You Remember

Standing in an office at 565 Knox Boulevard, Radcliff Kentucky.

Every adult I have talked to in the last ten years knows exactly where they were when they learned or watched the horror of September 11, 2001.

For most of us, it was a visual horror, and we had a sense of disbelief. But for the citizens of the New York area, Washington DC and the victims on the aircrafts from all over the world, it was a first person experience. It changed millions of lives in the days and years that followed. We have sent nearly 2 million of our best young men and women into harm’s way, and what is now the longest war in our nation’s history. And the end is not in sight, just last week, on a bus in Frankfurt Germany, we were reminded of the vulnerability of a free citizen.

One man for me has come to symbolize this ten year period, and I only met his memory last September. I stood in the shadow of the new Freedom Tower at the site of the World Trade Center, and watched thousands of runners and walkers from across the nation and around the world retrace this remarkable young man, father of five, and a firefighter who gave his last full measure of life for people he didn’t know. I won’t tell his story, it is better read at www.tunneltotowersrun.org, but I will say that his footsteps will be an honor to follow this coming September.

Stephen Siller had a family who didn’t want his sacrifice to be forgotten, and that something good should come from his courage. For the last nine years, they have retraced his steps through the Battery Tunnel, ending at ground zero. In 2010, there were 25,000 who retraced his steps, many wearing full “turnout” gear, just like he did when he abandoned his vehicle and ran that route the first time. His fellow firefighters saved over 25,000 people that day, as they evacuated two of the tallest buildings in the world. 343 of those firefighters lost their lives, along with hundreds of police officers and port authority police, and other first responders.

This year, on the tenth anniversary, USA Cares has been given the opportunity to coordinate and authorize shadow runs across America, to that end, we have build a Guide Book and information at www.usacares.org/run. We are fortunate to partner with the Blue Star Mothers of America and their wonderful members, and as I write these words, we already have three cities who are creating events in their city, and intend to send a firefighter or representative to New York City on the 24^th of September and participate in the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Run – NYC, but two weeks before that, the same steps will be followed in Albuquerque, Orlando and Cromwell, with other cities preparing to apply too.

The funds that are generated by these events will be to help the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, USA Cares, Blue Star Mothers, or whatever local organization hosts the event to continue to do the good works that they do.

The Siller Foundation builds smart homes for severely wounded veterans, USA Cares marches toward granting $8 million to service members and veterans across the nation, and Blue Star Mothers continue to provide support to their sons and daughters and veterans across the nation.

As much as this about creating an opportunity to fund the good work they all do, it is also a method to remind all of us and those who watch, that we do remember that day, ten years ago, and the sacrifice and courage they displayed.

I intend to run the event in Los Angeles on the 11^th of September, and again in New York on the 25^th, join me, if you want to host a run/walk, contact me at run@usacares.org.

I know you remember right where you were on that day, so, tell me, where were you? Leave your answer below.

Roger

One Family At A Time...USA Does Care

In the USA Cares employee break room there is a poster that hangs on the wall that has several letters that have come to us in the mail. I thought I would share one that sums up what we do, and more important, you will see again, why we do what we do.

Dear USA Cares-

USA Cares helped me & my family in ways that amazed and impressed me. I found USA Cares through someone at my local VA Hospital.

When I contacted USA Cares, I was in a very tough spot. Behind on a lot of bills, and in danger of being evicted from my house.

USA Cares was very prompt in contacting me. Everyone I talked to was kind, caring and compassionate. USA Cares paid my rent and late fees for me, and paid my gas bill, and helped get the gas turned back on.

I cannot begin to express my gratitude. At a time in my life when I had no one else to turn to, nowhere else to go, USA Cares was there for me.

The people at USA Cares truly do God's work. I am so very thankful for them, and the kind hearted people who donate to the organization. The help I received from USA Cares has allowed me room to breathe again, and I am nearly on my feet again.

Thanks to USA Cares, myself and my young daughter continue to have a place to live and we have gas to heat our water and cook our food. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts!!!!

