Feature Stories

For some veterans, taking off the uniform doesn’t mean leaving the mission behind. For Navy veteran Andy DeMarsico, service isn’t simply something he did for 15 years. It’s who he is. Growing up on Long Island, New York, Andy was always on the move. Whether playing lacrosse, practicing martial arts,

A Navy veteran turned physician wants to close the dangerous gap between doctor visits, and he’s using the same systems thinking that once put satellites in orbit. Most adults see their primary care physician every three to four months, and that’s if they make the appointment. At four visits a

One Marine Veteran’s Mission to Save Lives and Honor His Daughter’s Legacy Some moments in life divide everything into before and after. For Stewart Payne, a United States Marine Corps veteran and devoted father, that moment came when he lost his daughter, Dr. Jaida J. Payne, in a devastating highway

Craig Blas’s GEICO story started from the ground up, washing cars at a sports center as he began his journey with the company. In 2008, Craig moved into insurance underwriting, launching a career built on what has always come naturally to him: helping people. After gaining valuable experience on the

Araya “Sunshine” Hedgemond comes from a family rooted in military service and law enforcement. Her father, a special operations veteran who spoke seven languages, often shared a simple piece of advice: “Learn a little from a lot.” Sunshine embraced that philosophy and has spent her life living it. After earning

  Born in Texas, raised in New Jersey, and now firmly planted in New Port Richey, Florida, Joe Bitz is the President and Director of Training at All American Gunslingers, a business built with the same determination, discipline, and grit that defined his career as a United States Marine. Joe

Growing With Purpose: How JLC Is Changing Lives Through eTMS JLC Services began with a small program in Ohio and a powerful belief: those who serve our communities deserve access to innovative care that can help them live better lives. Under the leadership of Joe Charles, JLC has spent the

Through Mental Health Care and Small But Mighty Heroes, Tina Downing Serves Individuals and Families Facing Life’s Toughest Challenges What began as a devastating personal loss has become a lifelong mission to help others find hope, healing, and resilience. Tina Downing, founder of Small But Mighty Heroes and a passionate

CATEGORY 4 Winner—The Glass Man: A Parable by Celia Hanley This is a work of useful fiction. While grounded in real-world concepts and unclassified, publicly available information, the characters, events, and scenarios depicted are fictionalized for narrative and analytical effect. Portions of this manuscript were developed, refined, or edited using