Mar 14, 2020 · 6 min read
A story of need and solutions
Published 3/7/2020
re-published 3.14.20
Wendy was pushing Emily on the Merry Go Round at their neighborhood park.
The merry-go-round wasn’t maintained well and it was hard to push so Wendy got tired rather quickly.
“Come on Mommy” Emily whined. “Push harder, I want to go FAST”.
The background alone makes me dizzy!
Emily was sassy, even for an 8-year-old.
Wendy was-winded and collapsed onto the spinning merry-go-round.
Quickly it began to slow down. Her added weight and the poor maintenance worked their magic.
“I will think faster before I agree to bring Emily to this playground again” she was thinking!”
“Mommy, mommy, I was some tomato soup and grill cheese sandwich!”
“I want to dunk the sandwich into the soup like grandpa showed me.”
“We don’t have any bread and I don’t get paid until Wednesday” replied Wendy.
“Two WHOLE DAYS without bread? No toast, no peanut butter an’ jelly sandwiches” whined Emily, her high-pitched voice grated on Wendy adding to her depressed state of mind.
Wendy was already adding up the costs for the next month in her mind. Rent, car insurance, car payment, FOOD. How was it all going to work out?
I just don’t have the energy to take a waitress job. And the economy is just going down the tubes in this small hick town.
But I don’t have the money to move into the city either.
Damn! Damn, Damn, Damn.
“Well, let’s start walking home and maybe I’ll think of something you will like,” said Wendy.
As they were walking, they ran into a friend of Wendy’s.
Stephanie wonders if Wendy was OK.
“Are you feeling OK? You look pretty run down.”
Steph and Wendy have served together in the 557th Medical Company (Area Support), 421st Medical Battalion, 30th Medical Brigade, US Army
They served in Bulgaria together, US Army. Their tour of duty was in Baumholder, Germany, a few years ago. They assisted Captain Donald Foss, 557th Medical Company registered nurse and Staff Sgt. William Barraza, a 557th medical company medic, as they trained 29 Bulgarian soldiers in tactical combat casualty care, or TCC, medical skills such as control or airway and maintaining an airway. Both critical skills in combat. Here is a link to read about the 557th if you like.
They both decided to get out at the end of their tours and get married.
Wendy’s fiancé had bailed out, leaving her high and dry with a newborn.
Steph had been her support guidepost in the intervening years. Without Steph…
“It’s just money” Wendy responded. “I just can’t make the money go as far as the month”.
Stephanie’s heart ached for her dear friend. “Let me see what I can find out. There must be something, someone.”
Her voice trailed off as she realized the enormity of what she had just promised.
“Let me get busy. I’ll be in touch soon.”
Stephanie got home and jumped on her computer.
The first thing she saw was a note from Thomas Howard II. He had written this on December 16, 2019, at 11:56 AM. He wrote in the blogs.va.gov.
“Yeah, we shouldn’t (go hungry). But we do. Shouldn’t go into debt paying for surgery to fix an injury sustained in war. Did that one too. Twice. Shouldn’t be looked at or down upon or treated like a second-class citizen. That’s a thing, too. Shouldn’t fight years for scraps of “ benefits” only to get a letter saying they will be taken away the VA doesn’t get their money within 30 days. Can’t wait to see what new horrors await once I lose the 516 that’s my only since I was forced to resign for something I didn’t do because this is fact-given enough time everyone looks at you differently and assumes something, or asks stupid questions about how many people you kill, Then, they fire you for not smiling enough. You think I’m joking? I’m the guy in South Huntsville, AL selling everything I own just to have power on Christmas and hopefully see my children. Shouldn’t have gotten my identity stolen but hey that’s been fun. Then the IRS comes after I wait six months for an appointment, tell me I need surgery or risk paralysis, then help me find the door since my medical records vanished? They can pay Ton Hanks to parade in front of the camera, or the CEOI of T-Mobile to smile for the camera, but they can’t be bothered with Combat Infantryman, Tom Howard who can’t even verify his own identity anymore because of the theft, greed, and abuse are the American dream now. The politicians only fight for us when they want more votes, and the VA has done more harm than good, but what do I know about the state of Veteran Affairs? I’m just an unemployed loser with PTSD who brought down the error rate 85% at his last place of employment then spend Independence Day hungry and begging for food, Yay, America@ That’s my reward for faithful service and sacrifice to my country. My reward for standing up and fight with my brother. Shouldn’t go hungry but do.No one should bo hungry, Everyone should help their brothers and sister as we are ALL in this together. I went to war in 2005, but the real war began when I came home. Shouldn’t be told you wished we had died I war, but just like how I wish I had dinner last night, we can’t always get what we want.
But the leak in her heart burst open when she read the post by Jerry G. Palmertree. He wrote on Dec 12, 2019.
“We get snap last year it went from $195 to $126 because of an $11. Cola raise. I just got the notice in snow dropping to $116.00. Between the power and water and wife’s medical bills with her being on total disability and my small SS check, we do not have anything left over. We are told we do not need to eat box or can items due to health reasons. But that is all you can afford. Oh, our income level is below the guideline.”
Stephanie was in tears. Do any of these people get help from the VA?
There was no way to tell from this website.
She sobbed for a while. She finally pulled herself together and began the search for help for Wendy.
There were so sites on Social platforms but she was looking for real help.
Her search continued.
She finally came to a page and seemed as if it was what she was hunting for.
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/VA Home
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/myva/My VA.
https://www.rallypoint.com/joing/orgs/veteran-affairs-va RallyPoint — Step 1. Rally Point where troops gather for support.
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/military-life-cycle/veterans-military-funeral-honors/help-for-veterans Help for Veterans — from Funeral Assistance to help to find housing and getting grants to the VA Medical Assistance programs and so on
https://nvf.org/veteran-resources/ Help for Veterans Legal assistance, housing, etc. The program is No One Left Behind.
I found two more links:
https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-how-to-applySNAP Program
https://www.va.gov/find-locations/ Locate a VA Medical Center ask for the Women Veterans Program if you are a woman
My thanks to:
Hans Petersen
Senior Writer-Editor for Digital Media, VHA Office of Communications. An Air Force Veteran, Hans also served two years in the Peace Corps and worked 20 years I broadcasting before joining the VA. The picture he used in his article inspired me to write mine.
I also want to thank an Army Chaplain. I read his article in praise of the medical corps and the chaplain’s corp but I lost my record of the article.
My thanks to @Isabel Orozco. Her article “Stop and Look Around” in Mindfulness really changes you.
And
@Carol Lennox for our conversation yesterday on Mindfulness and Contemplative Prayer. Compelling.
Thanks for stopping.
Craig