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the reason the foundation established its new Congressional Fellowship program. And it is not just perspective. "Over their 20-year careers, our special operators have built relationships around the world," Plewes adds. "Depending on the country, we have people who can pick up the phone and call someone right there at any time." In terms of the new program, the foundation aimed to enroll five people and evaluate its effectiveness. ey started close to home, placing a fellow with Congressman Ken Calvert, who represents California's 41st District, centered in the Palm Springs region. Even before the special operator finished his fellowship, Representative Calvert's office was already asking for the next fellow, and the foundation has had similar experiences with its other fellows. "Now, we're getting requests from both Democrats and Republicans, from Senator Warnock's office to Senator Kennedy's office," says Plewes. e program tries to match fellows when it comes to both expertise and geographic location. It is a symbiotic relationship, with some graduates of the program choosing to take permanent jobs "on e Hill," while others have moved on to positions in the defense industry or their home state. e primary constraint at this juncture is funding. e cost of providing a former special operator and their family with a year-long residence in the Washington, D.C., area is roughly $100,000. "If we had the support, I could place 20 fellows tomorrow," says Plewes of the program she and her partners at the foundation are working hard to expand. sofsupport.org @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE JANUARY 2026 31 Dominique Plewes with a SOF Congressional Fellow