Podcast appearances and mentions of Danny E Smiley

Regardless of what branch of the military they served in, veterans rely upon their training to remain strong and tough. But sometimes, what they experienced during active duty makes it difficult for them to transition back into civilian life. When that is the case, they need to be connected with the right kind of assistance. Sgt. Danny E. Smiley served in the Airborne Infantry for two tours in Vietnam. The trauma he experienced while he was in the jungle started his battle with PTSD. He struggled throughout his adult life and eventually lost the battle. His daughter, Air Force Veteran Gretchen Smith, wanted to take action to honor his memory, and so she founded Code of Vets, a 501c3 organization that connects veterans with the resources they need through social media. In this episode of Veteran Voices, produced in partnership with Vets2Industry, Scott Luton interviews Gretchen Smith about: · The instant exposure to diversity that serving in the military offers, and how that can very quickly broaden someone’s perspective and understanding of others · The complex web of emotions, hardships, and tradeoffs veterans have to navigate before they can determine the right way to seek the help they need · The “hidden needs” that Code of Vets is meeting for veterans that pass away without family or end-of-life plans in place Additional Links & Resources: Learn more about Veteran Voices here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/veteran-voices Subscribe to Veteran Voices and other Supply Chain Now programs here: https://supplychainnow.com/subscribe Learn more about Vets2Industry: https://vets2industry.org/ Learn more about Code of Vets: https://www.codeofvets.com/ This episode was hosted by Scott Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/veteran-voices-34

Gretchen Smith is an Air Force veteran. The inspiration behind Code of Vets came from Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, Smith’s dad - her Airborne Angel. He was a Bronze Star Medal recipient, 100-percent disabled Vietnam Veteran and exposed to agent orange. He lost his battle with PTSD at age 57 and Gretchen knew she needed to honor his memory and find away to assist others so they wouldn’t face the same fate. Connect with Gretchen & Code of Vets at the links below: Website: https://www.codeofvets.com/ Donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3UREBTRV36U9N&source=url Shop: https://codeofvetsstore.com/ ************************ Your Host - Brad Richard Scars & Stripes Coffee: https://www.ss.coffee/bradrichard YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y7uzojak Manat50 School: https://brad-s-school-4d92.thinkific.com Website: https://www.bradrichard.net --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/manat50/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/manat50/support

Today we sit down with Gretchen Smith, founder of Code of Vets. With Veterans Day right around the corner, we thought it was high time we talked about Code of Vets, a non-profit organization which works to raise money through small personal donations and deliver it directly to veterans in need. Code of Vets is a 501c3 that exclusively uses social media to raise donations and awareness for veterans in crisis and/or in need. With more than 340,000 followers just on Twitter (they have a following on Facebook as well), Code of Vets has raised over $2MILLION in two years to help thousands of veterans with suicide prevention, housing, food, clothing, medical and transportation just to name a few — with only 2% operating costs — nearly every penny that came in went right back out to veterans. Veterans receive near immediate care/assistance upon request because of their unique platform. Code of Vets has caught the attention of celebrities and public figures alike including Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Sidney Powell, Larry The Cable Guy, Oak Ridge Boys, Scott Baio, Herschell Walker and Charlie Daniels. The inspiration for Code of Vets came from Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, Gretchen's dad and Airborne Angel. He was a Bronze Star Medal recipient, a 100 percent disabled Vietnam Veteran - exposed to agent orange. He lost his battle with PTSD at age 57. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From Suicide to Homeless, Vets Need Your Help This SeasonAs we all clamor for the best Christmas gift deals, many of our Veterans will still be clamoring to make their rent, pay their electricity, feed their families and if lucky, have enough money to provide a Christmas for their children. Not being able to provide this time of year is particularly devastating for our veterans with PTSD especially those suffering with depression and feeling like they “aren’t good enough” because they can’t provide for their families. There are so many ways to give this season, how about giving to a deserving Veteran family in need so they can provide Christmas for their family? Code of Vets receives multiple requests daily, for assistance with just the basics but when the holidays roll around "going without" is that much more difficult.Take for example this family, who has battled with health issues and homelessness: You can help a family like this by visiting holidays4vets.com and see the Amazon wish lists these Veterans in need have complied for their children. Code of Vets is a grassroots organization, run by a small core team, that tries every single day to alleviate some of the burdens that our Veterans are facing. Veterans, or people concerned about them, reach out to us through our website, email or on Twitter. They request our help with food, with emergency financial assistance for utilities or rent, with situations of homelessness, with PTSD related issues, or for advice concerning VA claims or medical matters, among many other things. Each Veteran’s situation is different and the solutions can be as simple as a one-time payment of a phone bill so that they can look for a job, or it can be as complicated as finding them permanent housing or helping them navigate the maze of bureaucracy at the VA. We take it one day at a time and help one Veteran at a time, hoping our efforts will get them on a path to wholeness and stability. We must also remember the number of vet suicides isn't budging either, in some cases it's worsening. The VA report released last month showed rate of suicide rose slightly, with rate still at about 20 deaths per day and veterans are 50% more likely to commit suicide than someone who hasn't served. Last month we had multiple vets reach out to us for crisis intervention after not be able to get through on the VA suicide hotline. We we there for them. It is particularly worse during the holidays so funds provided to help with monetary needs gives us one more way to try to keep their spirits up. Since before Thanksgiving we have seen an uptick in suicidal thoughts in our brothers and sisters in arms.Our inspiration came from Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, my dad, my Airborne Angel. He was a Bronze Star Medal recpient, a 100 percent disabled Vietnam Veteran - exposed to agent orange. He lost his battle with PTSD at age 57. R.I.P DadGretchen Smith USAF VeteranFounder, Code of Vets

