Lynnetta Smith, Founder
With nearly two decades of unwavering dedication to federal government service, I have flourished as a dedicated civil servant, with a primary focus on budget-related responsibilities spanning across various branches of the military. My professional journey has been marked by transformative roles that have not only honed my expertise but also underscored my commitment to effective resource allocation. A notable highlight includes the successful completion of Temporary Duty Location Developmental Assignments at FORSCOM Headquarters, showcasing my adaptability within the dynamic landscape of military finance.
During my tenure as a Senior Budget Analyst at the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in Quantico, Virginia, I showcased my adeptness in navigating intricate fiscal landscapes while prioritizing the safeguarding of essential resources. My strategic acumen in defending budgetary projections at the Pentagon further highlighted my ability to secure essential support for national defense initiatives. A pivotal phase in my career emerged when I assumed the role of Budget Officer at Winn Army Community Hospital, deftly managing three distinct appropriations that collectively amounted to an impressive $265 million. Simultaneously, I co-founded “Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom,” a non-profit endeavor dedicated to facilitating the seamless transition of veterans and their families into civilian life.
Balancing the demands of my professional journey, I derive immense pride from fulfilling my roles as a devoted wife to a 22-year veteran, James Smith, and as a nurturing mother to my two daughters, Nicole and Blythe, aged 13 and 7, respectively. Currently serving as the Chief of the Atlantic Region for Budgetary Affairs at CID Hunter Army Airfield, I exercise effective oversight over resource allocation for the East Coast and European territories, encompassing regions such as Belgium, Germany, and Italy. My narrative encapsulates an enduring commitment to duty, a mastery of strategic budget management, and an unwavering dedication to fostering successful transitions for our nation’s veterans.
James Smith, Co-Founder
James Smith retired in 2018, after serving 20 years in the United States Army. During his time in the military, he served in the Army Signal and Intelligence Corp. He received numerous awards and decorations for his hard work and dedication. While serving in the military he had to learn to work as a member of team, take orders as a member of team, and to ultimately lead a team. Being in the Army gave him a better understanding of the importance of being able to work as a member of team, giving everyone a chance to show their strengths, while helping them in the areas where they are weak. James spent his career not only serving the country, but also trying to make his fellow soldiers, not just better soldiers, but better people as well. He believes the most important thing is taking care of people and their families. If you do that, there is nothing they cannot accomplish. This is something he still believes to this day.
This love of helping grew further in 2019, when James and his wife Lynnetta founded Combat Boots 2 The Boardroom (CB2TB). CB2TB was founded to help veterans and their families as they transition from military to civilian life. After having gone through the process himself, he knows firsthand the challenges they face and some of the obstacles they have to overcome. Through CB2TB he wanted to make the process a little less stressful on the families as they navigate unchartered waters. CB2TB has hosted events and provided services and goods in the past to veterans and their families as a way to help. James through CB2TB has provided toys to kids in the area through Toys 4 Tots, every year since 2019. Additionally, he has helped plan and participate in back to school and other kid friendly events. Through CB2TB James will continue to give back to the community.
Prior to founding CB2TB, James has volunteered wherever he has lived. He has coached recreation teams, volunteered at schools, and many other events as a way to give back to the community. He has served as an Ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, where he assisted and volunteered as a member of the Chamber of Commerce from 2021 to 2023. These are some of the other ways James has given back to the community and will continue doing so in the future.
After retiring from the Army, James pulled the knowledge gained from his degree in Criminal Justice to serve as the Crime Analyst Supervisor for the Savannah Police Department. In this position he had to lead a team of ten analysts, getting them to work together as team to provide intelligence, information, and data to officers and leadership within the department and City of Savannah. He also had to work together with the rest of the department to make sure they had the information they needed, before they knew they needed. Through this position he learned even more so the importance of working together as team, because he could see the impact on the community firsthand when everyone worked together for the greater good.
Currently James is a Human Resource Development Specialist with ATF. In this position James is responsible for working as a member of team in the design, implementation, and evaluation of ATF training programs. In this position James gets to provide input and help others to make the organization a better place. This falls in with something he has always tried to live by, always leave an organization in a better place than it was before you joined it, as well as his Master’s in Performance Improvement. He takes this to heart and always to try to find ways to make things better, which ultimately makes him better, because he learns along the way as well, because he knows he doesn’t know everything and we can stronger together than we are apart.