Initially, I was contacted less than 5 days after I applied for assistance online. the woman I spoke with was very kind and considerate. She explained to me that I needed to fax in a few things. Such as copies of past due bills, and my DD214 from the Army. After I did this , it was maybe two days until I received a call from another woman named Karri. She explained to me that she was now my case worker and that USA Cares was going to help me. I was so very happy with the courtesy and professionalism of the USA Cares Staff.

Not only did Kerri notify me of everything along the way, she even made sure to ask if we needed food, and other basic things needed for our survival.

Again, I am still overwhelmed by the caring, compassion, and the friendliness I was shown.

Thank you all so very much, from Ryan and Ashlyn P.

-----End-----

As we approach $7 million in direct grants to families across our nation, we continue receiving daily reminders like these that this is a "Family Business" and that these people are real and not just a number or a statistic.

Of course we can't do any of this without the support of our donors and contributors and of course friends like you. Please feel free to pass this on, it is as easy as that.

Regards,

Roger

Nothing “Sexy”

Entering our seventh year of assisting military families has given me the opportunity to see a lot of other organizations, many of which we work with, all focused on the same goal of helping them through the challenges of serving our nation.

What USA Cares doesn’t do is have the opportunities to cut the ribbon in front of a house we just bought for a veteran or family, we can’t show anyone pictures of families that we sent to Disneyland or on Vacation because we don’t do that. We just put food on the table and keep the lights on.

Not very sexy.

Last week, Mark Wills was in town and came over to the Fort Knox PX where a steady stream of fans stopped by to meet him. He was as always, charming and personable. He left this week for a USO Tour overseas. (that is all I can say at the moment).

This is Mark with me, Anne and John Flanagan, one of our very first volunteers with USA Cares. It was a great way to spend three or four hours with Mark and those who think he is a good guy.

This week, I had the privilege of briefing a senior army leader in the medical community who had just arrived at Fort Knox. As we entered the office the officer immediately started with, “I know who you guys are, and what USA Cares does for military families. What you did for our soldier who was terminally ill and his family was nothing short of amazing, and I know it made his passing easier. I am so thankful that you guys are here for them.” Now I would like to shout that from the rooftops, put the officer on YouTube and push it out to all our supporters and friends, but I can’t.

The Army, and all the services, are very nervous when it comes to “implied endorsement” of any non-profit organization and those who still wear the uniform can get in trouble for doing so as an official member of the military, so we never ask, and we go out of our way to protect their voluntary thanks and offers of help.

So we do it the hard way, one meeting at a time, looking for new friends who might know “the guy” and on and on. Grant research and building relationships, earning the trust of our donors and maintaining that trust. This has been a week like that.

This week has been very full and very eventful. Our Executive Director was in Houston at a Car Race with the owner of Tax Master, and they raised a nice sum of money for USA Cares, then on Tuesday, he was in DC with Fannie Mae, a CFC exhibition for Government Engineers and then with the makers of the video game Call of Duty who also wants to assist USA Cares.

That was a pretty good week all by itself, but then Dennis Miller and Bill O’Reilly really made things happen, when they got to talking about USA Cares on Wednesday and Bill announced that he was personally sending USA Cares $25,000! That night we received an additional $17,000 in donations on our website, a tribute to the trust that his viewers have in his judgment.

As we move forward, we now have programs for Veterans who are suffering from PTSD and its awful effects, we have a growing employment training and placement program and we are looking for our first disabled veteran to assist with a new home grant, if he or she wants to live here in the central Kentucky area.

Still nothing sexy, but we are happy with keeping the lights on, and food on the table. The fact that we have kept over 1,800 military kids from being evicted from their homes counts too, but not something you will see on the front page of newspaper.

One family at a time, and with their privacy and dignity protected. That is USA Cares. I hope it never changes.

Merry Christmas to all, and special thoughts to those in harm’s way,

Roger

A Million Dollar Friend

When we began USA Cares in March of 2003, it was intended to be, “regional” and “temporary”.

Nearly seven years later, it has turned into anything but. Our advocacy team just went over the $100,000 mark in support to those in our Warrior Treatment Today program with clients in 21 different states. We began that program in earnest in the first quarter of this year and continue to receive over 120 new clients every week—many of them sent to us by military related organizations, including the chain of command. We are poised to tell the world that we are now an official part of the Department of Defense “Real Warrior” program, assisting those who are involved with the care of our invisibly wounded.

