St. Charles County Marine Killed in 2021 Afghanistan Evacuation Remembered at White House

Mark and Jaclyn Schmitz of O'Fallon attended a White House meeting with President Trump Aug. 25 to observe the four-year anniversary of the death of their son, Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. Lance Cpl. Schmitz was one of 13 U.S. military personnel killed by a suicide bomber during the 2021 evacuation of the Kabul, Afghanistan airport.

St. Charles County Councilman Matt Swanson had invited Mark Schmitz to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the council's Aug. 25 meeting, but the White House invitation took priority.

"I was Trumped," Swanson told the council.

Plans call for Schmitz to appear before the council at a later date and not only lead the Pledge, but give an update on his charity, The Freedom 13.

"I'm honored to call Mark a friend and a true patriot," Swanson says. "In memory of his son and the other fallen heroes, he founded The Freedom 13 organization - a nonprofit dedicated to honoring their legacy through meaningful action."

The Freedom 13 charity plans to build veteran recreational camps on 100-acre lots in all 50 states. The goal: To help veterans and police and their families "rediscover themselves and to support the physical and mental well-being of these veterans."

The first Freedom Camp has been purchased in Bourbon, Mo., according to The Freedom 13 website. It features a stocked fishing lake, riding trails, and ample land for hunting deer, turkey and pheasant on 171 acres. There are now two homes on the property and plans call for building 11 more.

"We will be building 13 homes on each Freedom Camp for veterans and their families to use for a week at a time, just like an Airbnb, but only for veterans and police and their families," Schmitz says.

The Freedom 13 is a 501(c) nonprofit organization that also plans to partner with veteran service organizations to offer mental health counseling and job training skills.

The organization has several fundraisers planned:

• 2025 Songs for Soldiers, featuring Craig Morgan Sept. 5 and The Wallflowers Sept. 6 at the Bolm-Schuhkraft City Park in Columbia, Ill.
• FreedomFest, a musical festival scheduled for Oct. 10-12 in Grafton, Ill.
• The Freedom 13 Gala Nov. 8 at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles