Brothers At War; A Must See

They are images that we have all come to know, and to think we understand. The young soldier sitting on top of his vehicle, armored vests on, pouches positioned all over his chest, helmet on with goggles and night vision device mounting frame and a steely eyed look far to distant for only being 19. The young carrier pilot, giving the snappy salute, thumbs up, then reaching to hang on as a catapult launches his jet down a very short runway off the end of the carrier and off to war.

These images are becoming almost a part of our lives, the war enters yet another year, and today, I listened to a young lady who was being recognized as “Student of the Month” at our local Chamber of Commerce, matter of a factly announce, “my dad is getting ready to go on his sevenths deployment”. She said it without hesitation, and without trepidation, it was just something she had grown up with. “My dad is going off to war…again”.

How could we possibly understand what these families are going through, how would we know, if we are like so many American families still untouched by this war on terror?

I would offer this recommendation. Buy the movie, “Brothers At War” DVD, it is in Walmart, Target, Barnes and Noble and Best Buy and on Amazon. Jake Rademacher, the Director and Producer does more than tell a story about one family, he tells the whole story about one family, but it becomes a family you belong too, and you begin to sense the connecting lines back from Iraq to home and back.

I am not a professional movie critic, but like most of us, I know what I like. I like this movie. The language is a bit rough in spots, but it is the language of soldiers, one that I heard for nearly thirty years that I served. The camaraderie that you sense, between brothers and brothers at arms tell the story about how much they care about each other, and how fiercely they will fight to protect their own.

A Marine Staff Sergeant is shown to be a tough son of a gun, while leading and training an Iraqi infantry platoon, but when in the middle of a firefight loses some of them, you can tell that it wasn’t just a “job”, it was one of his men. He is instantly the consoling and calm voice as medics work to save the man’s life. You don’t find out what happens to the young Iraq soldier, but you do see the pain in the tough Marine. It is more than a just a job. Jake does a great job in making that point clear, and he does it skillfully and poignantly.

As Jake peels back the connections within his own family and that of his two brothers who are both soldiers and have served in Iraq, you find out that the family has already lost a son. You become a part of a family that is caught between conflicting emotions, one of pride for the soldiers and one of pain for the brother lost.

Listening to the ladies in their lives you see that each of them finds themselves in love with a man who is yet changed again, by what they have experienced and what they have seen. Both women, along with a mom and dad, deal with the changes by doing what we all do, smile, cry and lots of hugs. But when you see the new dad, fresh off the plane from Iraq, patiently avoid hugging his own daughter; because he knows he will scare her, you are reminded of the hidden costs of their service.

There are lots of films out there, but none as good as this one. It is one family, through the eyes of a brother, a brother who knows that this war is not over.

Take the time, here is the supporting website, Brothers At War, and watch the movie. You will be better for it. The fact that Jake has offered to assist USA Cares makes it even better, but that isn’t why I wrote this blog. I met Jake last December in a restaurant near the Sana Monica pier, and the man you see in the movie, is the man that will sit and eat pizza with you. He is one of us.

So why am I writing this beside the obvious reasons? Because.

While watching the Super Bowl, along with millions of other Americans, I realized at the end, that while the football game was either really good, or really bad, depending on who your team was, I was saddened by the lack of appreciation that they showed for the reason they were allowed to play the game in the first place. With the exception of a brief image of young men standing at attention in Iraq or Afghanistan, a precision team who carried our nation’s colors and a glance at the four ship flight of fighters streaking across the night’s sky, it was if maybe our nation wasn’t at war on two fronts, and that just maybe if you ignore it, it might go away. It won’t.

Jake, thanks for making the film. Thanks for taking the risk and for the effort you took to tell the story of not only your family, but of all the families who serve. You have done a service to all of those to whom we are so indebted.

Just so you know, in just the first week of February, 2010, USA Cares spent over $31,000 on our Veterans and their families, all in grants and all for validated needs. Many were in support of those who struggle with PTSD, and because of us, are receiving life changing treatment as they work to gain a "new normal" in their lives.

The story Jake told is valid, and he did a great job. Get the film.

Roger Stradley
USA Cares

After Shocks In The Military Family

The events in Haiti are going to effect the military family in ways that few may understand.

The world is watching the tragedy unfold in Haiti, our President has promised a start of $100 million dollars in aid, and former President Clinton and H.W. Bush are going down to help lead the support to this poverty stricken country.

The USNS Comfort, a Navy floating hospital ship has departed from New York with a crew of 64 and a staff of 560 medical personnel, the USS Carl Vinson over 3,000 sailors and officers on board and carrying 19 helicopters, is off shore, providing tons of support and vital transportation assets, starting with helicopters. The 2^nd Brigade Combat Team of the vaulted 82^nd Airborne have already sent an advance party in who parachuted in, with the remainder of the brigade to come in behind the lead elements. US Marines have established security at the Port-au-Prince airport, and will undoubtedly add security to this fragile nation. They are being delivered by US Air Force C-17s.