So why is all this happening: Because of dedicated people like Karri, she joined USA Cares in 2007, as a Resource Coordinator in our family assistance center. The spouse of a soldier, she has watched him deploy to combat several times, and has moved her family in support of his career. She will be the first to say that she isn’t the “perfect” person, but there are only so many adjectives that describe what this one person did, one family at a time—2,669 times to be exact.

We work hard not to keep score with our resource coordinators because our clients, the military families we serve, are too unique and special to try to put them in a category of one size fits all. Rather, we track how we are doing to determine if we can do better. Karri didn’t keep score either. What Karri did was speak with each family she was assigned and treat them with the dignity they deserve—whether or not the reason they found themselves in a financial jam was due to poor decision-making or just bad luck. Right up until the week she left USA Cares to move her family yet again, she was working to make sure the process we all utilize was clear and properly implemented.

Along the way, as she worked with clients, Karri orchestrated grants from USA Cares in the amount of $620,926.50. And if that weren't enough, she coordinated with other charitable organizations to secure an additional $328,728.99. That translates into almost one million dollars worth of saving homes, keeping the lights on with food on the table, or working with a client to assist them in seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and/or traumatic brain injury. I have no doubt that by the time we close out the remainder of cases Karri was working, she will reach the one million dollar mark.

Most will never know all the lives she touched—the lives she changed. Karri appeared last year on a special holiday episode of the Steve Wilkos Show, representing USA Cares and having the privilege to actually meet one of her clients (segment follows). And just recently on the 2^nd of October, Dennis Miller gave Karri a well-deserved “shout out” on his nationally-syndicated radio program, The Dennis Miller Show. It was a fitting salute to an amazing person who, while spending most of her time at USA Cares in a small cubical, worked with military families spanning thousands of miles.

Karri, I hope that one day our paths will cross again—you left many friends here in Radcliff, Kentucky along with very large set of shoes to fill.

On behalf of the two thousand, six hundred and sixty-nine families (which could be as many as seven thousand fellow Americans) I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and wish you God’s Speed.

Sincerely,

Roger Stradley
Founder
USA Cares

A Voice for Those Who Care

Mark Wills continually pushes for Veterans and those serving. I received this video and wanted pass it along.

Roger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_q997HjREQ

after you watch it, please pass it on and please post a comment that would be great!

thanks..

Warrior Treatment Today

I've been asked to explain our Warrior Treatment Today program with USA Cares. Our new website, due to be launched 1 August will have it there, but I can also put it here along with more information and our 1st Quarterly Report so you can see the extraordinary things we are doing for these Veterans.

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WARRIOR TREATMENT TODAY

Bridging Gaps to PTSD/TBI Treatment for Veterans

Warrior Treatment Today is a USA Cares program designed to bridge the gap between personal financial demands and the need to receive treatment. Specifically, our program seeks to remove the financial barrier that exists for many service members who suffer from PTSD and/or TBI, but cannot afford to leave their employment for treatment. National Guard and Reserve personnel are particularly vulnerable to this barrier as they resume their civilian lives upon return from deployment. Should they be referred for treatment of a significant duration, they have to not only keep their jobs, but also acquire the dollars necessary to continue to meet their financial obligations.

USA Cares will take on the responsibility for paying essential household bills (rent/mortgage/utilities/car payment) while the service member is attending residential type PTSD/TBI treatment. In so doing, USA Cares will facilitate attendance to mandated/recommended treatment programs by removing the financial obstacles many face today. The recent Rand study suggests over 300,000 suffer from PTSD/TBI, with fewer than half of these cases actually identified. Thus, the magnitude of the problem is significant. We believe any program that will help diagnosed service members attend necessary treatment is of great value and deserves our full support.

