Lynnetta Smith: Helping Veterans & Their Families Ease into Civilian Life

Story by Cindy Reid  |  Photography by Erich Perez

Each year approximately 200,000 military members leave military service. Becoming a civilian means the veteran will now face a myriad of new issues in their life, from housing to employment. For some vets it is a smooth transition but for most there are bumps in the road.

Lynnetta Smith and her husband James Smith experienced major life changes when James retired from the military after a 20-year career in the US Army Signal and Intelligence Corp. Essentially Lynnetta herself had also served—both as a military spouse and as a dedicated civil servant, with a primary focus on budget-related responsibilities spanning across various branches of the military.

The transition to civilian life was both welcome and difficult, an experience they weathered and thrived under, but with a determination to support other veterans on their journey.

That is why they founded a non-profit organization, Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom (CB2TB) in 2019.

“We named our organization ‘Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom’, because it is exactly what our vets are experiencing, as the vets' boots go from the military to somebody's boardroom,” says Lynnetta. “We are here to help veterans transition into civilian life.”

After having gone through the process themselves, both James and Lynnetta want to make it less stressful on military families as they navigate uncharted waters. “One day you are wearing a uniform and the next day you are applying for a job," says Lynnetta. “It’s a huge life change and it can be painful to go through.”

The organization’s mission is to transform lives and promote economic independence for veterans and their families through entrepreneurship, education, leadership and developmental training, health and wellness support, and assistance in transitioning into the civilian sector.

CB2TB is currently conducting a “United We Stand” campaign with leaders in the community to raise awareness for PTSD and support P.R.O.S.P.E.R. (Preparation, Resilience, Opportunity, Support, Purpose, Empowerment, Re-education)—their non-profit initiative to assist veterans transition more smoothly out of the military and into civilian life.

“We have two programs," says Lynnetta, “Vets Day 365 for adults, both men and women, whose main initiative is P.R.O.S.P.E.R., and Kits for Kids, which is the umbrella for everything we do for military children.” 

P.R.O.S.P.E.R. is a leadership and development program that takes place over the course of nine months. It employs a comprehensive and ecosystem-based approach to provide the transitioning veteran with exclusive behind the scenes experiences and fresh opportunities across multiple industries. It addresses employment and also how to become self-employed. For most of those leaving military service, being an entrepreneur is a completely new skill set.

“One of the major challenges in terms of career choices after they leave the military is how to successfully start their own business. There are those that go on to achieve this goal, but there are also those who never try, even though they would like to. They choose not to out of fear, a lack of knowledge, or support. This is why we formed Veterans’ Day 365. This program was founded as a way to provide the necessary support to veterans so they can become successful entrepreneurs.”

Lynnetta says, “When you are really fresh out of the military you often don't know what you want to do. Our program features leadership, networking and entrepreneurship.”

She says the challenges veterans face are as individual as the service person. “Everyone is different, which is one of the reasons we visit eight different industries. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for the one sitting next to them.” 

The basics of military service does not necessarily translate well to civilian life. After leaving the service, veterans have to figure out who they are after having been told where to work, what to wear, even what they do for healthcare for so long.

“And then when they transition out they are told to go ‘do what you want.’  Some have been in the military their entire adult life from the age of 17 to their mid 40s,” says Lynnetta. During this transition, many vets experience anxiety and struggle when in large groups. Transitioning out is a profound change to their identity.

Most veterans' experience of employment is different than civilians, in such issues as time management, accountability, and personal leave.

“The longer someone has been in the military, the harder the transition,” says Lynnetta, “Rank is usually not relevant to their next chapter in the civilian sector.”

Although being thanked for their service by civilians is appreciated, what veterans really need is a good landing in civilian life. This is particularly true for wounded veterans because their military service often ended abruptly, and sometimes not by their choice.

“Someone else got to choose their exit, so they didn't get to have closure. Being told you are no longer fit for duty is a very hard thing,” says Lynnetta, “They were not finished. Wounded veterans are always special in my heart, and I know we can provide support through our program and make a profound impact on their lives.”

What’s Next?

CB2TB is ready to launch their next initiative Fiscal Masonry, a program designed for military spouses. Lynnetta says, “Many spouses are ready to be entrepreneurs and brick by brick we will guide you through the steps and provide mentorship. This gives a spouse something for themselves. In addition, a home-based business transitions well when you move because you can bring it with you!”

Kits 4 Kids was started by Nicole and Blythe Smith, Lynnetta and James’s daughters, based on their own experiences with a parent who was deployed and how they were able to cope with his deployment.

The program includes an annual $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior of a veteran parent in Bryan, Chatham, Liberty or Effingham County.

They are also getting ready to launch a new bookmobile program called Pages & Reels. After visiting the bookmobile, the children get to choose a book they can bring home and keep. Pages & Reels is seeking community support, from book donations to business sponsorships.

Lynnetta says, “Literacy is the main Kits for Kids cause. We will be traveling to school community events and would love to partner with multiple schools in the area.”

Community Support

Like most non-profits, CB2TB hosts a variety of fundraisers to ensure that all costs are covered for the veterans in their programs. They host an annual gala, which honors the “United We Stand” Candidate of the Year combined with the “Lip Synch Battle” that puts a voice to PTSD. Other organizations can host events to benefit CB2TB, such as a movie night in the park, private dinners and 5k walk/runs.

The downtown development authority in Richmond Hill donated a large outside sign in Richmond Hill to increase the group’s visibility and many vets find CB2TB from the sign, as well as from word of mouth. The program is always open to new partnerships from business and educational organizations.

“Partnership with us is a plus,” says Lynnetta, “Onboarding new employees is expensive and CB2TB can save you money by introducing the vets in our program to your business.”

She says it has been rewarding to witness growth and to connect the vets with the community. The classes are limited to 25 participants and take place over nine months with an assignment due at every monthly session.

“Although the participants in our classes may think they are coming for one thing, they usually don’t think they would get the education and support that they do get," says Lynnetta, “Part of what we do is to help build confidence while showing our vets the community is excited to welcome them. And once vets break into an industry they reach back to other vets.”

Which is just what Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom is all about. Their “United We Stand” Campaign is elevating voices, inspiring change, and bringing awareness to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).