--- title: "MIGHTY 25: After the Marines, Greg Smallwood found his purpose in serving veterans" date: "2024-09-30" modified: "2024-09-30" authors: - name: "Jessica Manfre" job_title: "Coast Guard Spouse, Contributor" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/jessicamanfre/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty25/greg-smallwood/" categories: - "Mighty 25" --- # MIGHTY 25: After the Marines, Greg Smallwood found his purpose in serving veterans ![A man wearing a tan and black patterned scarf and sunglasses on his head is standing outdoors. Behind him, there is a stone structure with sandbags on top and a flagpole flying a flag with horizontal red, white, and black stripes and a green emblem in the center. The sky is clear and blue.]() Growing up in New Jersey, Greg Smallwood was searching for purpose. He found it in the United States Marine Corps. “I spent most of my life in Atlantic City before going into the military. After high school, I felt a little lost and wasn’t getting much traction,” he explained. “So of course at 21, I became a Marine infantryman at the height of the Iraq War in 2005.” Both of his grandfathers served in the Navy; his father was a chiropractor and his brother also joined him in that career. After returning from his second combat tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom and finishing his enlistment, Smallwood went home for a year but stayed in the Reserves and started pursuing his undergraduate and eventually his master’s degree. During this time, he met and married his wife. ![]() Smallwood admits he was unsettled and missing the Corps, so he went active, this time getting assigned to the Wounded Warrior Battalion. “I think one of the best experiences I've had in the Marine Corps was spending two years at a Wounded Warrior Battalion. We worked on care coordination and getting active-duty members ready to transition from active duty to veteran care,” he shared. “At that point, my career did a pretty big shift. I had a newborn at the time, and I just remember telling my wife I wanted to see what else was out there in the Marine Corps.” Just before signing his new orders, Smallwood ran into a friend who mentioned a new consultant position at a firm that worked with the VA in D.C. “Next thing you know, 10 years have passed and I run a consulting firm working with the VA to serve veterans,” he laughed. Prometheus Federal Services has a mission of improving the performance of federal agencies to impact the health and well-being of the populations they serve. “My job right now has brought me full circle. What I mean by that is when I was in the infantry, I did two combat deployments at the height of the Iraq War. I witnessed firsthand both the visible and invisible wounds that happen in combat. Then I was at the Wounded Warrior Battalion dealing with the aftermath,” Smallwood explained. “From all those experiences to now working with the VA where troops are receiving their future care, I feel like I am supporting the whole ecosystem. It really defines who I am as a person because I've seen it from all different angles which drives my passion to make sure what PFS is doing is the absolute best of our ability every single day.” ![]() Smallwood shared that he recognizes how rough the transition from the military can be, but with good mentors, the landing is softer. “The first company I joined had a CEO who was a retired colonel and an Army Ranger. He lived the military life. For me, what was super helpful was that he gave me the platform and the tools to be successful. I think oftentimes he knew there were edges we had to smooth,” he shared. That mentor didn’t treat Smallwood like he had a problem but rather gave him the tools and resources to thrive. It’s why he founded PFS; hoping to provide for the next generation of veterans transitioning out of the military. “They need a platform to accelerate. We need to support them and demand the best from them. They're capable of delivering that,” he added. When Smallwood initially joined PFS, it was a small business venture that employed 10 people. “We're now a 220-person company. At the core of our mission is to improve veteran health care. Everything we do is focused on that mission,” he said. “We don't tread water here. No matter how busy we are, we progress. I think that’s just ingrained as an infantry Marine. We've got a mission and we have to push forward no matter what. If there's a problem, we solve it. If there's a challenge, we overcome it. That’s just our mindset. As a leader, you have to maintain that calm and cooling presence.” He was adamant that regardless of how PFS grows, the mission of service and the culture will always be the most important constant. ![]() *Kate Wichlinski* “These are challenges I face and they are challenges faced every day across the country for all our veterans. Whether it's access to care, quality of care or their experience of care, the VA employees are some of the most mission-oriented people I've ever met. They really care and have passion but may be bound by antiquated processes,” Smallwood explained. “We're trying to make their job better and help them serve veterans more effectively. When you put all that into perspective, you really feel the sense of responsibility we have as an organization and the purpose we hold.” When he reflects on his life, gratitude and his Christian faith are at the forefront. “I believe that my faith in the Lord has really been the anchor for me and a key driving force in my life. So I have to make sure I always give the glory there first,” Smallwood shared. ## Author Jessica is a clinical social worker, writer, and military advocate whose work for We Are The Mighty focuses on the lived realities of military service, especially the moments that come after the uniform comes off. Her writing centers on veterans, military spouses, and families navigating transition, identity, resilience, and healing, often blending clinical insight with deeply human storytelling. She covers leadership, service, community impact, and the cultural shifts shaping today’s military-connected population, frequently drawing from interviews with senior military leaders, influencers, and grassroots voices across the space. Beyond writing, Jessica serves as Director of MilSpouseFest and works as a Military Events Manager, leading national campaigns and large-scale events that bring military communities together. She is the author of Never Alone (Moody Publishers) and is currently developing her next book, After the Battle. When she’s not writing or advocating, Jessica can usually be found with a good cup of coffee in hand, tackling her ever-growing TBR, hiking with her dog, or spending quality time with her family. She is a proud military spouse of an active-duty U.S. Coast Guard member and draws inspiration from the resilience, humor, and heart of military life every day. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]()