Due to the potential size of the PTSD/TBI treatment problem, no one sector can be expected to adequately cope with the problem. A public – private sector partnership is essential if this problem is to be resolved. Military treatment facilities, the VA hospitals and clinics, and respected civilian hospitals must all work together to even begin to make a dent in the caseload. USA Cares has teamed up with a Houston hospital, TIRR Memorial Herman, a leading rehabilitation facility, to provide care to TBI-type sufferers. A fellow member of the Coalition for Iraq-Afghanistan Veterans, TIRR Foundation collaborated with TIRR Memorial Hermann to create the Project Victory program. Project Victory provides treatment for military personnel, and veterans of recent military service, who served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, and who have screened positively for, or have been diagnosed with, post concussive symptoms or traumatic brain injury while in combat or stateside. As good as the Project Victory program is, a financial barrier to an 8 to 10 week treatment program remains for many would-be attendees. University Behavioral Health of El Paso, Texas has also joined with USA Cares as a provider of PTSD/TBI treatment to the military. The basic structure of the Warrior Treatment Today Program is outlined below:

Stage 1: Identification and Verification

Scenario ONE: Service members seeking support will come to USA Cares in our traditional manner via the World Wide Web and complete a simple application that details how we can contact them, and the nature of the problem or issue. The client will be contacted by our Staff, who will discuss the requirements and needs of the family. Should the issue of PTSD/TBI be revealed by the client, the case will be passed to our Advocacy Center who will suggest screening (if it has not been done) and provide references to locate screening facilities. The goal is to not let the family plunge into financial crisis.

Scenario TWO: A service member is referred for residential PTSD/TBI treatment by competent medical authority (VA in the case of veterans, Title 32 Guard, and inactive Reserve). He may have gone for screening as a result of Scenario ONE, or any other number of ways. At the time of referral to residential treatment, the service member must be made aware of USA Cares and our program to help with finances while at treatment. (Lacking the ability to support the family due to absence from work for an extended period, the referral will likely not be accepted/executed). The service member applies to USA Cares under our Warrior Treatment Today program which includes the below general guidelines:

Qualifying Elements:

· Injury is connected to service in Iraq or Afghanistan

· Service member has been diagnosed by competent medical authorities, either military or civilian

· Employment and income loss is not covered by medical or unemployment insurance

· Family will be in danger of losing their home if they don’t receive assistance

· Service member has been accepted into qualifying treatment center for recovery and rehabilitation

Stage II: Determining Requirements & Gaining Approval

· USA Cares will assist in housing, food, utilities and transportation related costs as required

· USA Cares will require documentation that supports the need

· Food costs will be developed along the required amounts from the USDA, which an example says that a family of four requires about $518 a month

· Case will be reviewed and approved by a USA Cares Virtual Committee

Stage III: Implementation and Assistance

· Approved cases are moved to accounting where each month the approved amounts are paid directly to the provider

· Incremental assistance can be extended out over the period of treatment not to exceed 180 days.

· The Family Resource Coordinator will maintain contact with the client throughout the case length

In the future, USA Cares is working to involve other top flight civilian hospitals in the program. Working with our partner, Mercy Flights, we can transport an invisibly wounded warrior anywhere in the US at no cost to the service member. We envision a network of such hospitals all working to treat the enormous caseload that PTSD and TBI represent from today’s war. Bound together by information technology that can quickly handle referrals and locate treatment centers, this program is exportable to any state. We believe that a number of states will consider this opportunity to give their state’s military the treatment they deserve while not endangering their financial future. This program is being initiated in Texas using facilities in Houston, El Paso, and, hopefully, Dallas. The Texas program will serve as a model for other states. No American service member and their family should have to choose between paying the bills and getting treatment. USA Cares plans to see that they don’t.

Roger

3 JUN 09 5050

Good morning from rainy Radcliff Kentucky! We are all excited about lots of things, but at the same time, I am sad that tomorrow is the last day of 5050. 

We have much to  be thankful for when you consider others. I am corresponding or at least part of a Caringbridge for a wounded soldier who is fighting for his life. He has been in the hospital for months, and his wife keeps us posted on his progress which took a turn for the worst two days ago, to the point where the doctors asked her if she thought they should continue to keep up the fight. What a quesiton to be asked. My heart goes out to her and the family and my prayers are for "Kevin". 

To all of you, thanks again, and we will be in touch. I promise. 

Regards and see you tomorrow,

Roger 

2 JUN 09 5050

Two days to go, and then we are off on new adventures. As I said earlier, while frustrating, it is not dissappointing. We are learning about the potential of mobile giving and expanding our understanding of what happens. 

