Inside a Huber Heights restaurant, a handful of men and women are gathered, listening to the woman who brought them together.
"My name is Marian Montgomery, and I'm the founder of Invite a Vet Foundation. What is Invite a Vet Foundation? We are...."
The Each One Teach One meeting is a regular event for the Invite a Vet Foundation, the nonprofit Montgomery started in 2015. Much of Invite a Vet's mission is to celebrate and help veterans who may find themselves isolated from their communities after their military service. The foundation also tries to help veterans tell their stories. It's the story of one veteran in particular that inspired its founding.
"So I didn't really find out too much about my dad until he passed on in 2014," she tells the small gathering.
Montgomery describes a father that came home after the Vietnam War, never talking about it, but sharing in the experiences that other Vietnam veterans faced, like high divorce rates.
"And they didn't talk about it, and when I talk to some of the veterans who may have been around that era, they still tear up about what they experienced, which is sad. And so, what I want to do is have a safe place for them to engage with other veterans to help with that. You know, I'm not a therapist. I'm not a doctor, anything like that. I'm a daughter of a military veteran."
While her dad left when she was just seven, Montgomery says she reconnected with him once she married, and they had a close relationship for the next 40 years.
After he died in 2014, as the executor of his estate she found a scrapbook her dad kept containing photographs, letters and other items from his military life. She points out some of the items to me when we meet at her realtor office in Huber Heights.
"You know, it just shows certificates appreciation…, That was from the president…, That's when he retired in 72…, This is him getting awards, several times, you know, just different things from commanders and colonels and letters of appreciation and his certificates. And this is a letter that came from, I guess, a school in Oklahoma to him from a sixth grade student to say thank you."
And so, to say ‘thank you’ to as many veterans as she can, Montgomery began the Invite a Vet Foundation to provide year round entertainment, dining, and cultural outings for those who have served.
Several veterans at the Each On Teach One meeting spoke about the work Montgomery is doing:
"Al Harmon, I was in the military for 11 years. I was in the Air Force eight years here at Wright-Patt. I think what is doing with environment is very encouraging because most people don't understand the vet culture or understand what's going on with vets in what she does. Makes me feel like people actually do care about veterans."
"My name is Elena Bishop. I was a master at arms and the United States Navy from 2002 to 2004. When I got hurt, when I got out of the military, it was difficult for me to kind of find my way. And now that I'm in substance abuse recovery, I met Maria through church. She came to my church to hear me sing, and now I'm on her executive board. So she really does give me a little bit of purpose and a little bit of a push in getting things done for her."
"Bob Whigham, U.S. Navy. Six years, two years active, four years reserves. What Miriam is doing is unheralded and it should be heralded because it's a good service and it would be nice to have more people aware of what she's trying to do."
But Marion's biggest supporter is probably her husband, Richard.
“I'm so proud of my wife Marion, for getting involved and starting this foundation for the vets and watching her passion and fire for it, and seeing how well it's growing,” he told me. And the veterans are very much enjoying it, and the support that we're getting from around the community, it’s so awesome to see that."
Marion Montgomery has other causes that she's advocating for, including raising awareness of the importance of estate and end of life planning. It's another cause inspired by her experience with her father's passing.
As for Invite a Vet foundation, she plans to apply for a 501c-19 status and join other tax-exempt organizations serving veterans.
I had to ask what it is within her that calls her to this work.
"It's funny. It’s like, don't ask God for something that you really don't want to do and years ago I asked God I wanted to be an advocate for something. It's just a drive that I have. So, my purpose is to celebrate, and my mission is to help them tell their stories.
