later, Shiloh Hawkesworth created a Facebook group and using deployment manifests, sent hundreds of invitations to anyone he could find on the platform. In 2010, Shiloh hosted the first reunion — specifically for Bravo Company. Approximately 77 brothers attended, and the event was a success. The following year’s attempt fell apart at the last minute, and seven years passed before another gathering could be coordinated.
In 2017, Michael Norwood decided to take on the ambitious task of hosting a reunion for the entire battalion from the early 2000’s and asked Shiloh for help in organizing the event. Shiloh warned him it would be a massive undertaking, a lesson he had learned when organizing the Bravo Company reunion in years past. However, Michael was insistent and emphasized the importance of putting together such a unique event. When the day came, only seven attended — but the idea of quitting never crossed our minds. We tried again in 2018 (8 attendees), and in 2019 Shiloh added custom giveaway items that were nostalgic to the unit, increasing interest and convincing 18 brothers to attend.
By 2020, Shiloh had to begin running the event without Michael due to health complications and again welcomed 18 veterans plus family members. In 2021, the reunion moved from being an outdoor event to indoors at Acorns Resort at Milford Lake, KS, right outside of Fort Riley. This proved to be a turning point in our event, and we saw attendance jump to nearly 50 veterans and a dozen family members. The success sparked something deeper: the realization that these gatherings were more than social events. For many veterans with PTSD, reconnecting with brothers they hadn’t seen in 20 years was life changing.
Spouses began attending, curious about the profound changes they saw in their husbands after the reunions. Some shared emotional stories — how, after years of emotional distance, their loved ones finally “came home” from Iraq or Afghanistan (in spirit) after attending the event.
From this, a nonprofit was born. Shiloh wanted to find a way to support these incredible veterans with actions instead of just words. He wasn’t sure exactly what could be accomplished at first but in the last five years we have:
*Installed memorials in high schools for fallen heroes who didn’t have them, ensuring younger generations know the sacrifices made by former students.
*Donated service dogs to veterans with PTSD — one in Texas and one in Florida — covering the full cost of the dog and certification training.
*Awarded $80,000 in scholarships to the children of combat veterans, with each $10,000 scholarship going directly to the educational institution (trade school, technical school, community college, or university).
*Hosted Fallen Heroes Memorial Road Marchs, honoring the 1-41’s fallen brothers and others. At the halfway point, participants share the names of those lost, ensuring they are never forgotten. Everyone who finishes receives a custom medal, with a new design each year.
Since 2021, the reunion has grown every year, reaching nearly 200 attendees in 2025. It’s now a two-day event, and this year featured a 1.5-hour concert by Coffey Anderson, singer of “Mr. Red White and Blue,” who stayed to meet and take pictures with everyone. When Shiloh started the nonprofit, the goal was to figure out a way to offset the cost of the event. In the beginning the cost was manageable, but as things grew, we had to look at more appropriate options for an event like this. With the success of the organization came additional opportunities to do more for the veteran community. Shiloh never would have imagined it would grow to the level that it has, but the impact has been huge.
In 2024, CSM Michael Eilers came to the reunion. This was the first time we had any involvement from the active regiment leadership. CSM Eilers was able to see firsthand what we were doing and the impact that it was having on the previous members from the unit. Since then, the organization has been in contact with the unit at Fort Carson. Shiloh was awarded Distinguished Member of the 41st Infantry Regiment and the Order of Saint Maurice. He also received the title of Kentucky Colonel for several memorials placed in Kentucky for our fallen heroes. In 2025, we had freshly retired MSG Andrew Richmond attend. He came on behalf of the current leadership and because CSM Eilers had talked about it so highly.
For Shiloh, organizing these efforts has been both a creative outlet and a way to address survivor’s guilt. It’s about filling the void left when brothers didn’t make it home — for the veterans and their families.
Seeing these guys hug, exchange numbers, and slip right back into the camaraderie we had in uniform…” it’s the purest form of therapy we could ever get. We deserve better. This is my solution — and it’s working for hundreds of veterans.”
The mission is clear: make a real impact, honor the fallen, and continue growing the organization so that more veterans, families, and communities feel the healing power of brotherhood.
Shiloh Hawkesworth
President and Treasurer
- Distinguished Member of the 41st Infantry Regiment
- Order of Saint Maurice
- Kentucky Colonel
Born and raised in Kansas and joined the Army in June of 2001. Began hosting company reunions in 2010 for Bco 1-41. In 2017, he joined Michael Norwood to make the event include all of Task Force 1-41. After the event began to grow, he developed the nonprofit to formalize what the group was trying to accomplish.
When asked why he does this, Shiloh replied “Because it’s important to me. As we get older, I feel this therapy becomes more and more important. Not just for us, but also for our families.”
Kelly Norwood
Secretary
Born in Independence, MO. She has been part of our community since helping Michael Norwood organize and ‘work’ the first Task Force reunion in 2017. Kelly serves as a key point of contact for any emergencies involving unit members and their families and encourages participation from spouses and children. She brings warmth and commitment to building a strong, inclusive environment where veterans and their loved ones feel connected and supported.
Tabitha Hawkesworth
Director of Operations
Born and raised in Kansas. She joined the board in 2023. Tabitha leads the coordination of our veteran-support events– overseeing venues, scheduling, catering logistics, and other details to make sure everything runs smoothly. She also connects with businesses and private donors to gather raffle and auction items, along with other support that helps make the events what they are. Married to Shiloh Hawkesworth, she brings care and dedication to ensuring every gathering reflects the organization’s values of connection, respect, and camaraderie.
Robert Greene
Board Member
Born in Bristow, OK. Retired from the Army after 30 years and 6 months of service. He began attending the reunions in 2019 and immediately realized the positive impact they had on his brothers. Since then, Robert has become increasingly involved, now serving as the reunion pontoon boat captain– taking families out on the lake the day before each reunion so they can relax and enjoy their time together.