Welcome Home
Helping our heroes. By Beth Bond.
The big day is nearly here. You have all waited anxiously for the homecoming and now it happens! Across the tarmac or down the gangplank comes that special loved one, home from military service. But after the hugs, kisses and tears from family and friends, how do you pick up your life again as a civilian?
For thousands of our returning veterans, this is a very real challenge. The world has changed while they were serving in the armed forces far from home. Who will now handle the finances and make those family decisions? Where are the jobs, and what are they qualified for? For many returning vets, both male and female, there might also be unresolved health issues to inhibit that search.
A family welcoming home a veteran has as many adjustments as the veteran himself. After all, he's not only come from a hostile climate, he's been released from an environment where most of his or her decisions were made by the military organization. While he or she is dealing daily with the enemy, choices of health care, insurance, shelter, food, supplies and transportation were made by the U.S. government. Now, home at last, the future can look a little daunting and filled with its own kind of minefield.
Who is there for these vulnerable heroes?
Fortunately, the returning vet is not alone. Let me introduce you to some of the movers and shakers in our community who spearhead the issues. Vets Helping Vets is just what it says, a dedicated group of retired service men and women who can help veterans cope with change.
At the top of our list is Michael Schindler, a navy veteran and founder and CEO of Operation Military Family. This unique organization is dedicated to preserving the marriages of those in the service. By preparing the spouse and children for the deployment of the loved one, a greater understanding is achieved on the challenges of separation. Who will take over the finances? How about day-to-day decisions? Setting up guidelines before deployment is essential.
In his book, "Operation Military Family," Michael, himself a veteran, states: “our mission is to strengthen and enrich the lives of service members, veterans and their families.” He offers how-to advice, resources, and practical step-by-step exercises to this end. And, most important, is the knowledge that there is a whole support network out there for the returning veteran. Mike and his friends of the support network want veterans to know that you are not alone in navigating the transitions of your new life. Mike chose Edmonds as the base for Operation Military Family, the organization, because of its proximity to the Air Force Support Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), and the Naval Station in Everett. From Edmonds, Mike can coordinate a raft of support agencies to effectively guide the veteran and his family to successful assimilation into civilian life in the community.
Operation Military Family Cares is a non-profit organization that eagerly welcomes donations of time, money or sponsorship. And VAPP is the for-profit wing, which deals with the nuts and bolts in coordinating state and national programs of higher education and corporate counseling.
Operation One Roof, founded by veteran Marine Richard Bennett, proudly joined to assist Mike and the OMF group in order to provide a clearinghouse for veteran families in transition who need a home. We all have had some experience on the exhausting and costly search for a home. But the veteran has the added problem of financial constraints and the very real prospect that he or she may face another deployment after just settling the family in their new home. Here is where Dick Bennett comes in to help. He has put together a group of realtors, home inspectors, attorneys and accountants who will offer discount rates for their services and also donate 10% of their fees to the Operation Military Family organization. But, the best part is, help doesn't stop when you get those house keys. Many times this big commitment comes with some after-sale snags, like a leaky faucet or a faulty TV hook-up. Dick refers immediately to his list of plumbers and electricians, most of whom are also veterans, who can do the job at cost and donate 10% to the continuing operation of OMF.
And what lies ahead for this dedicated group? Family counseling sessions are on the immediate horizon as is serious and practical help finding schools and job training for the next career. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the far- reaching goals of Dick Bennett and Operation One Roof. Stay tuned!
Resources:
"Operation Military Family" by Michael Schindler, How Military Families are Fighting to Preserve Their Marriages, ISBN 978-1-8900427-86-3. Mike is a popular guest speaker who is informed and passionate about veterans and their families, contact him at 206-795-5890 or MSchindler@OperationMilitaryFamily.com for your event.
Richard Bennett and Operation One Roof. Richard is with Champions Real Estate Services, 525 Fifth Ave. South Edmonds, WA 98020 Ste. 100 phone 206-850-6082 or dickbennett@frontier.com
"Home Alone in America", written by Elizabeth Dost is a poignant and moving account between a young German living in America, writing home to his family in Berlin between 1946 and 1955. This is a true story, and reflects the anxiety faced in trying to unite the family in America, during the cold war. His mother's letters are especially poignant and meaningful to mothers everywhere.
