by MarketSmart | Aug 13, 2026
After retiring from the military and later from federal service, I found myself asking a question many veterans face: What does service look like now? I had spent much of my life serving something bigger than myself, and I knew I wasn’t ready for that chapter to end....
by MarketSmart | Aug 13, 2026
Joining the Travis Manion Foundation didn’t simply give me another place to volunteer, it gave me a renewed sense of purpose. After retiring from the Army and later losing my wife, Staff Sgt. Jari J. Hudgins, I spent a long time trying to understand what service...
by MarketSmart | Aug 13, 2026
I stumbled across the Travis Manion Foundation through a VA newsletter that happened to find me at exactly the right time. I read the words, “If Not Me, Then Who…” and immediately felt a connection. A few months earlier, I had left my career in the medical field to...
by MarketSmart | Aug 13, 2026
My journey with the Travis Manion Foundation began with a simple gift from one of my mentors—a Navy Master Chief who handed me a copy of Brothers Forever. I read the book with an open mind and an open heart, never expecting how deeply it would impact me. As an active...
by MarketSmart | Aug 13, 2026
It brought a sense of camaraderie and allowed me to connect with those who’ve also served. Also, I was Army and my brother served in the USMC, so it’s a great way for us to bond. It brought back that sense of pride from when I did wear the uniform. I am part of the...
