https://wss13.etapestry.com:8443/sitepreview/http/usacares.org/index.php en usacaressm@usacares.org Copyright 2012 2012-03-15T18:56:24+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/Calendar_of_Events/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/Calendar_of_Events/#When:18:56:24Z Starting April 25 - Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. Stars for Heroes - All locations for 3 weeks May 1 - Chick-Fil-A Donation Campaign for the month of May - Elizabethtown KY location only May 28 - Louisville Bats/USA Cares Military Appreciation Night - Louisville, KY June 9 - Old Glory Bar & Grill Grand Opening - Radcliff, KY June 14 - Hot Rods Base Ball - USA Cares Military Appreciation Night July 14 - NDIA (National Defense industry Association) Bike Ride - Milford, MI August 24, 25, & 26 - Rockcastle Shoot 2012-03-15T18:56:24+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/pew_research_center/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/pew_research_center/#When:17:34:30Z The report is based on two surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center: one of the nation’s military veterans and one of the general public. A total of 1,853 veterans were surveyed, including 712 who served in the military after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The general public survey was conducted among 2,003 adult respondents. The Rewards and Burdens of Military Service•Veterans who served on active duty in the post-9/11 era are proud of their service (96%), and most (74%) say their military experience has helped them get ahead in life. The vast majority say their time in the military has helped them mature (93%), taught them how to work with others (90%) and helped to build self-confidence (90%). More than eight-in-ten (82%) say they would advise a young person close to them to join the military. •At the same time, however, 44% of post-9/11 veterans say their readjustment to civilian life was difficult. By contrast, just 25% of veterans who served in earlier eras say the same. About half (48%) of all post-9/11 veterans say they have experienced strains in family relations since leaving the military, and 47% say they have had frequent outbursts of anger. One-third (32%) say there have been times where they felt they didn’t care about anything. •Nearly four-in-ten (37%) post-9/11 veterans say that, whether or not they were formally diagnosed, they believe they have suffered from post-traumatic stress (PTS). Among veterans who served prior to 9/11, just 16% say the same. •These psychological and emotional problems are most prevalent among post-9/11 veterans who were in combat. About half of this group (49%) say they have suffered from PTS. And about half (52%) also say they had emotionally traumatic or distressing experiences while in the military. Of those who had these types of experiences, three-in-four say they are still reliving them in the form of flashbacks or nightmares. •Overall, about one-in-six post-9/11 veterans (16%) report they were seriously injured while serving in the military, and most of these injuries were combat-related. And about half (47%) say they know and served with someone who was killed while in the military, not significantly different from the share of pre-9/11 veterans (43%) who say the same.  The survey finds that post-9/11 veterans who either experienced or were exposed to casualties are more supportive than other post-9/11 veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, they also report having more difficulty re-entering civilian life. 2012-03-15T17:34:30+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/2011_annual_report/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/2011_annual_report/#When:17:25:31Z 2011 Annual Report 2012-02-03T17:25:31+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/usa_cares_jobs_for_vets/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/usa_cares_jobs_for_vets/#When:14:51:29Z Child Care Assistance Grant: Though today’s job market is tough for everyone to navigate and land the next big thing, military spouses have struggled with securing employment long before the market “tanked.”  A Department of Defense study released in June 2011 estimated that 26% of military spouses were unemployed.  This is triple the current civilian unemployment rate and more than double the rate of Post 9/11 Veteran’s.   There are about 1.2 million military spouses, of which about 85 % want to work. Of that fragment, it is estimated about 265,000 are either unemployed or underemployed with a wage gap of about 25 % between military spouses and their civilian counterparts. Moving as a unit every two to three years for stability and readiness for their soldier brings an ongoing fight of battling negative stigmas from employers. In military communities, it is well known that frequent moves and the cost of child care play a major role in the efforts of spouses securing employment.  The challenge:  Provide an opportunity to those spouses who show a commitment and ability to adapt to new environments by removing employment barriers such as childcare start up costs and giving them access to “military friendly” employers.  Spouses should be viewed as an asset to an employer, not a risk. In an effort to “give a hand up,” USA Cares is broadening its current Jobs for Vets program to include financial assistance for spouses who have found success in obtaining employment.  USA Cares now assures military spouses do not have the obstruction of child care cost preventing them from their next career. Qualifications: • Active duty military spouse • Current spouse of a honorably discharged veteran • Must have secured new employment • Must show a demonstrated need for child care assistance Employment Assistance Grants: USA Cares Jobs for Veterans program will provide qualifying military families a financial assistance grant paid to a licensed child care facility.  