Dan Smee might look like your average guy next door, but upon a closer look, there’s nothing remotely average about him. A combat medic whose resilience and inner strength have helped him overcome major health issues and put a positive spin on his year-long deployment to Iraq, Dan is excited about his first book hitting the stands.
Born and raised in California, Dan was the first person in his family to join the military. Always a “natural daredevil” as a kid, he joined the Army as a medic in 1983 and ended his time in service in 1987. Then, after September 11, 2001, he joined the National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in March, 2004.
Dan had several run-ins with IEDs (improvised explosive devices) during his stay in Iraq, the most harrowing being at point blank range. Though Dan didn't have any visible wounds, he was far from being unscathed by the incident. He started having headaches, nightmares, ringing in the ears, blurry eyes, and trouble sleeping. These conditions, compounded by the absence of the once-familiar military structure, started taking a heavy toll on his civilian lifestyle. He turned to drinking and shut himself off from the world.
Finally, Dan decided to seek medical help and was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “Once I got into the clinics and started seeing practitioners and professional people for treatment, I began to deal with the PTSD and cut out alcohol on my own,” says Dan. He continues to receive physical therapy for his neck and shoulders at the polytrauma clinic and sees an audiologist for his hearing and speech. He's been given a hearing aid and is back in school, studying philosophy, as part of the disabled students’ program.
Out of his desire to help other veterans, Dan wrote a book titled “Totally American,” which presents a unique approach to achieving success through optimism and resiliency. He even started Holy Moly Press, his own publication company.
Dan heard about the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) from some recuperating soldiers and was moved by the logo. “It’s a fellow soldier helping another person in the military. That’s what I really feel a calling to do,” says Dan. “I’ve got to help the other guys still out there struggling. It’s tough. I know what they’re going through.”
Dan knows from personal experience the transition from military to civilian life is fraught with difficulties. “When I was in Iraq, I felt overwhelmed with pride for my country. After that, it was like a vacuum. You kind of lose purpose and direction on what you're going to do next. And having injuries only compounds it,” he notes. Dan feels by being a part of WWP, he will be able to effectively communicate with other veterans and help them find the support they need to get accustomed to civilian life.
Reconnecting with other veterans through WWP has not only helped Dan regain a sense of purpose, it has reinforced his values of integrity, honor, and optimism. “It's the connection with the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that really propels me forward. That's where the cure to a lot of problems is,” states Dan.
Andrew CoughlanSeptember 11 has played an ironic role in Andrew Coughlan’s life. The terror attacks in 2001 motivated his decision to join the Army. He landed in Baghdad for his deployment to Iraq on that date in 2003. And he came back exactly one year later—September 11, 2004—but only after suffering the horrors of war and loss in an area... + Full Story
Nancy SchiliroSelf-proclaimed tomboy Nancy Schiliro surprised her family when she enlisted in the Marine Corps. The Westchester, New York native comes from a traditional Italian family who was skeptical when she joined the military.She signed up with the Marine Reserves in April 2003 and was on Parris Island, S.C. before the end of the month. She trained for... + Full Story
Claude Boushey“I remember the ground coming really quick, and there was nothing I could do,” Claude Boushey said, reflecting on the helicopter crash in Iraq that broke his leg, shattered and compressed his vertebrae, and compromised 80 percent of his spinal canal. It was June 13, 2004. The mission started as support reconnaissance, but he was soon... + Full Story
Thomas GreenThomas Green was a cook in the Army, stationed at Camp Anaconda near Balad, Iraq, where his typical day consisted of waking before the roosters to feed nearly 20,000 troops. Also a trained soldier, Thomas was called upon to go on a mission. It was April 24, 2004. He was transporting troops and supplies. It took three hours, and the mission was... + Full Story
Leander HinesLeander Hines is a true survivor. A military policeman whose strong faith and resilience have helped him overcome leukemia, life-threatening injuries and death threats, Leander makes it a point to face each day with optimism.Raised by his grandparents in Corpus Christi, Texas, Leander joined the Army after completing the ROTC... + Full Story
Todd SchroederGrowing up the son of a Vietnam veteran, joining the Army was a natural way for Todd Schroeder to devote his life to something meaningful. He enlisted in February of 2001 and became a combat engineer for bridges. After a year in Korea, followed by a stint at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he was deployed to Iraq on February 14, 2003. “Ever since 9/11, I... + Full Story
David GuzmanInfamous as the menace of the neighborhood as a child, David Guzman hopes to be a famous chef in the future. The Purple Heart he wears with pride provides just a glimpse into the courage and resilience he musters up in the face of adversity.Raised in Utah and Texas, David joined the Army in 1989 after graduating high school and technical... + Full Story
Dan Smee
Born and raised in California, Dan was the first person in his family to join the military. Always a “natural daredevil” as a kid, he joined the Army as a medic in 1983 and ended his time in service in 1987. Then, after September 11, 2001, he joined the National Guard and was deployed to Iraq in March, 2004.
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Blake Stocker
After high school Blake joined the Marines, where he excelled in the infantry and would ultimately join a weapons company. For two years he worked with mobilized anti-armor missiles, demolitions, and heavy machine guns. His first two Pacific deployments involved combat training in seven different countries.
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Chris HormanAfter serving an eight-year career in the Marine Corps, including eight deployments, two of which were combat deployments in Haiti and Iraq, Chris Horman has spent the last three years trying to find his place in society.A husband and father of three, Chris’ military career began on May 5, 1998, and included anti-terrorism, security, and... + Full Story
Steven Miner
Steven says it was the death of his brother – who was only 22 – that reinforced the value of life and the importance of comforting the families of those who have passed. After the funeral of his grandmother, Steven says he lingered around, asking questions to the funeral director. + Full Story
Harold "Butch" FreemanBorn into a military family based in upstate New York, Harold "Butch" Freeman has considered the Army his second home ever since he enlisted back in 1978. Married for 22 years and blessed with two loving daughters, he met his wife in Maine and settled there. Today, Butch is a doting grandfather to his two grandsons, who are his pride and... + Full Story
Gary Mandelburg
“I’ve never been so thankful for a slap in the face.” This “knife in the heart” – as Gary Mandelburg puts it – were the words contained in an essay his daughter Kaye-Leigh wrote entitled My Own Challenge for Freedom.
In it, the 14-year old writes: “[My father] can’t sleep most nights. Instead, he wanders around the house,... + Full Story
Severa RodriquezOne out of five soldiers returning from Afghanistan suffers from it. And the estimate is as high as one in three for those returning from Iraq. Trouble is, they often suffer in silence.Marine Corps Sergeant Severa Rodriquez knows this and the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) all too well: bad dreams, scary flashbacks, insomnia,... + Full Story
Josh FruenDays after Josh Fruen’s family had heard he was injured in an accident that killed one of his comrades; they finally got the call they were waiting for. It was Josh providing reassurance that he would be okay.But their joy of hearing Josh’s voice turned to shock when he revealed there was a time during the mission when he was indeed dead.As he... + Full Story
Denis OliverioJust a month and a half into his deployment in Al Qa’im, Iraq , on the western border with Syria, First Lieutenant Denis Oliverio was shot in the arm. “I felt it,” Denis recalls. “I didn’t hear it. I didn’t see it.” Denis, a tank platoon commander, was in the middle of a maneuver to protect his snipers who were under attack by automatic weapon... + Full Story
Dan Smee might look like your average guy next door, but upon a closer look, there’s nothing remotely average about him. A combat medic whose resilience and inner strength have helped him overcome major health issues and put a positive spin on his year-long deployment to Iraq, Dan is excited about his first book hitting the stands.