I would ask that each of you take a few seconds and send Jen Fox a note about things that worked and didn't work, and we can learn from that.

But it goes without saying that all your hard work and efforts are appreciated, and for the families that we are helping the payoff is knowing that we are leaving them better off than when they found us. With your help, we can keep doing the good work.

Thanks,

Roger 

1 JUN 09 5050

June 1st already, as you can see Illinois is really doing well. As I know we all did, we hoped that there would be a much better result at this point, but I think as "we" educate our fellow American's about mobile giving, and certainly raising $500,000 by Alicia Keys on American Idol showed us what was possible, I am still strenghtened by the fact that we do have four or five states where folks made an effort.

We have three more days and the campaign will be closed, and I would like to schedule a conference call with all of you and discuss lessons learned and what you found to work or not work. We will be sending out a scheduling email soon.

Thank you so much for your hard work,

Roger 

Mark Wills Cares!

Nashville, TN             Mark Wills announced today that a portion of every sale of his next album “2^nd Time Around” in stores June 16^th will benefit military families through USA Cares and has created a free USA Cares music sampler at www.markwills.com. Just log on to the website, view the pop up window which will allow you to receive three music downloads and an interview with Mark and Dennis Miller talking about their role with USA Cares.  The talented musician has received many acclamations since his debut on the country music scene, including being named as the top new male vocalist by the Academy of Country Music in 1999. Wills followed that up with the hit single, “19 Somethin’” and his new single “Entertaining Angels” is climbing the charts. 

Mark has seen the faces of our military men and women in Iraq, Afghanistan, at home and in the Walter Reed Army Hospital. He knows that military service is more than just a job, it’s a lifetime commitment. Mark also knows that sometimes, the price of service is doubly paid by those who are invisibly wounded with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD). Having seen firsthand the good work that Radcliff, Kentucky based USA Cares is doing for these families as they go through rehabilitative care, he knew he had to do more than just add a celebrity voice. 

In their Warrior Treatment Today program, USA Cares provides financial resources to veterans who are reluctant to seek PTSD treatment due to their obligation to provide for their families. The program is already underway in several states, most notably in Texas, where over 6,000 Veterans have been screened and diagnosed with PTSD.  A recent news article noted that the VA has identified as many as 338,000 Veterans who could be suffering with PTSD nationwide. 

During a recent interview by Dennis Miller on his national radio show on Westwood One, Mark revealed his personal experience with the disorder. “When my dad came home from Vietnam, he was different and there is no doubt in my mind that he was suffering from PTSD, we just didn’t know what it was back then.” He went on to say, “Today, that National Guardsman who works at Home Depot on Monday, can find himself in combat the next week, and you just can’t expect that when he comes home that everything will be just  fine and he can go back to working at Home Depot.” 

USA Cares Board of Director, Ron Steptoe, himself a West Point Graduate, is currently devoting time and effort on a national scale to help establish a basic foundation for understanding PTSD and to help limit the enormous emotional and physical toll that accompanies those who suffer from it and their families when it’s symptoms are misunderstood and untreated. From his offices in Washington DC, Steptoe added, “Having a person of Mark’s stature, considering his repeated visits to Iraq and Afghanistan, seeing firsthand what these men and women are facing and then wanting to share his time and talent with those of us who are working to make sure they don’t have to suffer twice is a credit to Mark, his family and his industry.”

 In addition to a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the album, Mark has also put a USA Cares insert inside the case that tells the buyer about USA Cares and asks them to do one more thing; use their cell phone to text the word “TROOPS” to 90999 which will cause a onetime charge to their cell phone bill of $5, which will go directly to USA Cares. Wills said, “The idea of allowing my fans to help make a difference in a Veteran’s life by simply picking up their cell phone is not only cutting edge technology, it is a way that we as Americans can make our voices heard too, and that we take care of our own. So I am going to remind my fans, in audiences and one at a time, to pull out their cell phone and let’s make a difference together!” adding, “And don’t forget to reply with “YES” when prompted!”.

29 MAY 2009 5050

Good afternoon! And what a great Friday it is! We are preparing to announce another great program helping Veterans with homes and yesterday we gave a briefing that opened a door to $150,000 worth of grant support for Veteran homeowners! 

