Mark Schmitz, Founder of The Freedom 13 (02/28/26)

The National Defense is honored to welcome a Gold-Star father and the founder of The Freedom 13, Mark Schmitz, to the show. Mark and Jaclyn Schmitz started The Freedom 13 to honor and remember their son, Lance Corporal Jared M. Schmitz, as well as the 12 other veterans who lost their lives on Aug. 26, 2021, during a suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. The project’s goal is to open a recreational camp in every state, each with 13 homes — one for a veteran property manager and 12 for visiting veterans, police officers, and their families, honoring those lost in the Kabul tragedy.