Green Beret Widow’s Fund for Melissa S. LaRose

Our beloved friend, brother, and Rex Defense Project Coordinator Tim LaRose passed to the other side unexpectedly on February 28, 2020.  He is survived by his wife Melissa S. LaRose and his six children.  Tim was a good man and a straight shooter. No matter what it cost him, he always strived to do the right thing. He will be dearly missed. This fund is for his widow, Melissa, who will certainly be in need of your prayers in the months and years to come.  

Tim served as a 180A in the United States Army Special Forces in over five different war zones for 20 years.  As a Special Forces warrant officer, Tim was an experienced subject matter expert in unconventional warfare, operations and intelligence fusion, and planning and execution at all levels across the operational continuum. Tim advised commanders on all aspects of special operations and are responsible for the integration of emerging technologies and he served as commander of various specialized teams over the years.  He has dedicated his entire life to the defense of this country and to ensure the liberty of the American people.

His team was 1st on the ground in Afghanistan to respond to critical targets immediately after 9/11. In Desert Storm Tim served on the ground doing strategic reconnaissance.  He served on the QRF (quick reaction force) in Somalia responding to the downed Blackhawks, saving many lives. He served as Country Manager in Iraq after the military directing training & operations for major contractors.  Like so many others, his resume and operational experience could not be fit into any single novel.

As the Military Coordinator and the Project Zulu manager for Rex Defense, we had been working on many projects that he was not yet able to fully reap the fruits of due to his untimely early passing.  If you enjoyed Tim’s excellent instruction and mentorship at the Designated Marksman or the Small Unit Tactics courses, please help us share this link so ensure that his wife, Melissa, is more than covered for what was to become potentially fruitful for his family.

Tim, a “Quiet Professional”:

As the quintessential “silent professional”, Tim never wanted me to share his full experience record while he was alive.  However, I feel compelled and responsible to give folks an idea of what these guys do to keep us safe, to ensure better support of the families of these great warriors who pass on.  In a true spirit of humility and in support of the SF community widows, here is a small fraction of what Tim did, just in his professional life.  Much had to be redacted, of course.

Tim’s warrior experience:

Base Expeditionary Targeting and Surveillance Systems Combined (BETSS-C). Operations Manager, Southern Afghanistan, SAIC, 05/2013-04/2014. Advised and Assisted the BETSS-C OIC in Kandahar. Identified and confirmed locations of BETSS-C systems. Coordinated with Task Force Operations in the use of BETSS-C systems and how their abilities supported the Task Force objectives. Prepared and conduced briefings on BETSS-C capabilities to TF personnel and other interested parties. Advised with CJSOTF on BETSS-C equipment and capabilities

BETSS-C Surveyor, Afghanistan, SAIC 05/2012-05/2013. Conducted Surveys of FOBs and COPs for BETSS-C systems. Briefed Commanders on the purposes and abilities of the BETSS-C systems. Traveled to most of the FOBS and COPS in Southern Afghanistan. Concentrated on CJSOTF and SOTF sites.

OST-I Security Advisor; UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, 10/2011-12/2011. Short term contract advising Bell Helicopter on security and force protection at several air shows in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, including the 2011 Dubai Air Show. Traveled with Bell Helicopters on Container Ship from Dubai through Red Sea to Houston, TX as part of Counter-Piracy contingent.

Private Company Deputy Country Security and Operations Manager, Afghanistan: 05/2010-06/2011 (responsible for the security of over 17,000 personnel in Afghanistan); Directly supervised Regional Security and Operations Managers (approximately 250 personnel). Successfully set up Fluor camps in the Ghazni District without causalities during frequent attacks. Wrote Security and Operations Policies and Procedures for the program which ensured the safety of personnel in hostile areas.  Interpreted intelligence and daily SIGACTS for Country Management to prepare for future attacks.  Oversaw PSD movements, BATS/HIIDES Project, and Evaluations of FOBS.

Private Deputy Country Security Manager/Senior Security Manager in Iraq: 05/2007-04/2010 (responsible for the security of over 3000 personnel in Iraq); Directly Supervised 30 Security personnel and approximately 300 contracted    security personnel. Ensured Threat and Vulnerability Assessments could be acted on.  Conducted initial assessments of new sites and supervised construction of new camps   until the site was secure.  Ensured Fluor assets and personnel were protected on US Army FOBs.

Conducted source operations around bases in Iraq to gather local information on enemy operations; and to establish rapport with the tribal sheiks and local chiefs of police. Conducted PSD operations to move personnel to camps outside the FOBs. Conducted liaison missions with local Iraqi military commander to better protect camps.

Project Manager of the Military Intelligence Academy for Iraqi Special Operations Forces (Triple Canopy) (project consisted of 45 US instructors, 50 Iraqi Instructors, and approximately 300 students per class): 07/2006-04/2007;

Instructed Iraqi Special Operations Forces in intelligence gathering and use per direction of the US Army Force Commander, General Petraeus.  Instructed Iraqi Special Operations Forces in operations planning, intelligence gathering, and counter intelligence.

Instructed Iraqi Special Operations Forces in PSD operations. Supervised the writing of the Military Intelligence Academy curriculum to turn the instruction over to Iraqi instructors. Advised initial missions on planning and assaults by newly formed Iraq Special Operations forces assigned to Iraqi Army divisions.

Project Manager/PSD team leader for Fluor Security PSD and static security teams: 03/2004-06/2006 (project consisted of 38 former USSF personnel, 102 Gurkhas, 1200 Iraqi Kurds); Ensured PSD teams safely moved US Army Corp of Engineers, and State Department individuals throughout Iraq to visit various reconstruction projects. Conducted reconnaissance of routes and locations throughout Iraq. Conducted threat and vulnerability analysis of various USA Corp of Engineer sites and sites throughout Iraq. Conducted low and middle source operations to collect information on the threat situation in the different military sectors. Trained Iraqi Army personnel in personal security detail.

Operations Warrant Officer: 2nd Battalion 10th Special Forces Group, Ft. Carson, CO/Iraq. 01/2002-04/2004


Tim was a true believer. Tim was a true patriot. Tim was a gentleman, a scholar, and a warrior.  Tim loved his children and bragged on them all the time. Tim had a great sense of humor.  Tim treasured his wife.  Tim was very excited at any opportunity to help his fellow patriots continue work in the cause.  Tim put his life on the line to serve this country, even after his military service.  Tim will be sorely missed by many.