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

The Champ & The Hero

Setting on the small commuter jet leaving Louisville and headed toward a connection in Atlanta, I was fortunate to sit next to an active duty Command Sergeant Major. Setting two rows ahead of me was another gentleman and his wife, who the world knew as Mrs. Mohammed Ali. The Champ looked good for all his challenges and while I was not a big fan of his politics I did appreciate that he was a Louisville icon and was doing good things for those less fortunate through his charity work.

Sitting two rolls behind me was somebody else I knew, the husband of a co-worker who was on his way back to Afghanistan where he was in the middle of a fourth tour in combat. Three tours in Iraq, where I knew he had survived several near-misses with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and had been treated for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and seemed to be fine. His posture and composure was that of a solid performer, a soldier and a leader. I hope my son has a staff sergeant like that in the Marines.

The sergeant major and I quickly figured out that we had a number of common friends still serving, and we shared experiences and friendships that spanned the nearly forty year time span and lifetimes. He had been to Iraq twice and as an infantry soldier and leader and told me that he had some of his best times and his worst times that looking back were only seconds or minutes long, but were framed in his mind. So here I was, with two soldiers, who between them had six years of combat, both in the business of being directly involved in the business of war, and both clearly proud of what they were doing.

But what I remember most was a story that the sergeant major told me, and one that I wanted to share with you.

One of his units was tracking down a high value individual and knew he was in a particular three-story house. Because there was a real danger he was going to get away, the on the ground commander, a 1LT, sent teams into the building to secure the individual. Sgt Martinez led a four or five man squad into the dark building and following the rules of engagement, shouted out that they were Americans. The ten or so insurgents were not to be persuaded to surrender peacefully, but reacted with a hail of gunfire.

Advancing up the stairs, twenty-three year old Martinez leading, began a running gun battle. Firing up the stairway, the return fire was deafening, and the young men pressed themselves into the outside wall, and continued to fire back up the darkened stairwell. Somewhere between the first and second floor, a grenade bounced off of Martinez chest and rolled on the floor. “Grenade” he shouted and the squad instinctively curled away from the impending blast. The grenade went off, and Martinez received shrapnel wounds too as did some of the squad, but the whole team continued pressing up the stairs returning fire.

A bullet hit Martinez and bounced into his neck. American engineering saved his life again, the neck protector worked, deflecting the round. Martinez and his team continued to move up and ultimately all eight insurgents were killed rather than give up.

So why tell a “war story” that I didn’t see? Because we need to be constantly reminded that the young man or woman we see in the airport in uniform may very well be on their way back to Afghanistan, for a fourth time. Their courage is beyond remarkable, and their dedication to what is being attempted in these lands lost in time have to be remembered.

The war may be off the front pages of America’s newspapers, but it is not off the front page of the families who wait, who still proudly display the flag on their house and who wear a blue star on their lapel. We owe them our respect, and our continued admiration and support.

The other point is that these teams of soldiers were all volunteers, and every one of them joined the military knowing that America was at war, and that they would undoubtedly be asked to serve in harm’s way.

So in the front was an American icon in a former heavyweight champ of the world, my thoughts were with a young man named Martinez, who earned the Silver Star that day, and to the young engineer Staff Sergeant on his way to Afghanistan sitting two rows behind me.

We have more soldiers in combat right now than we had two years ago during the “surge” and recently several fellow non-profit organizations ended their run and sent their clients to USA Cares. Times are changing, but one thing is not, just like those who go up darkened stairways without knowing, USA Cares will continue to be here for those who serve and for those who wait, it isn’t about “how long” we will be here, it is “how long are we needed?”.

Roger Stradley
San Dimas, CA
10 Sep 09

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 

ICARE and 90999

A new friend of ours at the blog Political Vel Craft posted a request to use another one of our key words, "ICARE" and I thought I would show his readers how it is doing too.

Great job California!

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 

27 APR 09 5050

Dang, already afternoon! There is so much going on around here that it is just flat fun! Bill and I are getting ready to go to Washington DC to attend a conference with the Coalition for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans, (CIAV) and this will be a great opportunity for us to tell our story and especially the work we are doing with PTSD. You know I will mention what we are doing with 5050!

