150 active-duty and former special operations athletes swam 3.3-miles across San Diego Bay, Saturday, to raise money and awareness for troops transitioning out of the U.S. military. The sixth annual Swim for SOF, raised more than $600,000 for The Honor Foundation with donations still being accep ted. The event in Coronado brought together U.S. Marines, Navy SEALs and members of other military branches to support the nonprofit, which helps special operations personnel transition out of military service and find a new career path. Kelly McGraw, CEO of The Honor Foundation, said that transition can mean losing a sense of identity and community. “A lot of people lose their identity and they lose that community that they’re used to working with for a strong united purpose,” she said. “The Honor Foundation is a transition program that really helps them find a new identity out of uniform.” Swimmers entered the water at Glorietta Bay and swam for about a mile and then and made a stop at Tidelands Park, Saturday, Coronado, Calif., September 19, 2026. Before entering the water, participants ran across Coronado Beach carrying American flags. Each swimmer committed to raising at least $1,500, with some receiving help from sponsors and others raising significantly more. Before the swimmers entered San Diego Bay, the event had already generated $600,000 in donations, surpassing The Honor Foundation’s fundraising goal. The money raised provides funding for additional education, career coaching, mentorship and a nationwide professional network—helping veterans translate their military skills into a new career and a new sense of purpose. The course also included a stop at Tidelands Park, where participants completed an honorary workout that included 22 pull-ups for veteran suicide and 100 pushups for fallen teammates. Tidelands Park served as a pit stop for athletes to take a break from their swim. They did a workout honoring fallen military members, Coronado, Calif, September 19, 2026. Ryan Sippel, a former U.S. Marine, participated after losing a good friend in the line of duty and seeing others struggle with their mental health while serving. “(You see men) all jacked and looked all tough on the exterior, but stuff weighs on you at home and it can be a bigger struggle than people see from first glance at somebody,” Sippel told NBC 7. Madison Edelstein is a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton. She described the uncertainty service members can face while preparing for future missions. “How the world is today, we don’t really know quite yet what we’re training for,” Edelstein said. “So, there’s ambiguity there. It’s hard to train for that. We’re training for everything, and it’s just a lot.” Although The Honor Foundation surpassed its goal, donations are still being accepted. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less