Veterans Team Up to Serve Community

Military veterans from Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) and RTX collaborated to complete campus improvements at Ocotillo Learning Center on Friday, November 14. 

More than 24 volunteers came together to complete projects across the campus, including expanding the outdoor Sensory Garden, building a fence and storage shed, assembling furniture and equipment, and refreshing interior spaces. This work, made possible through generous support from RTX, is a continuation of a project started in October.  

“Working side by side, volunteers from RTX and Travis Manion Foundation made a lasting impact at Ocotillo Learning Center,” said Travis Manion Foundation CEO Ryan Manion. “These veterans have answered the call to continue their service after taking off the uniform, and as a result, the children and staff at Ocotillo Learning Center will have a safe and engaging place to learn and play.” 

“Thanks to the work of volunteers from TMF and RTX, our young learners at Ocotillo Learning Center will enjoy revitalized outdoor spaces. This group of volunteers has been generous with their time, effort, and resources in support of our community,” said Ocotillo Learning Center Director Norma Flores.  

“Tucson is home to thousands of RTX employees, many of whom are veterans or military-connected families themselves,” said Kristy Becerra, senior director, Corporate Social Responsibility at RTX. “We recognize that service is a lifelong commitment that reaches far beyond military duty. Connecting Travis Manion Foundation with Tucson Values Teachers allows us to continue to serve together and make a meaningful difference for our veterans, our community and our local schools like Ocotillo Learning Center.”

In 2025, Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) acquired The Mission Continues, bringing two best-in-class organizations together to provide more opportunities for veterans to find community, lead, and serve. Support from RTX is driving the expanded organization’s continued growth in Tucson and communities nationwide, empowering veterans to come together through service and address pressing needs in their communities. 

About Travis Manion Foundation

Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) unites communities to strengthen America's national character by empowering veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop and lead future generations. In 2007, 1stLt Travis Manion (USMC) was killed in Iraq while saving his wounded teammates. Today, Travis' legacy lives on in the words he spoke before leaving for his final deployment, "If Not Me, Then Who..." Guided by this mantra, veterans continue their service, develop strong relationships with their communities, and thrive in their post-military lives by serving as character role models to youth. As a result, communities prosper and the character of our nation’s heroes lives on in the next generation.