Remembering Them Forever (RTF)!

Military Information:

• US Army
• BSM: Bronze Star Medal
• PH: Purple Heart
• Meritorious Service Medal
• TVHOF Valor Award
• Combat Action/Infantry Badge (CIB)
• 1-Alpha List
• 1SGT (First Sergeant)
• GWT: Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• GWT: Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• TVHOF Class of 2025
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Presidential Unit Citation Award
• Command Sergeant Major

Dates of Service 1:

Service Start Date: NA Service End Date: NA

Dates of Service 2:

Service Start Date: NA Service End Date: NA

Bio:

Command Sgt. Maj., Gretchen Evans served worldwide in her deployments with the U.S. Army. Evans grew up in Abilene, Texas, and enlisted in the Army in September 1979 when she was 19. She had hopes of gaining new skills and to learn how to support herself independently. She fell in love with the military’s sense of mission, structure and camaraderie.

After completing basic training, Evans would serve in Italy, Central America and the Middle East as a counterintelligence soldier conducting counterterrorism operations. In 2004, she was promoted to Command Sgt. Maj. and served next to Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry in her final deployment to Afghanistan. In this role, she managed the safety and security of all the military security, personnel and 30,000 ground troops across the U.S. military bases in Afghanistan.

Gretchen is a highly decorated soldier. She was a successful senior military intelligence analyst and paratrooper, operating in several high-tempo and dangerous missions around the world including Grenada, Kosovo, Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In 2001, she was promoted to Command Sergeant Major.

In 2006, her career was cut short when a mortar round’s detonation left her with severe brain injuries and completely deaf. She was honorably discharged from the military and began recovery at home, where she channeled her grief into running, hiking and writing a compilation of other Veterans’ stories and experiences she titled, “Leading from the Front.” The success of this book inspired her to become a motivational speaker for Veterans and large organizations. She and her hearing service dog, Aura, have toured the country inspiring others for almost 17 years.
Aura has since retired, enjoying her days more leisurely at home while Rusty works full time by Gretchen’s side.

She suffered a life-altering injury during service, becoming one of the more than 430,000 U.S. military members who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) since 2000. Command Sgt. Maj. Evans’ most recent brain injury ended her 27-year military career. Evans has since founded Team Unbroken, an adaptive racing team of mostly veterans who have experienced life-altering injuries, illness, or traumas. She was honored with the 2022 Pat Tillman Award for Service, and has been inducted into the U.S. Army Women’s Hall of Fame and U.S. Veteran Hall of Fame. She has won numerous medals and awards from the Bronze Star to a Presidential Unit Citation Medal, several Global War on Terrorism ribbons, and six Meritorious Service Medals. She is contributing to military TBI, CTE and PTSD research by pledging to donate her brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation as part of Project Enlist.

Throughout her work, she has also continued her love of running and adventure pairing with other Veterans and civilians with disabilities to form Team Unbroken. She trained this team and led them to compete in World’s Toughest Race: Eco Challenge Fiji, hosted by Bear Grylls which premiered on Amazon Prime. Her group was the first team of individuals with disabilities to ever compete in and complete the race. Evans continued to train the team with goals of participating in more marathons, cycling challenges and even two “Ironman” triathlons.

Evans has served on the board and an ambassador for many organizations seeking to provide accessibility and resources for Veterans. She has been a board member with America’s VetDogs. More recently, she has served as an ambassador for No Barriers and the Wounded Warrior Project. She is a spokesperson for the Dogtopia Foundation, which seeks to supply service dogs for Veterans, and youth literacy programs and employment initiatives for adults with autism. Throughout her advocacy work, she has run over 30 marathons by herself donating all proceeds to organizations that aid Veterans.

Now, after moving 27 times, receiving 27 awards and decorations as well as 27 years of active-duty service, Evans has settled in Maine with her husband, Navy Captain and Chaplain Robert Evans. In 2022, she was presented with the ESPY’s Pat Tillman Award along with induction into the Veteran’s Hall of Fame and the U.S. Army Women Veteran Hall of Fame, and Texas Veterans Hall of Fame Museum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvutnboeAl4&pp=0gcJCfwAo7VqN5tD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-WYtuIrYw8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9RAS7fflEs

https://www.aarp.org/veterans/woman-veteran-finds-renewed-purpose/