Cole Hauser Has Been Quietly Helping Families Of Fallen Service Members For 20 Years

Meghan Overdeep
·2 min read
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“I'm a big fan of second chances.”

<p>Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images</p>

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

When he’s not bringing Rip Wheeler to life on Yellowstone or cheering for his son on the football field, Cole Hauser is busy pursuing another passion: helping the families of fallen service members.

Hauser sits on the board of directors for Special Operations Warrior Foundation, a non-profit that provides educational scholarships for the surviving children of fallen Special Operations personnel and Medal of Honor recipients. Since its founding in 1980, the Tampa-based charity has awarded 1,100 scholarships to young students.

Hauser began volunteering with the organization more than 20 years ago.

"I'm a big fan of second chances," he explained to CBS News. "For kids when they lose a family member … it's a huge loss for them and the idea that they have a second chance to go and educate themselves."

"Maybe it's just my way of serving… this country, the soldiers, their families," the father of three continued.

In addition to financial contributions, Hauser’s work with Special Operations Warrior Foundation has included a USO tour in Afghanistan as well as visits to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Most recently, the Yellowstone star has been helping the foundation's president, Clay Hutmacher, to expand scholarships to Special Operations families who lose a non-military parent.

"These spouses play a critical role in our service members' lives and their ability to serve… We should honor their service," Hutmacher told CBS News.

Hauser said he was inspired to help military families by his late grandfather Milton Sperling, a WWII marine turned Hollywood producer and screenwriter, whose numerous contributions to film history include Battle of the Bulge, The Court-Marshall of Billy Mitchell, and more.

"I think it's as good as it gets as a human, like just the human element of wanting to help,” Hauser said. “Just to see somebody go through that moment of like grace." 

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