The grant will support the military family from two to four weeks, pending future salary and pay schedule.  Employment & Training Referral/Advocacy Support: USA Cares will continue its outreach to government, private/public, and nonprofit organizations to increase awareness of this unique grant to support and directly affect change of those military spouses who have served our country too. 2012-01-12T14:51:29+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/soldiers_wife_struggled_to_find_air/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/soldiers_wife_struggled_to_find_air/#When:14:47:04Z Vickie Perry speaks with certainty when she says that the air conditioner USA Cares, Inc. helped her to purchase was a bona fide life saver. “This was a necessity for health reasons,” said Vickie who is married to career Staff Sgt. Jeffery Perry, 46, with the Army National Guard. According to the National Weather Service, August 2011 was the second-warmest August on record. The Perry’s Kentucky hometown showed some of the nation’s most excessive heat indexes with temperatures of 116 to 120 degrees for several days between July and August. During this time and while her husband was stationed at an Indiana armory to prepare for his fourth deployment to Iraq, the Perry’s ancient air conditioner conked out in the middle of the excessive summer heat. With Jeffery just coming off of unemployment and still waiting on his first military check, there was a little-to-no fund in their household finances to buy a new unit, which costs upwards of $3,000. Her clerical job at the local school district helped them sustain during the lull, but couldn’t support such an expensive emergency. “I moved small window units downstairs, but it’s a pretty big house,” and those smaller units didn’t suffice. With her suffering with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a progressive lung disease that frequently makes it hard for her to breathe, and with her mother – who lives with them – battling heart and lung conditions, Vickie moved into action and frantically began looking for help. They were without sufficient cool air in their home for approximately 10 days. “We weren’t doing this to get something free,” said Vickie, 44. “We needed the assistance.” She found USA Cares through a military community channel. “At first we were denied assistance because they thought I was asking for a repair,” which USA Cares does not assist with, said Vickie. “ “But I wrote again that we needed a new unit since the old one wasn’t repairable” she said. With donations from the American public, USA Cares was able to assist with $750 towards the cost of the $3,125 unit. The Perry’s raised $875 and another community organization assisted with $1,500, said Vickie. “It was a very upsetting time,” said Vickie. “We were the type of people who always helped other people. So to be in that position was just very different.” “When I got the phone call that USA Cares was going to help, I started crying,” said Vickie. “USA Cares was there for us when we needed them to be there.” 2011-12-31T14:47:04+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/No_turning_back/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/No_turning_back/#When:18:52:04Z This Veteran’s Day, Penguin Group (USA) is pleased to introduce STORIES FOR SOLDIERS. Penguin is honored to donate $25,000* to USA Cares in support of their extraordinary assistance to post-9/11 military families. * Regardless of Sales Army Veteran and author Bryan Anderson lends his support to USA Cares and the Stories for Soldiers campaign. Penguin is proud to offer a special selection of books about the brave men and women who risk their lives to make our country a better, safer place. Whether on land, at sea, or in the air, we salute each and every one of you. The Stories for Soldiers campaign showcases titles by the following authors: Bryan Anderson, Dick Winters, Tom Carhart, John C. McManus, Antony Beevor, and Hugh Ambrose. Every soldier’s story is special—and we’ve created a forum where they can be shared. If you are in the military, know someone who is, or would simply like to convey your gratitude to the men and women, past and present, who serve our country—please, click on the tab above and share. Show your support of military families and veterans by making your donation to USA Cares. Read more. 2011-11-01T18:52:04+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/batteries_plus_launches_time_to_care_campaign/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/batteries_plus_launches_time_to_care_campaign/#When:18:37:26Z The Charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Lexington is generously providing a home for a deserving disabled veteran and their family! Home Builders Care is very excited about leveraging our resources, relationships and professionals to provide this home. The house will be built in the Equestrian View neighborhood and additional funding is being provided by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority. To learn more about the project 2011-11-01T18:37:26+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/family_wants_to_be_whole_again/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/family_wants_to_be_whole_again/#When:18:19:24Z Staff Sgt. David McCaulla, a truck commander and gunner with the Army National Guard, hadn’t been home a few weeks before the rush of excitement from his 2006 return from Iraq began to fade. “I thought we’d be happy,” said Amanda, his wife. “It was far from that.” She says his post-deployment transition became a time of considerable turmoil for their family. He was monstrously short tempered with their five children; age’s three to 12 and had