Four US Coast Guard ships and a Navy Destroyer are off shore, offering assistance with supplies and more helicopters. Air Force C130s are bringing in tons of supplies including precious water. Two more Coast Guard Cutters were en route to add to the support effort, where news report states that there may be as many as 50,000 dead. The US Coast Guard Cutter FORWARD was on the scene arriving the morning of the 7.3 magnitude earthquake.

The Delaware National Guard are preparing to deploy with much needed medical and support units, just as they did in past natural disasters. Over 2,200 US Marines on three more ships with even more equipment and supplies are expected to arrive in the next three days.

Americans have come to depend on this kind of response from the most powerful nation in the world, with the most powerful military forces in the world. But it comes with a cost.

As you watch the news coming from Haiti, watch for the unit patch on the right sleeve of our Army. That tells you that the young man or women wearing that has served at least one tour in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. The Pentagon announced that the 3,500 soldiers from the 82^nd would be performing rescue, recover and peace keeping missions and creating a “safe environment” for humanitarian aid as it arrives.

Why all this conversation about what they are doing? They are the same military families that are fighting a two front war in Iraq and Afghanistan and many have been on multiple rotations and will undoubtedly return with 12 to 24 months. This time nobody is shooting at them, but they are still absent from their homes and their families. Bad things still happen to good people, even if they are somewhere saving lives.

USA Cares continues to stand behind them and all that serve, we understand the challenges they face, many of us have worn the uniform and understand that this task is not a “combat” task and will not keep up from the next scheduled deployment into Iraq or Afghanistan. Other units may be moved up to fill a gap created by the additional demands of the 15,000 or so that are now focused on Haiti. That means families who were preparing for deployment later in the year, may see that moved up by four to six months, including all the preemptory training that is required before entering the war zone.

The USS Carl Vinson may very well have been scheduled to begin a float, now pulled to the Caribbean, and another Nimitz class carrier may be moved up to meet the operational needs that this 103 tons of combat airfield with its 3,200 crewmembers. All this effects Navy families around the world as deployment and training schedules are adjusted. The same is true with the Army and Marine units who stand in the deployment ready line.

Just thought you might see if from the military families’ eyes. USA Cares continues to see an average of 140 new cases a week. I suspect that will increase over the coming weeks. We continue to spend nearly $25,000 a week on these families. USA Cares has no greater purpose.

God Bless all of them, and thanks for your continued support of our mission.

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

Traveling Through the Atlanta Airport

Coming through the Atlanta airport on Tuesday with an associate we noticed a new business adjacent to Delta Gate B15.

It is called MinuteSuites – The Traveler’s Retreat. (http://minutesuites.com) MinuteSuites as you can see by viewing the presentation on its website provides a soundproof, comfortable, hi tech equipped space, that you can rent for an hour at a time. It has the ability to fold out a very comfortable bed to sleep or take a nap, and has individual light, heat and air-conditioning controls so you can create your own private space apart from the hustle and bustle of the Atlanta airport.

I was really impressed with the idea, and the conduct of the staff (Terrica and Russ) and decided to write an e-mail to the corporate address.

To my amazement I received a prompt reply from the managing member (Mr Daniel Solomon)of the corporation and in following exchange of e-mails learned of his family’s military service and his offering specials to military in uniform through the month of December.

Since I am an original member of the virtual committee for USA Cares I mentioned that if he knew anyone looking for a way to help the military I personally recommend USA Cares and gave him the web site.

In a matter of minutes I received an e-mail advising that he had just donated $100 to USA Cares.

Folks, this is a great company who knows how to do the right things and I recommend you use their business when in Atlanta. By the way, the space is big enough to hold a meeting with about four people so it is very versatile. Tell them "John sent you".

John Flanagan

About the Author

John Flanagan is a decorated Vietnam Veteran where he served two tours as an aviator. His book, "Born In Brooklyn, Raised In The Cav" is a great story about the lives of helicopter pilots in combat.
He is one of the four original volunteers for USA Cares, starting in 2003.

Quite A Week In November

I’m often asked how this all happened, this thing called USA Cares, but last week was one of those weeks where I almost have to pinch myself and I still don't have a good answer.

Sunday, I saw somewhere over 22 square miles of beautiful homes, shops and golf courses, in a little place in central Florida called The Villages. I’ve see the commercials a hundred times, we flew into Leesburg and met some wonderful people were so encouraging about wanting to do something for USA Cares and listening to their story of running a small business and raising a handful of kids and now grandkids and want to thank those other “kids” who are standing tall in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The next evening, in Amway Coliseum, prior to a basketball game with the Orlando Magic and Charlotte Bobcats, I was nearly 40 young Americans standing tall in formation in center court. Both Marine and Army recruits stood in the full light and admirations of a growing crowd and watched them take the oath of enlistment from an Army Captain.

