Former Kansas University golfer Dan Rooney flies F-16 bomber jets for the United States Air Force. He recently started a new charity - the Fallen Heroes Foundation - to provide college scholarship money to children who lost parents serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

For most, juggling the duties of father, husband, golf pro and pilot of F-16 bomber jets for the United States Air Force would be enough to stay busy. Dan Rooney is not like most people. His motor runs much faster, harder, longer.

A former Kansas University golfer who lives in Tulsa, Okla., when he’s not flying for his country in Iraq, Rooney ranks those two passions behind a new facet to his life. He has started a charity called the Fallen Heroes Foundation. It raises college scholarship money for children who lost parents serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. He said the sight of a 4-year-old boy at his father’s funeral triggered him into action.

“It’s my true passion in life,” Rooney said while in town last weekend for the KU golf reunion.

It started last summer with a golf tournament in Grand Haven, Mich., and it’s “growing exponentially,” Rooney said.

“There’s a huge need, not only from the financial aspect, but just to let these kids know that we care about them,” Rooney said. “They’re the lost story. Their fathers, for the most part, have been killed, and the family goes off and is kind of lost and forgotten. It’s our way to let them know that, hey, you’re not lost, you’re not forgotten. We care about you, and while we can’t bring your father back, we may be able to relieve some financial burden and help you get a college education, if that’s something you want to pursue down the road.”

Rooney, who said he expects to leave soon for his third tour of duty in Iraq, said it is the goal of Fallen Heroes to be able to fund a college education for every child who wants one and is unfortunate enough to have qualified by losing a parent.

“It looks like the potential is tremendous,” he said.

‘The sky’s the limit’

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports, recognized by peers as one of the nicest gentlemen in the sports television industry, plans to do a feature on Rooney that will air during coverage of the PGA Championship in August. Golf Digest and Golf World, although not financial backers, have helped the cause by publicizing it. The PGA and Golf Course Owners Association also are forming plans for how to help the cause, according to Rooney. Several universities already have pledged scholarships.

“The sky’s the limit with the foundation,” Rooney said. “It’s such a right and good cause.”

Rooney wanted to make it clear he does not consider himself a hero.

“Our tours are anywhere from 45 days to 60 days,” Rooney said. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s not fun. You’re excited to go do the job and come back. The guys on the ground are the real heroes. The guys who are on the ground are there 12, 14 months at a time.”

Rooney knows his history well enough to know there was a time when foundations such as the one he has created weren’t as necessary.

“During World War I and World War II, it was like the entire country went to war,” Rooney said. “And for whatever reason that mentality has kind of been lost over Vietnam and Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. But I believe there are a great number of patriots lying latent out there who have never had a call to action. We’re letting them know we need their help, we need to send these kids to school, and we’re giving them a vehicle by which to really help. Based on our initial response, I think that people are going to step up and do the righteous thing as great patriots and participate and help us get these kids to college.”

Former Kansas University golfer Dan Rooney flies F-16 bomber jets for the United States Air Force. He recently started a new charity - the Fallen Heroes Foundation - to provide college scholarship money to children who lost parents serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

‘We drop bombs’

Asked to describe an F-16, Rooney said, “Single seat, air-to-air, air-to-ground.”

What does that mean?

“That means we drop bombs,” he said. “We’re close air support for the troops on the ground, and we do some pre-planned strike stuff; laser-guided bombs.”

He isn’t allowed to get any more specific than that because much of what else he knows is classified information.

At KU, he tooled around on a motorcycle, not necessarily the standard mode of transportation for a collegiate golfer. It didn’t satisfy his need for speed.

“I always loved the thought of flying, and I love my country, and it was a great combination of the two,” he said. “The F-16 is the greatest jet in the world, in my opinion. It’s one of the purest flying platforms ever made. It’s an aircraft that can go Mach 2.5, 1,600 miles an hour. It’s an incredibly busy, dynamic job, not unlike golf.”

To the casual observer, golf might seem as if it’s a pleasurable stroll interrupted by a nice, easy swing at a stationary, dimpled ball. Those who play the game, particularly at a high level, know better.

“I always say there is never the perfect flight like there’s never a perfect golf round,” Rooney said. “There are a lot of similarities playing golf, believe it or not. The mental stress that you’re under. Your heart rate. Your palms sweating. Being under pressure. You still have to be able to perform. I took a lot of those same attributes that I learned playing golf at the University of Kansas straight into the Air Force. Conversely, I always joke with these guys (former KU golfers) that if I could have flown F-16s before I played golf at KU, I probably would have been one of the best players in the country, just because you get mentally so tough.

“And you’re in those demanding situations, and failure isn’t an option. Out of bounds isn’t an option when you’re in Iraq. Scrutiny is much more intense than it would be if you were a golfer, and the stakes are a lot higher, but you just learn as your brain gets stretched to that capacity, and you realize you can perform in those kinds of situations, it transcends its way back to golf.”

Both arts are about precision and consistency.

“In flying and golf, you have that process, your routine, your physical and mental routine, and those absolutely translate through both,” said Rooney, who received his master’s degree in sports psychology. He said he enjoys working with other golfers on their routines.

Self’s a fan

KU basketball coach Bill Self knows the Rooney family well. Dr. John Rooney, Dan’s father, is an author, a golf consultant, a Golf Digest contributor and a professor of geography at Oklahoma State University. Self did nine hours of his master’s degree from Oklahoma State under Rooney, studying geography of sports.

“The research taught me Washington, D.C., produces more Division I players per capita than any area in America,” Self said. “At least it did back then. I learned a lot through his class.”

Self came to know the son through the father.

“We all think we are pretty important until we run across somebody like that who is making a serious difference and will continue to make a difference in the future,” Self said of Dan Rooney.

The younger Rooney’s Fallen Heroes Foundation is growing so fast, he said, even technology hasn’t been able to keep up with it. A Web site is in the works, but isn’t yet complete. His commitment to the cause is so strong he has made his personal e-mail address public for those who want to contribute. He said he can be contacted at jrooney10@cox.net.