How do you unsee what you've seen? Impossible really. The lasting impact of war on our veterans has a traumatic affect on every aspect of their lives; for the duration of their lives. Consider that our veterans are waiting months and even years for basic health care. The VA Appeals process takes minimum 2-5 years; in the mean time many of these veterans die while waiting. Veterans are living paycheck to paycheck. Many are disabled, have PTSD, and suicidal tendencies. The suicide rate among our veterans is an absolute crisis! Homelessness amongst veterans is at a record pace. "They have slipped through the cracks. Our government has done a very poor job of taking care of them," explains Gretchen Smith, Founder of the Code of Vets. That would explain why PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is destroying lives at record numbers. When Danny E. Smiley, US Army Airborne Infantry Sgt., returned home from war, he revealed something profound when he said, “Part of my humanity stayed in the jungle”. Sgt. Smiley's story is one for the ages. It is a story of sacrifice, courage, grace and humility. Gretchen Smith Growing up, Gretchen Smith and her two brothers were able to see firsthand the destruction that war had on their dad. They would each confirm their dad's sentiments on losing part of himself in the jungle of war! "Vietnam veterans were asked to keep their experiences quiet. I believe it damaged my dad on a very deep level," expressed Gretchen.  Empowered with this knowledge and the current plight of far too many veterans, Gretchen Smith said enough is enough! It is time for action, and with that she founded the Code of Vets. The Code of Vets supports and values brave veterans! They are bringing awareness and seeking practical solutions to the day to day struggles and issues of our veteran community, with a mission to be a powerful voice speaking for the rights of veterans with honor, dignity and respect. The story of Sgt. Danny E. Smiley takes a big u-turn when a shoe, and then another shoe arrive in his life. Smiley accomplished incredible feats in his short 57 years. Yet, the trauma of war took its toll on the man. From the brink of devastation and war, to the brink of success for veterans, Gretchen Smith is a Brink Thinker who is on the frontlines of the veteran community. The story continues on the Brink of Greatness Podcast… The Next Leap Forward As a people, we often get lost in the myriad of details and distractions of the day-to-day grind. We find ourselves challenged with stress and events that may never happen - yet we internalize the problem and get lost in the weeds. The attention and execution of those details make all the difference. As Gretchen Smith says, "We focus on one Veteran at a time".  That is the singular difference on why some achieve what others believe is unachievable. It is to focus on the details. One detail at a time. Excellence is the culmination of details executed. We salute Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, and Code of Vets Founder, Brink Thinker, Gretchen Smith. MORE ON THE BRINK OF GREATNESS HERE For Further Details: Website: http://www.codeofvets.com/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/codeofvets DONATE: https://www.paypal.me/codeofvets SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST BELOW