Military Heroes Program
When there is a gap, we step in to make sure the individual and collective needs of our service members and their families are being met. We do this by forming partnerships with non-profit organizations working within our military communities and providing them with the resources and tools to empower our military heroes.
Veteran Wellness Initiative
Our Wellness Initiative is dedicated to fostering both the mental and physical well-being of America’s injured, wounded, ill, and aging heroes, as well as their families. Through targeted support, the initiative addresses the unique challenges faced by those who have sacrificed for our nation. We recognize that the wounds sustained in service to our country are not always visible. Our approach encompasses care for both physical injuries and the less apparent struggles, such as mental health concerns, ensuring comprehensive support for individuals. The Wellness Initiatives is committed to helping participants overcome boundaries and realize their full potential. By providing resources, encouragement, and a supportive environment, we enable our heroes and their loved ones to move forward and thrive.
Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Gretchen Evans
Command Sergeant Major Gretchen Evans (Ret.) is one of the most decorated female veterans in U.S. history. A distinguished senior military intelligence analyst and paratrooper, she served in high-tempo, high-risk missions across Grenada, Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2006, while deployed as a sergeant major in Afghanistan, a mortar blast caused a severe Traumatic Brain Injury and the loss of 95% of her hearing, an injury that ended her military career. For her bravery and service, Gretchen was awarded the Bronze Star for valor and heroism in combat.
Today, as a Purple Heart recipient, Gretchen continues to serve in a new way. She shares powerful, deeply personal stories that illuminate her journey from holding the Army’s highest enlisted rank to rebuilding her life after serious combat injury. Her perspective offers a rare, honest look into the resilience of today’s warriors, delivering lessons filled with courage, hope, humor, and unwavering determination. Through her voice, audiences gain both wisdom and inspiration, reminders of the strength that defines our veteran community.
Gretchen’s story is featured in the new 2020 bestselling book, What’s Within You, and in August 2020, Gretchen and her adventure racing team, Team UNBROKEN, were featured in the “World’s Toughest Race” on Amazon Prime, hosted by Bear Grylls and produced by Mark Burnett. Team UNBROKEN is the first totally disabled team to ever compete in this arduous adventure race. Their desire is to bring awareness that disabilities do not define or limit what is possible with hard work, grit, gumption, and a rope team.
Team UNBROKEN
Team UNBROKEN is the first totally disabled team to ever compete in this arduous adventure race. Their desire is to bring awareness that disabilities do not define or limit what is possible with hard work, grit, gumption, and a rope team. The PenFed Foundation President, Andrea McCarren, and Gretchen joined forced embarked on their RABRAI journey to honor our military heroes.
CreatiVets
We have partnered with CreatiVets to empower our military heroes! CreatiVets’ goal is to offer opportunities for relief and healing for the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country. Their purpose is to use various forms of art, including songwriting, visual arts, music, and creative writing, to help disabled veterans cope with service-related trauma (i.e., post-traumatic stress, or PTS) by fostering self-expression in a way that allows them to transform their stories of trauma and struggle into an art form that can inspire and motivate continued healing.