TAPS Legacy and Military Mentors

During campouts, hiking adventures, regional seminars, and special events, TAPS Youth Programs strives to provide one-on-one mentoring for bereaved military children and teens through the legacy and military mentor program. That’s where you come in.

A military mentor is someone who currently serves in the military or is a veteran and can be a caring companion and a reminder to TAPS kids that the military still cares for them. A legacy mentor is a military survivor who has graduated from Good Grief Camp and is ready to support younger survivors who will follow in their path.

As a mentor, you'll be a buddy to a brave child throughout the event as they share and connect with other surviving kids and learn how to honor their loved ones. You may do art projects and play silly games. You may throw footballs and cheer them on in relays. You'll definitely create lasting memories and feel pride in yourself for the work you've done.

By volunteering as a legacy or military mentor, you can be a source of hope for a TAPS child. See below on how to register.

Legacy and Military Mentor Registration

To get started as a legacy or military mentor, visit our calendar of events to find an upcoming event to volunteer at. Select the event you're interested in, and then click on the registration link at the top of the page.

Once registered, you may need to complete a background check and attend a New Mentor Training and Orientation in-person after you arrive to the event. TAPS also provides an optional online Good Grief Camp training course; this course reinforces but doesn't replace the required in-person training. The mentor volunteer training is designed to help you navigate being a mentor to a surviving military child and ensure you and your buddy have the best experience possible.

For questions about mentoring at the Good Grief Camp, call 800-959-TAPS (8277) or email mentors@taps.org.