The Combat Cash Myth and Military Families

Often when I am talking about USA Cares and how we help deployed service members, there is a comment about just how much money extra a guy or gal makes when they are in a combat theater. Sounds like they make a ton of money. If they work for a defense contractor they might, but when they are wearing our uniform, not so much.

What I do know is that even in a combat environment the deployed troop sets up "second household" that has a cost not normally associated with a family budget. In the cases we received from military members, we will often hear that their cell phone bill was over $1,500 because of some family issue that was resolved or discussed over the phone. This generation has become very use to immediate connection and being in Iraq makes it no difference, in fact makes it even more needed sometimes.

When the soldier is not out on a mission (and I use the word "soldier" for all the guys and gals there), they are back in their area, where there are now in most places facilities like the PX and places to spend money. Money they might not spend if they were still at Fort Hood, but none the less, it is still getting spent.

Spouses back home are reluctant to say "no" because of the situation and that too is understandable. In fact, many times there is a tendency to over compensate with gifts and expenditures because.... well you just never know.

In the middle of all that mix is that fact that when the military member walks out the door on Tuesday and won't be home for a year, the family essentially just went to a single parent status, complete with not enough time for all the things that were normally done by the other spouse. Care provider for the kids, taxi driver, assistant team "mom" and the thousand competing priorities associated with raising children. And never mind that the stay-behind spouse may have to change his or her job, if the hours don't match up with affordable daycare or even the availability of daycare, and Grandma, well she is 1,000 miles away.

I think that we are facing a time never seen in America. An almost perfect storm of challenges that are washing at the foundation of our military families. Our wounded, both the visible and invisible (PTSD and TBI), the subprime mortgage meltdown, rising prices and a challenging economy mixed with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, never mind the other 200 locations that our service members serve. The old saying that the sun never sets on the American Soldier (Marine, Sailor, Airman or Coastie) is true more than ever.

What can we do? Continue to recognize and support them, even when they are off the front pages of the news. Remember that they are there, still serving. It is the least we can do.

Roger

Military Families - Are They A Poor Risk?

In a recent article I referred to that appeared on Fox and Friends regarding military families and foreclosures they mentioned that the foreclosure rate among military might be four times the national average. That number probably came from the Bloomberg Report and reporter Kathleen M. Howley that came to that conclusion based on information supplied by an independent organization RealtyTrac, which tallies bank seizures, auctions and default notices.

Uh, not so fast. In an article in Navy Times, reporter Karen Jowers took a different look and came to different conclusions. She also highlighted with interviews with service members that in fact the opposite might be true in some places, just like it is in the public sector. Nevada is one of the leading states with foreclosures, while New Hampshire, not so much.


Congressman Bob Filner from California also stated in that same article that the "government" isn't doing very much but according to the VA, since 2000, they have helped almost 74,000 Veterans and Active Duty homeowners to refinance and keep their houses. I do applaud his effort to extend the protection by the Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act.

I know here at USA Cares, in just 2007, we saved over 190 homes from foreclosure and currently working on 54 with a value of well over $6 million. We all have to do our part.

Roger

Military Family Foreclosure On Fox and Friends

This morning on Fox and Friends, they had a Airman on that was in the middle of losing his home to foreclosure. This seems like a big deal, and it is to the Airman and his wife (who is suffering from cancer) but the reality is that at USA Cares, we are currently working on 52 families in the same boat and maybe worse. I did write to the show and told them that we were here and would like a chance to help this family, haven't gotten a response yet, but will keep trying.

There was a recent Bloomberg Report that said that in major military markets home foreclosure among military families was four times higher than the national average. There is some discussion as to the actual facts supporting that statement, but I do know that there are several factors that do make it much more difficult for the service member to react to an increased mortgage payment.

He or she can't go get a second job all the time. Many commands don't allow their troops to have second jobs at all, and those that do, you have to be prepared for the "employee" not to show up because of a training exercise or deployment preparation and training events. Many businesses can't handle that volatility.

Second jobs for a spouse of a service member is tough if there are small children, we all know the cost of childcare, and finding some that will keep kids late, even more demanding and much more expensive.

In the past two and a half years, USA Cares has saved over 340 homes from foreclosure and many more families from being evicted from rental units. Over 1,100 children remained in their bed due in part because of the involvement of USA Cares and the experienced resource coordinators who put a survival plan in place to take care of a family.

I don't know of any other organization that saves homes like we are for military families, but I do know that I am proud of our teams that work with those who are in crisis.

Roger

American Heroes - A New Book

I just finished reading LtC Oliver North's newest book about the war on terror, titled "American Heroes" - "The Fight Against Radical Islam". The way that the Colonel has weaved the stories he saw along with the valor of those who he highlighted in the book was spectacular. As a retired soldier and the father of a active duty Marine, seeing the leadership and courage of the those that are serving was confirmation of what we all know, that America's best and brightest are standing on the wall for us. It is not lost on me that 1% of America is defending the rest of us.

When LtC North spoke at our USA Cares' 5th Year Anniversary Gala, he recounted a few of the stories in the book, but he also talked about how America and the coalition is bringing freedom and equality to the women of that region for the first time in their history. As he said, "Can there be anything more noble than that?" Having

I strongly recommend this book for those who want to see the other side of the story.

Roger

Dennis Miller

Words can't express the thought of Dennis Miller offering to be our USA Cares National Spokesperson. I had the pleasure of meeting him twice now, and both times he was extremely sincere and there is no doubt that he cares deeply about our service members and their families.

His commitment and dedication to these families is refreshing in a world where it seems that so many have forgotten that there is a war being fought by our sons and daughters.

Roger

Board of Director Meeting

We just finished up another USA Cares Board of Director meeting, and once again, I am humbled by the idea that men and women of stature travel from across America to discuss how to push the organization through the next five years and beyond. The growing housing crisis, how military families are effected even more than the average American family and the expanding understanding of the effects of those who have wounds that are invisible continues to make our work even more important. PTSD and TBI are the Agent Orange of this war.

In a future post, I will show a glance at our newest project, Barrier Removal, for those who we care so much about.

Our new Executive Director, Bill Nelson, has shown a tremendous ability to plan and execute the future growth and direction of this five year old organization, and I am excited about what will be happening to us.

I also briefed the board on our newest project, Share A Minute, that will be the focal point of our fund raising for 2008. More on that later.