Mike Reynolds, a descendent of the Kleberg family of King Ranch, smiles as he talks during The Great American Shoot, a fundraising event benefitting The Special Forces Trust, which supports America’s Green Berets at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning NewsOver a decade ago, a descendant of the family behind Texas’ legendary King Ranch decided he wanted to raise money for a nonprofit that funds mental health support for the U.S. Army Special Forces. Instead of a gala, he put on a shooting competition.
The Great Americans Shoot, the 13th annual event to raise money for Special Forces Trust, is taking place at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville this weekend. After a Friday dinner, the shoot officially kicked off Saturday with a clay competition, in which participants shot at artificial targets.
The event drew donors and members from Texas, Arizona, Florida, California, New Jersey, Connecticut and elsewhere, said The Great American Shoot’s founder, Mike Reynolds. He grew up in Austin, and his late mother was a part of the Kleberg family associated with King Ranch.
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A man fires a shotgun during The Great American Shoot, a fundraising event benefitting The Special Forces Trust, which supports America’s Green Berets at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning NewsParticipants wore matching shirts with their team names on them — such as “The Inglourious Basterds” and “Come and Take It” — while rain fell on them Saturday morning as they fired shotguns. On Sunday, attendees will participate in a multi-gun competition.
A man fires a shotgun during The Great American Shoot, a fundraising event benefitting The Special Forces Trust, which supports America’s Green Berets at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning NewsThe Bass family of Fort Worth and Walter Finger of Houston’s prominent real estate family are among the event’s backers.
Each donor had to donate or raise $10,000 to participate, Reynolds said. So far, around $2.4 million has been raised this year.
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In 2011, Reynolds met military members who were competing in military-inspired challenges for the online reality series Maximum Warrior. Reynolds was struck by his observation that, although it didn’t bother them, the service members assumed that people outside of their circles didn’t care about the work they did.
A man fires a shotgun during The Great American Shoot, a fundraising event benefitting The Special Forces Trust, which supports America’s Green Berets at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News“We came up with the idea that everybody would like to be able to do more than shake their hand and say ‘Thank you for your service,’” Reynolds said, sporting a shirt covered with an American flag.
At a post-shoot lunch, former and current members of the military told stories of their deployment, which included fighting the Taliban. The members, as well as wives of those who have fought in the military, also talked about the mental, physical and relational toll of combat.
Top competitors won prizes from high-end rifles and pistols to a motorcycle and an amphibious Argo Vehicle.
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The Great Americans Shoot is Special Forces Trust’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The nonprofit funds therapy for Green Berets in the U.S. Army Special Forces, who are able to request services with an anonymous identification number.
The Special Forces Trust also facilitates communal events such as hunting and fishing outings and connects those with more significant needs to treatment. It also has programs for family members. Those who aren’t Green Berets can still reach out to connect to reliable organizations, said Rebecca Houlihan, Impact Director at Special Forces Trust.
Major Tim Clark, 40, who is from Highland Village near Denton
He has known officers who have seen their friends die or become addicted to pain medications after getting injuries.
Green Beret recruits often have a specific personality type, Clark said.
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A man smiles after he fired a shotgun during The Great American Shoot, a fundraising event benefitting The Special Forces Trust, which supports America’s Green Berets at the Dallas Gun Club in Lewisville, Texas, Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News“You’re independent, you have an internal drive, you can work with a team or you can work by yourself, and part of that means that you don’t want to show any weakness,” Clark said. “You don’t want to talk about your feelings or about how things are negatively affecting you because that could jeopardize your position on the team. But with the Trust, you can get the help you need without having to go through a more formal process.”
Houlihan said the event’s attendees have become like a big family.
“The connection that is made during this weekend is something that happens organically,” she said.
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Over the years, The Great Americans Shoot has raised around $20 million for the Special Forces Trust, Reynolds said.
The Great Americans Shoot has been held in other places, including Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Tennessee and California. Next year, Reynolds is considering hosting the event in Florida
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