We are also getting ready to launch a book that is helping USA Cares along with a "Bark For America" (more on that next time).

You all have a great day, you are making a difference!

Roger 

26 APR 09 5050

Good morning on this great Sunday that finds Kentucky sunny and hot! I hope to be able to share some really great news here at USA Cares this week, but for now I have to be good! 

All of you have a great day, and if you notice, Beth Ann in Arizona is coming on strong!

Roger 

24 APR 09 5050

This morning at Fort Knox Kentucky, the 19th Engineers will conduct a departure ceremony as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan. For many of the young soldiers, one of whom I met yesterday, are traveling into harm's way for a second time. He was a Specialist. He was somebodies son and he stood there in front of me, tall, slim and confident. His smile was disarming and he was matter a fact about his second deployment to war. 

I often find myself asking where we find these young men and women, and the of course the answer is that they are the ones we don't see on TV, these are the graduates of high schools across America, who look over the options, sense a purpose, or even just a job and the choose to become a warrior.

What you have to know is that when you do that, you have to give up even more of your rights as an American to serve America. You have to be polite. You have to professionally recognize your fellow servicemembers and provide appropriate greetings, little things like a sharp salute. They have to tell the truth, all the time, and often as we know, the are asked to do things that are very hard, and sometimes very dangerous. And they do it.

Can we do any less than our best to make a difference for them and their families? Of course not.

Thanks for all you are doing for USA Cares.

Roger 

23 APR 09 5050

Have you ever had a secret that you wanted to shout from the rooftops, but can't? Well, I have one, and it will make all of you that care very, very happy! We were told we can't tell, so, well, we just won't tell! :) Illinois jumped out a little yesterday, so who will be to 20 texters first? 

Remember, we are making history, and just like when we started back in 2003, there were times when you wonder, "What the heck am I doing?" and you have three cases that are already approved and you need $1,800 but only have $468 and you look each other in the eye, just as a check for $5,000 shows up, not once, but twice. True story. 

What can I do to help you?

Roger

21 APR 09 5050

Greetings from sunny Radcliff! I posted a story this morning about a family we are working with and I hope you have time to read it, I will keep you posted on how this warrior is doing. We now have 11 Veterans in our Warrior Treatment Today program, but there is no doubt that as the word spreads, that we will continue to recieve more and more inquiries about the program and how can they get their Veterans assistance. 

We can only do that if we have help like what you are doing! 

Roger 

19 APR 09 5050

Sunday morning! Donna and the state of Washington are moving, $5 at a time, and I suspect one friend or family member at at time toward making a difference in a wounded warrior's life. Yesterday, while we were at Thunder Over Louisville, a wonderful person came up and after listening to what we are doing, wanted to take on both Tennessee and West Virginia! We are eagerly getting the information to her an her husband in hopes of seeing 5050 in two more great states! 

It is raining here today, very hard, but after watching Bryan push the button that started the fireworks and standing in a crowd that was estimated to be 700,000, and hearing Bryan's introduction include his volunteering for USA Cares, well, it was pretty moving. 

Never mind he did 20 pullups with the Marines! Pictures to follow!

Have a great week, and I know that we will be doubled by next Sunday!!

Roger 

18 APR 09 5050

Good Morning!!! Life is really, really good. Jim flew down to Tallahassee yesterday, picked up Bryan "Thundernator" Anderson and is ready to throw out the first pitch, meet the fans (today's audience is estimated to be over 600,000!) and then at 9 p.m. sharp, Bryan will push the buttons to start the nation's largest fireworks display! six barges and a bridge full! That doesn't count an airshow that starts at 3 p.m. and includes lots of military and civilian aircraft! We are going to be there and talk about USA Cares. This is the video that will be shown at the ball game, BRYAN CARES! 

I don't know if you know this, but you can click on the map to enlarge it! You can see the hard work that the volunteers are doing, and I am so happy to see the numbers slowly creep up! Like an avalance, first, just a little, then more and more! Get your friends to tell their friends, and to Washington, Nevada, Kentucky, Illinois and Delware, share your stories! How are you doing it! 

Jenn is getting better, so we will be hearing from her soon too! You have to love Kentucky Crud!

Words can not express how proud we are of all of you and for what you are doing for our guys and gals who are suffering from PTSD and other wounds of war!