“This is a great example of business leaders using their companies to help honor the sacrifice and service of our veterans and their families,” Bell said. “It’s a great way to support the cause while showing your pride in our men and women in uniform. It’s also very cool looking.”

Because many of the Montana soldiers who were killed in action were young, their children are just now starting to think about college, Bell said.

“Montana has the highest per capita ‘killed in action’ rate in the U.S.,” he said. “And 10 percent of the state’s population is veterans, one of the highest rates in the U.S. The tidal wave of destruction within a family that follows the death of a family member can be a challenge. One thing that is tragically predictable is that in the aftermath of the death, it fundamentally destabilizes family relationships.”

The goal of Grateful Nation, Bell said, is to provide a path to an education, and therefore financial stability, for children who experienced the sudden loss of a parent.

The organization also provides tutoring and mentoring services, and all its general and administrative costs are funded by board members and non-donated sources.