- Spotlight Event | Homes for Our Troops Benefit Festival
- From Betty Sandefur | Bring Them Out of Hiding
- From Micah Burnett | Volunteer: Help a Community
- In Brief | New Beginnings
Bring Them Out of Hiding
Written by: Betty Sandefur
Once upon a time, a young girl was forced to go into hiding with her family. Born in 1929, she had never harmed anyone. Her favorite pastime was writing; her biggest dream, to be published.
Sadly, that did not happen during her lifetime. In August 1944, at age 15, Anne Frank, along with her family, was taken by the Nazis into a prison camp. She survived for only seven months and died of typhus in March of 1945. But her thoughts, her courage, and her wise words did survive, because someone who cared brought her knowledge and insight to the forefront.
One of the primary missions of TexVet is to improve the lives of Texas Military, Veterans and Family Members by helping to ensure their access to needed services. Chances are you know or have Veterans in your family. You may have heard bits and pieces of their stories … what they felt … how they survived. Or perhaps you never heard any stories at all, because they were locked down deep.
World War II, Korean, Vietnam, Gulf War, and OIF/OEF Soldiers returned home, and are still coming home, to a country undergoing change and facing a struggling economy. Throughout Texas, in every county, there are Veterans who are still struggling to survive … Veterans who, because of war experiences, have gone into hiding. They cannot find a job. They do not have friends. They do not want to talk about the past. They do not want to ask for help or go up against a bureaucracy.
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Volunteer: Help a Community
-From Micah Burnett
Volunteerism is an integral part of military culture. Indeed, one of the most oft-cited facts about our Armed Forces is that they have maintained an all-volunteer force for more than 30 years. Volunteers also make significant contributions to many non-profit organizations, schools, and hospitals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 26.3% of American adults volunteered – “did unpaid work through or for an organization” – in 2010. That is both a considerable portion of the civilian population and testament to the American spirit.
Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, American volunteers donated more than 8 million hour of their time in 2010. That is the equivalent of $169 billion in services. However, the positive impact of volunteerism is enjoyed by not only the host organization, but also individual volunteers. The Corporation for National & Community Service’s most recent report “The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research” highlights the strong correlation between volunteerism and health benefits. Per the report, volunteers are more likely to enjoy both lower mortality rates and lower rates of depression than non-volunteers.
Unfortunately, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of volunteerism in Texas – 24% – lags slightly behind the national average. There are many factors that may contribute to that the below average rate. One possible factor is that individuals might not know what organizations are in need of volunteers. Many different organizations across the state are currently seeking individuals that are willing to donate their time and effort to a worthy cause. TexVet is one such organization.
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Two of The Same Gift
From: Perry Jefferies
Welcome to the New Year and a new day for the Texas Military Forces, Veterans, and Families that we at TexVet serve. I think that many of us like to declutter our homes, work, and mind each New Year, choosing to celebrate this arbitrary mark in time together. There are some truly new things going on this year that make it different from the last few. And I don’t just mean the possibility of an odd new calendar to go with that new iPad or smartphone you got for Christmas.
For me personally – it is the first time in fifteen years that I didn’t wake up on January 3d to report to or was deployed from Fort Hood, the world’s biggest military installation and the nation’s premiere power projection platform. Minus this guy, Fort Hood is now booming – with over two-thirds of its 50,000 plus Soldiers home from their deployments. While a bunch are still fighting in Afghanistan, that is more than have been here for the last ten years. And that is reflected across Texas’ 17 military installations. Many of these troops will be getting out, especially with the budget plans in the National Defense Authorization Act. As we see every month at Fort Hood, Veterans love to stay in Texas, no matter where they entered service. The weather, the economic climate, and the great services for Veterans that the state provides all work together to convince them to stay. They will need jobs, services, family support – and they have earned it!
To address many of these issues, Texans rise to the challenge. The last legislature established the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans. Chaired by TVC’s Colonel (ret) Thomas P. Palladino, these working groups are coordinating Veteran services across the state to make sure that gaps are filled, redundancy is reduced, and that Veterans’ needs are truly addressed.
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5TH ANNUAL HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS BENEFIT FESTIVAL
Jan. 27 @ 10am through
Jan. 29 @ 5pm
Houston, TX
LOOK FORWARD TO:
Live Music - Battle Reenactment - Sporting Clays Tournament - Car Show - Air Show - Powered Parachute Flights - Historic Figures - Helicopter Rides and Military Display - Carnival - Honor Ceremonies - Cook Teams - Food Vendors - Craft and Specialty Vendors - Auctions
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Come celebrate our armed forces and honor their sacrifices and to raise funds to build specially-adapted homes for severely combat wounded veterans
Every day, the men and women of our Armed Forces put their lives on the line protecting our freedom and independence. Some of those lives are lost, and some are profoundly and forever altered, suffering injuries so severe that they must rely on others for care, losing much of their independence. These severely injured veterans have a desperate need for specially adapted homes that will help restore the independence they have lost. For what they have sacrificed to protect our homes, we can, and should, build them their homes. Homes for Our Troops can "give back" freedom and independence to them through a gift of a specially adapted home.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Click Here
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