We now have 19 Veterans in our Warrior Treatment Today program, so your help is very much needed!

Thanks to all, Illinois is kicking the door down, almost to $200!

Great job! 

Roger 

26 MAY 2009 50/50

Good morning and upfront, my apologies. I found myself not only very sick, but also out of contact with the world for a week.

I am much better now, and came back to some great news! We received word that one of our 5050 folks has pledged $500 in support of our effort, so we are approaching $3,000 so far, with just a few days left. 

I also learned today at our start of the week meeting that we are now working with PTSD guys in six different states and are now hearing from the families that we are making a tremendous difference in the well-being of the family as they go through the rehabilitative effort. It is our goal to add a full circle of support to the family and the Veteran, beyond just paying bills, but also developing a frame work of care that extends to beyond coming home.

Thanks for all you do, and God Bless all our Veterans and their families.

Roger 

13 MAY 2009 5050

Good morning from rainy and warm Kentucky! Lots of really cool stuff getting ready to be released, and I am so fired up, knowing the impact that we are having with the folks we are helping. That includes a note from one of our clients that said we saved his life. Of course only he really knows that, but just the idea that he would think that is enough for me.

What does $5 do for USA Cares? More than you know. $5 is how much the yard sign cost that started us back in 2003. WAVE 3 TV and Kroger sold them, and ended up giving us $121,000 that was the prime that started the pump that to date has almost reached a total of $9 million! So $5 counts. It all counts.

Thanks to all of you that are trying to make a difference.

Roger 

6 May 2009 5050

It is pouring down rain here in Kentucky, hope the weather is better there! We kind of stalled here, what can I do to help you guys and gals? Remember we have a pledge (valid one too) that will match the first $1,500 that comes in. We are almost to $600, and for that I do appreciate your efforts.

Roger 

5 MAY 09 5050

We are kind of slowing down here, I am hoping that this first year out we will have some states that make the full 100 texters to prove the point that the program works and we can build on it, so what we are doing now, is not just about this time, but more importantly that we can tap into the enormous opportunity of those who would like to give, but don't know to who, or even how easy it is. As you all saw, we have one matching donation, and I think I have another one lined up today, will report tomorrow. So. please hang in there, each journey takes a step. 

I just know that today, thousands of young men and women are taking steps in dusty far off lands because we asked them to. 

Roger 

4 MAY 09 5050

Good morning!!!! I am very happy to announce that we have a donor who has matched the first $1,500 that we raise with 5050!!! So your texters are now doubling up!!! How cool is that! I apologize for the weekend lack of maps, but we are tracking now, and I am working on more matches!!! So thanks for all you hard work and keep it up!!!

Roger 

1 MAY 09 5050

Good morning from rainy Radcliff! The 1st of May and we have Illinois breaking past $100 and two more states right behind. I have it from good sources that Kentucky is going to start moving as well. :)  Can't wait to tell you all the news but you will really be proud to be part of USA Cares!

Roger 

30 APR 09 5050

Yesterday was a very full day for all of us I suspect. We are preparing to travel to Washington DC and tell our story, especially the fact that USA Cares is becoming the glue that is putting together public, government and private institutions that all have the same desire to help our Veterans deal with PTSD. I will be posting the slide show we are going to show as soon as it is final. 

Thanks for all you do and today is a brand new day!

Roger 

28 APR 09 5050

Good morning from rainy Kentucky! We have our first state to reach $100 in texts, great job Illinois!

I was on Facebook this morning and met another very good friend from my past, who has already asked, "what can I do for USA Cares?", well the answer is....  . My point in bringing this up is that given the virtual world we now live in, sometimes the friend (or texter) you are looking for is just waiting to be asked.

So hang in there and again, as we make history, we will look back and reflect on the start way back in 2009, when.........

Have a great day, and good hunting!

Roger 

25 APR 09 5050

Good morning from sunny Radcliff! We are all watching with a grin with the efforts that you guys are making. The map is telling the story, people do care, when they know the story about what we are doing for our military families and especially the ones that are affected by PTSD, not just them, but the their families.

Have a great weekend, and I am betting that by this time next week, we will have three or four steps over $100 in texters!!!

Roger