Colonel David A. Smith USMC (Retired) will be the guest speaker, at Tanner Hall on Sunday, March 2, for a Welcome Reception honoring Marine Sergeant Stephen Tovet and his wife Krystina.
The reception will kick off the sixth Home At last project to build disability-friendly, mortgage-free homes for combat wounded, permanently disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.
Colonel Smith a self-proclaimed “Army Brat” has lived on multiple bases in the United States as well as Europe and the far East.
During his 30 year Marine Corps career he flew more than 4500 accident free flights hours in the UN-1N helicopter and has made six extended deployments overseas or on board ship, including a combat tour for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
He attended and graduated Texas A & M on a military scholarship, was a member of the Corps of Cadets, and in his senior year commanded his ROTC company. He holds a Master’s degree from Florida Institute of Technology in Management.
Sgt. Tovet was born in Orlando and grew up in Apopka he and his wife were high school sweethearts and are graduates of Apopka High School.
Tovet enlisted in the Marine Corps in June 2206 and was deployed to Iraq in 2007. He was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was seriously wounded from an IED blast while on patrol in Helmand Province of Afghanistan. The explosion severally injured his left leg, hand, and right lower leg, that required amputation of his left leg above the knee and reconstruction of his hand and right lower leg.
Congressman Daniel Webster, Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd, Mayors Kathy Stark, John Rees and Gary Bruhn will also be present.
The reception is open to the public and all are invited to attend.
