Veterans Request | Active-Duty Request | Community Involvement
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FAQs

Incorporated as a Pennsylvania non-profit on July 1, 2004, Operation Troop Appreciation (OTA) is an organization that demonstrates a united front of appreciation to our Armed Forces Past and Present. We are a tax exempt non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

OTA provides support through 2 programs:
Through our Active Duty “Wish-list” program, we work with military units, from squads to companies to battalions, and provide “wish list” items specifically requested by the troops in the field. These “wish list” items are intended to help ease the burden of deployment and are presented to the troops as symbols of our appreciation, support and encouragement.

We establish a point of contact within each deployed battalion to whom all items are shipped. This person is instructed to distribute the items equitably among the soldiers.
In addition to sending these items, OTA also sends letters to each unit, expressing gratitude for their daily service and sacrifice. A committee of OTA volunteers continues to correspond with any soldier who wishes to keep in touch.

Our “Welcome Home” program fills a gap in support our veteran community receives today, by helping to prevent homelessness and provide a “hand-up” for our veterans experiencing poverty today. Working with the VA and other veteran support organizations, “Welcome Home” provides support for veterans in need by helping to defray the costs associated with establishing a new home.

Our culture has a tradition of providing “house warming” gifts to friends and families moving into a new home. OTA extends this tradition, by providing gifts that help veterans and their families establish residence. We all know that moving into a new home can be stressful and costly. In the case of our homeless veterans, they enter new homes with only the clothes on their backs. A critical component of their full recovery and transition into civilian life is that they be healthy, rested and comfortable. To that end, OTA provides these families with a good bed and mattress, and essential household items to give them the best possible environment in which to live.

OTA provides items that are intended to supplement government and military issued supplies. Many of our troops live on remote outposts with limited access to supplies due to combat activity and location. We have identifeid gaps in services that our returning veterans receive, and in both cases, OTA strives to provide the items these brave men and women need most.

OTA is not affiliated with any political party and believes patriotism and support of our troops should extend beyond political lines and personal feelings of military involvement. OTA is a non-partisan organization focused on the INDIVIDUAL and is not focused on or involved with politics or foreign policy.

Our Active Duty program provides items to thousands of troops fighting terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa, and throughout the Middle East. We work with Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines serving as Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard. Our Welcome Home program provides support to veterans who have served and are currently residing in Western Pennsylvania. We help veterans who have served in all conflicts, from Viet Nam to the current war against terror.
We are a 100% volunteer, non-profit organization, so virtually all money is used to fund our troop and veteran support programs. Since 2004, the majority of our funding has been used to support these programs.  Because we have no paid staff our overhead is limited to facility cost and necessary business expense. This means the money we raise is used to buy and deliver items to our troops and veterans. A copy of our IRS Form 990 and financial statements can be obtained by sending a request  to info@OperationTroopAppreciation.org.

OTA focuses on helping entire units of deployed Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard. As a result, Troop Requests are intended to provide support to all members of the requesting soldiers unit, regardless of size (platoon, brigade, battalion, etc.).

Deployed troop members can Click here to submit a “wish list” request form.
If you are interested in becoming an OTA volunteer, please contact us at info@OperationTroopAppreciation.org

We are a grassroots organization that relies on word of mouth to publicize our cause. Please tell your friends, family, and colleagues about our organization and our need for funds. Make a donation if you can! All donations are tax-exempt to the fullest extent allowed by law.

We are in need of individual donors, and corporate and small business sponsors to help make our organization a success. Won’t you help us help the troops?

Operation Troop Appreciation:

500 Regis Avenue, PO Box 18052, Pittsburgh PA 15236.

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David leads the build-out of First Commonwealth’s advisory talent, with a particular emphasis on retirement and estate planning, and customized investment solutions. He is committed to providing a culture of customization and flexibility, ensuring superior service to the client.  

Before joining First Commonwealth, he served as Senior Vice President and Managing Director at FNB Wealth Management, responsible for the organization’s wealth management sales strategy, revenue retention efforts, investment agency accounts, employee benefit plans, foundations, endowments and trustee relationships. He also spent time at Federated Investors and PNC Wealth Management earlier in his career.  

David is a Certified Public Accountant, earning his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from John Carroll University in Ohio and received his MBA from Robert Morris College in Pittsburgh.

Lesley brings over 25 years of experience in financial services, focusing on Insurance & Annuity marketing, product and distribution. Before Joining GBU, Lesley served as the CMO and Head of Distribution for Knighthead Annuity & Life Assurance Company, as founding leader driving the company’s growth to over $2 Billion in assets under management. Lesley spent 20 years with Prudential Financial as SVP, Relationship Management for Prudential’s annuity business, responsible for the management, business development, sales, and marketing for the firm’s 300 institutional clients. She grew sales from under $10 billion a year to over $21 Billion, becoming the largest distributor of annuities in the industry.

As a senior executive, Lesley’s passion is around growing, developing, and evolving businesses, while leveraging the strengths that already exist in the business. She works to understand the culture, the business framework, and the people, shaping her determination to build high-performance teams and successful organizations. Lesley holds B.A. In Economics & Political Science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.