Jacquelyn Marty: P.E.O. Making a Difference, Being the Difference

Jacqui served as co-captain of Team United States at this year’s Invictus Games in Vancouver

“The Invictus Games taught me that it’s OK not to be OK,” shared Jacquelyn (Jacqui) Marty in a recent interview. Jacqui’s story stands out, not just because of her military service, but because of her remarkable journey from a career-threatening injury to becoming a new member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood.

Jacqui with her two sons

A retired Air Force Colonel, Jacqui’s life took an unexpected turn in 2015 when a major car accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury that would change everything. “I don’t remember anything for several months following. My five-year-old son, who was strapped in his car seat, was the one who helped first responders. He told them our names, where we were from and unlocked my phone so the paramedics could call my husband. He’s my little hero,” Jacqui reflects.

Before the accident, Jacqui had a promising piloting career with both the military and commercial airlines. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, she had risen to the rank of Colonel and was on track to be promoted to General Officer. But the brain trauma from the crash, caused by a distracted driver texting behind the wheel, derailed those plans and turned her life upside down. The challenges she faced in the aftermath were profound. Her civilian and military flying careers ended in an instant and, with that, she lost her identity and fell into a depression. Yet Jacqui found resilience by learning to trust others, even when she had lost faith in herself. “Being vulnerable and depending on others helped me overcome this injury. It was humbling, but it allowed me to prove that even with limitations, you can thrive. That message gives people hope,” she said.

As part of her recovery, Jacqui took on adaptive sports, including downhill skiing, skeleton, cycling, archery, air pistol, air rifle and swimming. She competed in the 2018 and 2023 Warrior Games, representing the Air Force team. Her leadership and mentorship didn’t go unnoticed, earning her the honor of being named co-captain of Team United States for the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada, in February. She led 50 military and veteran athletes to the first winter Invictus Games. This international sporting event hosted 550 wounded, injured and ill military personnel from 25 countries. There, Jacqui won a silver medal in downhill skiing and set personal records in skeleton, indoor rowing and swimming.

The Invictus Games celebrate not just podium victories but the determination of athletes who overcome extraordinary challenges simply to participate. It’s not uncommon for crowds to cheer the loudest for those who struggle the most—those who, despite their visible or invisible injuries, continue pushing forward with unwavering resolve.

Jacquelyn Marty, a U.S. Air Force veteran and competitor with Team U.S., carries the American flag after the medal ceremony where she earned silver in the alpine skiing competition during the 2025 Invictus Games in Whistler, Canada, Feb. 12, 2025.
Fifty competitors make up Team U.S., which is competing along with 22 other nations in the 2025 Invictus Games. Throughout the competition, events will take place in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada, from Feb. 8-16, 2025. The competition includes 11 different events, including six adaptive winter sports, the first year that winter-specific sports have been part of the Invictus Games competition.
The Invictus Games is an international sporting event for wounded, injured, and ill active duty and veteran military personnel. The Games use the power of sport to support recovery, rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country. The Invictus Games, like the DoD Warrior Games, are designed to enhance recovery by engaging wounded, ill, and injured service members outside of traditional therapy settings.
(U.S. Army photo by Michel Sauret)

Among her other achievements, Jacqui is a certified health and wellness coach and is now dedicated to helping adaptive athletes thrive. She is focused on instructing adaptive athletes and creating more opportunities for local and international adaptive sports competitions, inspiring others to reach their fullest potential.

As a wife and mother of two sons, Jacqui’s family moved to southern Indiana in 2022, where she was warmly welcomed by a P.E.O. sister. “We connected over my Air Force T-shirt; she was so kind to me and my boys. We really hit it off,” Jacqui said of that first encounter. Since then, Jacqui has been initiated into Chapter EP, New Albany, a small town near the Indiana/Kentucky border along the Ohio River. There, she continues to pursue her passion for mentoring and empowering others.

“P.E.O. is an incredible organization,” Jacqui said. “We support each other with grace and kindness, and we also challenge and encourage one another to become the best versions of ourselves. It’s a perfect fit.”

Jacqui attended Indiana’s 101st state convention, where she was a featured speaker. Her inspiring career and commitment to service exemplify this year’s Indiana state theme, “BEE-ing the Difference!”