Matthew Buckley Jr. serves as the foundation’s operations specialist and crew chief. He assists in several areas including donor flight preparation, cross country flight operations with the L-39C Albatros fighter jet, fundraising activities, and foundation administration.

A 2022 graduate of Norwich University, the Military College of Vermont, Matthew played ACHA hockey and as a Cadet 2nd Lieutenant served in several leadership positions on the team and in the Corps of Cadets. He graduated with a BA in Political Science with a 3.4 GPA.

Matthew played Junior hockey with the Palm Beach Blackhawks as well as Boca Raton High School where he served as Captain and Assistant Captain. Off the ice Matthew held leadership positions in the NJROTC battalion and served on the Florida Scholastic Hockey League (FSHL) Leadership Academy and the Congressional Youth Council (CYC).

Matthew serves in the 125th Fighter Wing of the Florida Air National Guard and is deployed on active duty in support of Operation Epic Fury. He pursuing his private pilot license.