As I’m sure all of you are aware
and have heard me talk about a lot, I’m a military wife. Because of this,
obviously, anything to do with the military and its people holds a special
place in my heart and I am an avid contributor to several organizations which
help returning warriors and their families. One organization which has always
been on my radar screen is the Wounded Warrior Foundation, and more recently
another outstanding organization was brought to my attention which is geared
toward helping our returning heroes suffering the effects of PTSD/TBI. Now, for
anyone out there unsure of what those acronyms might mean, Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.
It’s my belief that the general
public is unaware of how many of our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen
come home each year alive because of advances in our battlefield medical
procedures and protocol, but suffer long term by the way of PTSD/TBI. I’ll save
the Wounded Warrior talk for another day as it houses a host of injuries more
widespread than I can name here. If you’d seen what I’ve seen…
A story I rarely tell, and keep
close to my heart, entails my first sighting of an amputee during OIF1. Some
might take that simple statement the wrong way, but let me assure you, I was
neither repulsed nor frightened at the sight of the young man. Quite the
opposite was true. He was in the commissary with his new prosthesis and it was
covered in a sheath bearing the EGA emblem. His pride for his country and his job
overwhelmed me and I left my cart, went to my car, and cried. It was in that
moment I realized the full brunt of what was to come. Yes, advances would make
it possible for more warriors to come home alive, but the wave of those coming
in injured would be epic. While I was busy crying, pondering the enormity of
those thoughts, and trying to compose myself, I watched as the young warrior
too left the commissary with a bag of snacks---and assuming here, but I’m
fairly certain they were his buddies favorites—and he was headed across the
street where a unit homecoming was taking place. He’d obviously been sent home
for recovery and was now welcoming his fellow marines home. Our bases are
filled with people just like him and my heart swells with more emotion than I
can fully explain at their dedication.
This is the story people don’t
get in the general media. Those who carry the scars of battle. The survivors.
PTSD and TBI are often times the scars which are unidentifiable to the naked
eye. Just because a warrior bears no physical mark of his service doesn’t mean
he or she isn’t wounded.
Train a Dog, Save a Warrior
strives to aid in the recovery of the men and women coming home with these
invisible scars.
“The Mission of Penny’s from
Heaven Foundation’s Train a Dog Save a Warrior program is to unite wounded
warriors, suffering with PTSD, with homeless, rescue shelter dogs, who are
evaluated and deemed viable, to nurture a healing and rejuvenating bond between
the two. The result is a positive, non judgmental, unconditional relationship
desperately needed by both.” (from their website)
Have I mentioned I have a soft
spot for rescue dogs as well? What could be a better cause than one which
unites two of my passions?
My cousin is the person who
tuned me in to this worthwhile cause and Saturday, October 27, her place of
business will be sponsoring a 5K run to help raise money for TADSAW. While
Sellers-Sexton Ford is just outside the main gate of Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri and many of you fans and readers are scattered throughout the country,
you may be asking what that has to do with you and how you can help…
Let me extend the ways.
You can contact them and ask
what you can do to help locally or from afar.
They have a Facebook Event
ongoing—join and pitch in to help spread the word.
Visit the TADSAW website and
see how you can directly donate.
TADSAW is also on Facebook.
Give them a like and participate through their page.
Leave me a comment today, even though I already
donated, I will make another donation. For every comment I receive here between
now and November 30, 2012, I will donate $1.00 directly to TADSAW up to and
including $100.00. (This article will re-run Wednesday, October 17 and I will
combine the comments from both runs to achieve the total number of comments.)
Together we can make a
difference. No matter our views on wars, why they’re fought, or if we should be
fighting, we should still honor our service men and women and their sacrifices.
Get involved. Give a wounded warrior a hand up.
Thanks for coming by today,
Lila
No comments:
Post a Comment