These young men and women joined the military of a nation at war. They volunteered to serve for anywhere from four to six years and undoubtedly will spend part of their tours in harm’s way. Words here cannot convey the emotions that Jim and I felt at that moment, and why for the past nearly seven years, USA Cares has been at the center of our lives. These “kids”, these young men and women deserve the very best that our nation can provide, both from the government and from citizens.

Monday was also another first for me personally, besides seeing my first NBA game (The Magic won the game) Jim and I also found ourselves at 2:28 p.m. looking to the east and seeing the streak of flame and white plumes as the space shuttle Atlantis hurtled toward the heavens. We both experienced the sense of pride that those Americans around us did and my only wish was that more of our citizens would have an opportunity to see the enormous power that our nation had on display.

Back to that evening at the game, we were fortunate to talk to hundreds of military members and their families, introducing USA Cares and hopefully setting the stage to provide assistance if they need it.

We flew back to Louisville the next morning and Wednesday evening I had the privilege for attending the monthly Fort Knox Chapter of MOAA. I learned that one of their long time chapter members, LTC (Retired) Bob Harman had passed away and that the family had designated USA Cares as one of two charities to be considered in lieu of flowers. This is perhaps the 15^th family over the past seven years to designate USA Cares in this fashion, and it is both humbling and moving to be honored in this fashion. On Friday, I attended his service at the Central Kentucky Veterans Cemetery and learned that LTC Harman was a Veteran of both World War II and Korea. I watched a young Major and a Staff Sergeant fold the flag and present it to his widow. What nobody in the audience missed was that both Soldiers had the combat service bars and accompanying personal medals that told us that they had both already served multiple tours.

While I was standing there after the services another retired Veteran who has been a wonderful supporter of USA Cares handed me an envelope and told me that I would save him 44 cents. I later learned that he had handed me an envelope with a $500 donation.

Along the way this week, a volunteer came in and catalogued over 50 new handmade Lapwraps that will be sent out the coming week. Some of them are going to Fort Hood and perhaps some of those wounded by the attack last week. Meanwhile the special fund set up for the Fort Hood Families continued to provide support to families within hours of receiving requests, one within an hour.

These Lapwraps keep coming in, almost daily from all over America, and there are always cards from the donor thanking our servicemen for their service and their sacrifice.

Very humbling, to say the least.

Thank you to the some 4,000 Lapwrap contributors, you are both amazing and inspiring.

We also received over 150 new requests for assistance and issued over $12,000 in support for the week.

Quite a week.

Roger

A Marine's Perspective About Support from home

I don't often send things on to the blog that someone else has written, but after reading what the Marine Major wrote, I felt obligated to do what I was asked and "pass it on". After almost seven years of working with USA Cares, I think he has it exactly right.

Thanks, Vietnam Vets

Roger
USA Cares

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A Thank You to Vietnam Vets from a Marine in Iraq

A guy gets time to think over here and I was thinking about all the support we get from home.

Sometimes it's overwhelming. We get care packages at times faster than we can use them. There are boxes and boxes of toiletries and snacks lining the center of every tent; the generosity has been amazing. So, I was pondering the question: "Why do we have so much support?"

In my opinion, it came down to one thing: Vietnam. I think we learned a lesson, as a nation, that no matter what, you have to support the troops who are on the line, who are risking everything. We treated them so poorly back then.

When they returned was even worse. The stories are nightmarish of what our returning warriors were subjected to. It is a national scar, a blemish on our country, an embarrassment to all of us.

After Vietnam, it had time to sink in. The guilt in our collective consciousness grew. It shamed us. However, we learned from our mistake.

Somewhere during the late 1970's and into the 80's, we realized that we can’t treat our warriors that way. So, starting during the Gulf War, when the first real opportunity arose to stand up and support the troops, we did. We did it to support our friends and family going off to war. But we also did it to right the wrongs from the Vietnam era. We treated our troops like the heroes they were, acknowledged and celebrated their sacrifice, and rejoiced at their homecoming instead of spitting on them.

And that support continues today for those of us in Iraq. Our country knows that it must support us and it does. The lesson was learned in Vietnam and we are better because of it.

Everyone who has gone before is a hero. They are celebrated in my heart. I think admirably of all those who have gone before me. From those who fought to establish this country in the late 1770's to those I serve with here in Iraq.

They have all sacrificed to ensure our freedom.

But when I get back, I'm going to make it a personal mission to specifically thank every Vietnam Vet I encounter for their sacrifice. Because if nothing else good came from that terrible war, one thing did. It was the lesson learned on how we treat our warriors. We as a country learned from our mistake and now treat our warriors as heroes, as we should.

I am the beneficiary of their sacrifice. Not only for the freedom they, like veterans from other wars, ensured, but for how well our country now treats my fellow Marines and I. We are the beneficiaries of their sacrifice.

Semper Fidelis,

Major Brian P. Bresnahan
United States Marine Corps

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