January 04, 2022

Turning Trauma into Purpose with Jas Boothe

32 minutes

Jas Boothe is a Chicago Native, Disabled Army Veteran, Cancer Survivor, and Speaker who gave over 17 years of service to this great nation.

She deployed during the Operation Iraq Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom campaigns. Her entire military career was dedicated to working with and advocating for Soldiers and their family members.

In 2005, she was a single parent in the Army Reserves living in New Orleans. That spring, she learned she would soon be deploying to Iraq. During her mobilization, Boothe's life was torn apart by two significant events. In August of that year, she lost everything she owned due to Hurricane Katrina. She tried to shift her focus to her platoon that counted on her for leadership through the deployment. However, in September, she received a devastating diagnosis of aggressive head, neck, and throat cancer and could not deploy.

Boothe's options were limited and posed some tough choices for her. Because of her illness, she was facing discharge from the military. But she needed complex full-time medical care, a job, and a place to live with her young son. When searching for assistance, she found there were no existing programs for female Veterans with children. Her military told her to explore welfare and social services as an option, just like every other single mother. Jas then realized that America had forgotten about the women who have served, fought, bled, and died alongside their male counterparts. She found these options unacceptable for a woman who had honorably served her country. After extensive cancer treatment, including radiation therapy that would leave life-long side effects, she was able to stay in the Reserves and immediately began looking for full-time employment and a place for her and her son to live.

In 2006, she relocated to Missouri with her aunt, where she had subsequently accepted a job offer from the Army National Guard. Later in the year, she received an opportunity to return to full-time duty in Washington, DC.; nonetheless, Boothe never forgot what she and her son had been through. She became determined to ensure her fellow sister Veterans had a resource in their time of need.

Jas founded Final Salute Inc in November 2010 as part of her commitment to "Never Leave a Fallen Comrade."

Final Salute Inc has assisted over 7000 women Veterans and children in over 30 States and Territories.

Boothe holds a BA in Mass Communications from Mississippi Valley State University and dual MAs in Human Resource Management and Management and Leadership from Webster University.

Jas also features in the 2017 documentary "Served Like a Girl" (http://servedlikeagirl.com/), produced by Lysa Heslov, which follows several American women wounded in action transitioning from soldier to civilian after serving their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Boothe is the mother of two wonderful boys, Brandon (currently serving in the United States Air Force) and Jammel Jr., and wife to a Marine Combat Veteran, Jammel R. Boothe Sr.

Jas has received the following awards for her leadership and community impact:
Oprah Winfrey and Toyota Standing Ovation