The Story of a True American Hero, His Princess, and Their Struggle with TBI/PTSD.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Help an Amazing family win $20K in Home Depot Home Improvements! :)

 This post was taken from my dear friend Karie's blog, she gave me the totally awesome job of helping her spread the word about this amazing opportunity! :) Karie is a totally awesome girl, and the Vine's...they are an incredible family who is always helping others. Voting starts tomorrow. Don't worry, I will remind you! 

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My Family for the $20k in Home Depot Home Improvements



After much deliberation, and some really great entries, I finally came to a decision. And trust me, it wasn’t an easy task. If I could’ve had my way, I would’ve chosen everyone. I had some very deserving, amazing families. Alas, that was not an option. So, before blabbering my reasoning, I’ll get to it.
I chose….
Caleb, Brannan, and Laney Vines!
Ok, so here is why I chose this family. First of all, Caleb is a wounded veteran who struggles with PTSD and TBI. Though that should be reason enough, that’s not why I chose them. The reason I chose them is because this family is not only struggling with the effects of war, but they are giving back to others who are struggling as well. A few years back Brannan and Caleb started “FamilyofaVet.com”- a non –profit that supports military families who are struggling with PTSD and TBI.
Cool, right?
On top of everything, and most importantly, they could really use these home improvements. There are numerous things in their home that need to be fixed up to make it livable, and they deserve to have that. They really do.
Now, this is where we all need your help. Tomorrow, November 29th, The Home Depot Foundation will open up voting for the families on their Facebook page <---click there. It’s up to you and your votes to choose a family. So, look for the Vines family and choose them!! 
I know there will be many who deserve it and it will be hard, but definitely consider Caleb and his family. To meet them is to fall in love with them. You should just take my word on that. They deserve this – I cannot stress that enough - if nothing else, for the simple fact that the better their living situation, the more families they will be able to help. So, you could say that by choosing them, you are choosing every Military family they help. 
Well, congratulations to the Vines family! This is a preset blog (I'm somewhere in the Caribbean right now) but I have an amazing helper who will be helping me get the word out. If you have any questions go to my blogs Facebook page and she can help you from there!
Thank you guys for the support! Ya'll rock!
Here is the link to Home Depot Foundations Facebook ONE more time:
Home Depot Foundation Facebook Page
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Sunday, November 27, 2011

Restless..

Ever get restless, and just want or even NEED a change, or been through a change and feel the NEED to get everything in your life in line with that change? That's how I feel lately. We have this perfectly amazing house, my husband is doing remarkably well in his recovery, and everything else, well, its a hot mess. I am behind on my writing because I went through a period of like a week where I was just going to do away with this blog altogether, and make a new one, and only blog about now, and not the past, to get rid of the negative in my life. Not that this is terribly negative, but I just thought I would be able to move forward, and move on. That's not going to work though, disappearing is not going to remove negative people from my life, or make me any less upset about the people who have chose not to be in our lives, speaking of which, my heart shattered last night when I saw a note my 5 year old wrote, this is what it said:
Dear Nana, Will you please start liking us again?
Nate. 

It is really hard for me to explain to my children why Nana just stopped talking to us. We aren't even mad about, just confused I guess. Those are the types of things I think I need to be able to fix, and when I can't I feel powerless, like I have failed in some way. I know there is not a thing I can do, but when it breaks my child's heart too, it makes it even worse. I'm sure with time she might come around, she usually does, but its definitely not a healthy pattern, for anyone. I apologize for being all over the place, its either that or not write at all, and I think the latter of the two is the better option. I can't believe November is almost over., my Princess turns 3 in a week, Christmas is right around the corner, I have not finished shopping for either. Why? No reason really, just the couch and I have become great friends. I have my 1st mental health appointment this week, hopefully that will help get me back where I need to be.


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Sunday, November 13, 2011

I will NEVER forget.















Head on over to Spousebuzz to read about my experience.
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Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Homeless Veterans: A Reality Too Close To Home

Here at Just Military Loans our business is about people.  Of course, we offer loans to those who serve and protect our country but we also keep a compassionate heart towards the needs and struggles that one might face.  That’s why we’re taking a closer look at the lives of those who return to a seemingly hopeless situation:  homelessness for military veterans.
If you stop to listen to them, the stories are surprising.  Once active-duty soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, bearing the responsibility of the nation’s safety on their shoulders are now sleeping in cars, on a friend’s couch, with their family in a motel – homeless.
They are White, African-American, Hispanic. Male, female. College-educated and blue-collar workers.
But the commonality they share? They are homeless veterans haunted by their time at war. Returning home, many struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addictions, and guilt. Like a number of the citizens they fought to protect, they came home to a poor economy, job loss, higher rents.
And in their fight to regain normalcy upon their return, too many become homeless veterans.
UNFORTUNATE STATISTICS
The US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) estimated in 2009 that there were about 107,000 homeless veterans in the US. An organization called Soldier On places that number higher – around 275,000 homeless veterans on the streets on any given night.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is concerned that these numbers could grow considering the Obama Administration’s plans to bring home troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. Statistics indicate that young veterans (between 18 and 30) are most vulnerable.
And there’s another growing problem: Women veterans are between two to four times more likely to become homeless than non-veterans.
HOW HOMELESSNESS HAPPENS
Like their fellow citizens, veterans often become homeless when a series of tough circumstances make holding a job and caring for families overwhelming.
Many veterans come home with PTSD, leading to substance abuse problems. Some soldiers report that pride prevents them from seeking help until it’s too late.
In the past few years, returning soldiers have also faced a shortage of affordable housing and fewer job prospects. Some veterans believe employers are hesitant to hire returning soldiers due to their potential emotional struggles. This is something an organization called the Jericho Project wants to remedy. Tori Lyon, of Jericho Project recently told a reporter, “We need to leverage the competitive strengths that veterans offer: technological mastery, teamwork and the ability to perform under pressure. We need to urge employers to hire veterans.”
HELP & HOPE
The camaraderie formed on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan is one of the best solutions for dealing with homelessness. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that the most effective programs appear to be “veterans helping veterans” – particularly transitional housing set-ups in safe environments.
Fortunately, many organizations are attuned to the plight of the homeless veteran:
  • Recently, Jericho Project has been working on a Veteran’s Initiative, creating safe environments that “will provide the holistic support they need to move from homelessness to healthy lives.” In 2011, Jericho Project has been working on two major housing residences in the Bronx.
  • National Coalition for Homeless Veterans works in partnership with government organizations to end homelessness and shape public policy. Their website includes resources for homeless veterans and their families.
  • Soldier On also partners with government agencies to offer immediate and long-term help with housing, addiction treatment/recovery, food, clothing, medical and job services.
  • The VA has a National Call Center for homeless veterans: 877-4AID-VET. The VA also offers the Supportive Services for Veteran Families program, which provides counseling, child care services, temporary financial assistance.

Have you or someone you know ever hit hard times after returning from active duty?  What were some ways you got back on your feet? 


Submitted by: Jodi Bakken, Outreach Coordinator for Just Military Loans http://www.justmilitaryloans.com/blog/homeless-veterans
Written By: Heather

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