According to LtCol (Ret.) Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz, most Americans love their military, but most people don’t understand military culture, their experiences or how to best support them or their families.

That’s where her new book comes in. It’s called “Beyond ‘Thank You For Your Service:’ The Veteran Champion Handbook For Civilians, and it’s available now via Amazon for $11.99. In it, Lowrey Gallowitz said she “helps civilians understand how to support those who defend freedom.”

Now living in Rio Verde, Lowrey Gallowitz is a third-generation military veteran who served nearly 30 years in the U.S. Air Force as a public affairs officer or nurse.

Her new book dovetails with the business she founded, Vanguard Veteran, where she “equips civilians to become Veteran Champions to improve quality of life, workforce and community” for the country’s veterans. She coaches employers to hire and retain veteran talent and faith community leaders to create military ministries.

And that’s just one of the passions that has kept her busy over the decades. In response to 9/11, she designed what she called a never-been-done-before statewide outreach program for the Ohio National Guard to educate and engage civilians in support of troops and their families.

Lowrey Gallowitz said she grew up as a military dependent supporting her father’s active duty Navy career.

“I went to a French-speaking preschool in Paris, France, and graduated from a Department of Defense high school in Keflavik, Iceland,” Lowrey Gallowitz explained. “I lived in at least 20 communities before the age of 35 and have master’s degrees in nursing and political science from Texas [Health Science Center] and Ohio [University], respectively.”

Lowrey Gallowitz moved to Rio Verde this past September “because of the mountains, sunshine, friendly people and the expansive services and resources for veterans.”

Some of her activities include being the veteran advisor for Landid, on the board of directors for Veteran Interfaith Bridge, on the veterans advisory committee for the City of Upper Arlington, as well as the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland, to name just a few.

She’s won many awards over the years, primarily for her extensive volunteer work, including Best Community Relations Program in the nation’s Army National Guard, a Community Service Honor Aard for the Central Ohio Federal Executive Association and a Community Supporter Award for the Sexual Assault Response Network in Central Ohio. She is also the recipient of USAF Meritorious Service medals and Army Achievement medals.

Lowrey Gallowitz said her book is packed with practical suggestions for neighbors, employers, educators, healthcare providers, lawyers and community influencers looking to improve the lives of veterans.

“Everyone can do something,” she said. “It’s not rocket science, it’s people science.”

When asked what made her want to write “Beyond ‘Thank You,’” Lowrey Gallowitz said part of it was noticing how different her youth and adult life had been from most Americans and how heavily military culture impacted her.

“I wanted to share this story,” she said.

Her experience with the Ohio National Guard following 9/11 was another big contributor, as well as “experiencing firsthand the sincerity of our citizenry – how they want to support servicemembers, veterans and their families – but don’t know how.”

Lowrey Gallowitz said that research shows upward of 55 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feel disconnected from civilian society and that nearly 90 percent of veterans face obstacles with civilian employment. Her book looks to buck that trend and inform readers how they can be a part of the solution.

She highlighted statistics that drive her outreach, including the fact that 91 percent of military occupations have direct civilian equivalents, so their skills translate directly to the civilian workforce. Lowrey Gallowitz said those skills have only been strengthened by service, and that veterans are also civic assets, demonstrating more civic responsibility in their communities than their non-veteran counterparts.

For those who read her book, Lowrey Gallowitz said the key takeaway is simple.

“It is easy and can be lifechanging for the veteran and for you to identify, get to know and support veterans in your neighborhood, at work and in your place of worship in meaningful ways,” she said.

For more information, visit vanguardveteran.com.