Gretchen Smith started CodeofVets™ to honor her father, Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, a Bronze Star Medal recipient, 100 percent disabled Vietnam Veteran, who was exposed to agent orange and lost his battle with PTSD at age 57.
Gretchen recently attended a funeral for an unclaimed veteran named Billy. Only seven people attended, and no one spoke about Billy. Gretchen, upset by this, recorded this video:
Periscope: https://www.pscp.tv/w/1djxXRwPrXzGZ
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/codeofvets/status/1234995720823795712
It moved me.
Gretchen operates CodeofVets™ on 1% and is reliant on donations for all the good work she does to make a practical difference in veterans’ lives, one vet at a time. That help can be to assist with funeral expenses, to pay utility bills, rent, buy food or whatever is needed to give the vet and the family a hand up in reclaiming their lives.
I’ve watched her for months, and so when this video came out, I knew the pain she was feeling was genuine. Along with many others, I prayed and posted a message to Billy. Then I made a donation in Billy’s honor to CodeofVets™.
As the wife of a 22-year veteran, I’ve often been moved by the plight of veterans. You’ve read the stories I’ve written about military member challenges since 1995, and you know I’ve dedicated royalties received to organizations before, so this will come as no surprise:
For the month of March, all royalties I receive on the sale of copies of HER PERFECT LIFE will be donated to CodeofVets™. This decision is in gratitude to Gretchen for the admirable work she does to make a difference and the vets for their service, acknowledging their post service struggles.
HER PERFECT LIFE is the award-winning story of a female pilot who was a POW for six years. What kept her going, enduring, was the hope of coming home. Only when she was rescued and did, home wasn’t there anymore. She’d been declared legally dead. Her home had been sold. Her husband had remarried. Her children barely remembered her, and she was a stranger to them. She thought she’d had the perfect life, and it was all gone.
Suffering PTSD, she soldiers on, because that’s what soldiers do, and she cobbles together a new life. It’s a physical and emotional struggle, but in the end, it is glorious!
If you’ve read HER PERFECT LIFE, please consider grabbing a copy for a family member or a friend. If you haven’t, please consider buying a copy to support this effort.
The book is available at Amazon in ebook and paperback here.
Learn more about CodeofVets™ at their website: Codeofvets.com.
You can donate direct to CodeofVets™ here.
Please help as you’re able:
- Follow @codeofvets on Twitter.
- Keep vets in your prayers.
- Pray for Gretchen and CodeofVets™ in their efforts to assist others.
Blessings and gratitude,
Vicki
