Keithan Smith, U.S. Navy veteran and VetsForever Chief of Staff, shares how a career built on service, mentorship, and leadership prepared him for a new mission helping veterans access the benefits they’ve earned.
Keithan Smith joined the Navy the way a lot of young people do. He was looking for a path forward, one that didn’t put the financial weight of building a future on his parents’ shoulders. What he found was something that shaped every part of who he became.
“I wanted to create opportunities for my future without placing a financial burden on my parents,” Keithan said.
He was also inspired by his aunt, who had served in the United States Marine Corps. Her example showed him early that military service was about something larger than yourself.
As a Yeoman Chief Petty Officer, Keithan built a career spanning some of the highest levels of naval command. He served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at U.S. Pacific Command, in the Office of the Naval Inspector General, and within the Secretary of the Navy Administrative Directorate. He deployed aboard USS Pinckney and served at Naval Recruiting District St. Louis, among other commands. Across those assignments, his responsibilities touched personnel management, records administration, compliance oversight, strategic operations, and executive-level support.
The common thread through all of it was people.
“Whether supporting sailors and service members during challenging times, leading administrative programs, deploying aboard naval vessels, or working within high-level headquarters environments, I learned that leadership is ultimately about service,” he said.
Mentoring junior sailors became one of the most rewarding parts of his career. Watching them grow into leaders is something he still talks about with the same energy today.
Keithan was 18 years old when he first stood in formation in boot camp. He grew up in the Navy, and when it came time to leave, that reality hit harder than most people outside the military would understand.
“Following years in a highly structured setting with explicit missions and duties, adjusting to civilian life necessitated a fundamental change in perspective,” he said.
He knew his military experience gave him a strong foundation, but he also had to learn how to translate it. The skills he had built in the Navy, strategic thinking, operational leadership, working through complexity, carried real value in the civilian world. Making that visible to others took time and intentionality.
One of the harder parts of the transition wasn’t the job search. It was the question of purpose.
“One of the biggest challenges was finding a renewed sense of purpose after retirement,” he said. “Military service becomes part of your identity, and stepping away from that environment can leave a void.”
His answer to that void was the same thing that had anchored him throughout his career: service. He kept his focus on opportunities where he could keep helping people, developing organizations, and mentoring others. His faith, his family, and a commitment to personal growth carried him through.
The road back to mission-driven work ran through a veteran networking event in the Dallas-Fort Worth area called Bullets and Bourbon. Keithan was there with a close colleague, mentor, and friend, Clint Bruce, when he overheard Trinidad Aguirre talking to veterans about VetsForever and the work the organization was doing to help veterans navigate the VA disability claims process.
“The passion and genuine commitment they displayed toward serving veterans immediately caught my attention,” Keithan said.
Before the night was over, he introduced himself and started learning more. What began as a conversation between veterans became a professional relationship built on a shared commitment to the people who wore the uniform.
By the time Keithan connected with VetsForever, he had already earned a 100% VA disability rating and had spent years learning the VA system on his own. What VetsForever gave him wasn’t a path through the claims process. It was something else.
“What VetsForever provided was something equally valuable: a deeper understanding of the claims process, emerging changes within the VA landscape, and proven strategies that could help other veterans successfully navigate their own journeys,” he said.
He quickly put that knowledge to work, sharing it with family members, friends, and fellow veterans navigating their own claims. Today, as Chief of Staff, he leads initiatives designed to improve the veteran experience, support VetsForever’s advocates, and ensure veterans have access to the guidance and resources they’ve earned.
When veterans on the fence about reaching out ask Keithan what to do, his answer is direct.
“Do not wait. Many veterans spend years believing they have to navigate the process alone or that their conditions are not significant enough to pursue benefits. The reality is that understanding your options and receiving professional guidance can make a substantial difference.”
He isn’t just saying what veterans need to hear. He believes it.
Keithan’s wife, Deanna, has been with him through the transitions, the long hours, and the work that comes with building something meaningful. His children push him to keep going every day. And one of his proudest moments in recent years came when his stepson answered the call to serve, enlisting in the United States Air Force.
“As a family, we are immensely proud of his commitment, character, and dedication to serving our country,” Keithan said. “Seeing the next generation carry forward the values of service, integrity, and sacrifice is a reminder that leadership extends far beyond our own careers, and that our greatest legacy is often the example we set for others.”
For years, Keithan has carried the same personal motto: Wake Up and Live.
“To me, it is a reminder that every day is a gift and that life is meant to be lived with purpose, intention, and gratitude,” he said. “Throughout my military career, my transition into civilian life, and my work serving veterans, I have learned that tomorrow is never promised.”
It’s more than a saying. It’s the mindset he brings to every room he walks into, every veteran he works with, and every morning he gets to start over and do it again.
“If I can wake up, live fully, help someone else, and leave things a little better than I found them, then I consider that a successful day.”