no sense of purposefulness. After returning from a second deployment in 2009, his behavior escalated into physical aggressiveness. “I had to have him arrested,” said Amanda, 29. “He had me in a choke hold so hard I blacked out. He didn’t realize what he was doing,” she said. “I’m not afraid of him; he’s just not who I married.” David, now 32, was finally diagnosed with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, a mental anxiety disorder that occurs after witnessing a traumatic event. “I don’t know if he would want me to say those things” said Amanda about his war experiences and duties. But Amanda’s worries weren’t solely centered on his changing behavior. Just before his second deployment and subsequent PTSD diagnoses, David’s military pay became entangled in a series of delays that spun the family into financial distress. That was when she called USA Cares for financial assistance. “We weren’t getting half of what he was supposed to get,” said Amanda. “We just got so far under. We were grounded.” With donations from the American public, USA Cares was able to assist the McCaullas with two mortgage payments, two car payments and two month’s worth of water, gas and light utility payments, all totaling $3,472.87. “I could never repay USA Cares for the impact they’ve had on my family and myself,” said Amanda. “I could never repay USA Cares for what they have done for us and how greatly appreciative we are. USA Cares gave me my sanity and my life back,” she said. But this story is still waiting for its happy ending. Today, David’s pay is still delayed. Amanda says that since March 2010, they have been getting less than half of what he earned; a situation she hopes is being reviewed. Tragically, they recently lost their home, her childhood home which they bought from her mother. Amanda and their four youngest children now live in a three-bedroom trailer with her mother. David lives with his grandmother in a town one and half hours’ drive away. Amanda and David are hopeful of the day they finally collect his back pay because they believe it will enable them to once again purchase a family home where they can live together. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to be a family again,” she says. David now attends bi-monthly clinical PTSD treatment and therapy sessions, which Amanda holds with great hope. “I love my husband and I want him to get well. He wants to get well.” “We had a very passionate marriage,” said Amanda. “We loved each other. He was everything I ever wanted and he still is. 2011-10-13T18:19:24+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/six_hour_drive_separates_veteran_from_dream_job/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/six_hour_drive_separates_veteran_from_dream_job/#When:13:11:36Z After 24 years with the Army National Guard, which included two deployments to the Middle East, retired Sgt. First Class Mark Chambers never figured that as he reintegrated civilian life, one of his biggest challenges would be to buy a tank of gas. And he certainly never guessed he’d be in such a financial strait that if he didn’t get that tank of gas, his chances of getting a dream job at the Pentagon would be finished. But that was where Sgt. Chambers, 51, found himself when he called USA Cares to assist in getting him enough gas to drive the six hour stretch from his Connecticut home to the interview. “I absolutely did not have the money to get there,” said Sgt. Chambers who retired as a senior human resources supervisor. “And it made me feel like, ‘what did I do for 24 years to be in this situation?’” Sgt. Chambers was among the estimated 2.3 million veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq now confronting the worst job market since the Great Depression of 70 years ago. Ironically, his Army job was to help Soldiers develop their careers. “Everyone said it would be easy for me to a get a job, but it wasn’t that way,” he said. The lackluster job market compounded his financial situation: He was sapping his savings and small pension with a $1,800 mortgage, $420 car payment and devotedly sending his mother in New York City $500 to help supplement her monthly rent. “I was trying to pay regular bills,” he said. “I realized that if I was going to get ahead again, that I would have to put aside my pride and ask for help.” With donations from a nation grateful for his service, USA Cares assisted Sgt. Chambers with $100 for gas and $199.95 for a D.C.-area hotel room. When he got a second interview at the Pentagon, USA Cares assisted again with $200 for gas. “The help I got (at USA Cares) was very, very good,” he said. “I can attest that they did everything to help me; every possible thing.” Today, Sgt. Chambers is an administrator with the United States Agency for international Development – East Africa Division. He works in Washington D.C. “The gas money was important because it gave me a boost.” 2011-09-30T13:11:36+00:00 http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/svm_to_match_commissary_gift_card_donations_operation_basic_needs/ http://usacares.org/index.php/media/press_releases/svm_to_match_commissary_gift_card_donations_operation_basic_needs/#When:18:52:27Z Purchase a Commissary Gift Card, Donate it to USA Cares and SVM will Match Your Donation SVM, maker of retail, restaurant and gas station gift cards around the country announces Operation Basic Needs. The newly-launched Commissary Gift Card can be used by military personnel, retirees and their families to make purchases at any one of the commissaries operated worldwide.  In honor of the men and women that serve our country, SVM, LP is matching all Commissary Gift Card purchases donated to USA Cares through a special designated website. Click here for press release. Click here for more information. 2011-08-04T18:52:27+00:00