Friday thoughts for the day
Greetings veterans, veteran families, and supporters! I knew when I started this movement that it was going to be slow in the beginning, especially since my family is literally fighting for lives against yet another whose interest is in taking our home and not at all in helping us keep it and housed. Trying to gain support and raise awareness is beyond difficult especially when high stress and the desire to want to just give up and walk away is so great. But then i look at the other families who are in the same exact position, or i reread any of the dozens of stories sent to me by veteran families who already lost their home, and i realize this is so much bigger than just me and my family, its a war that has been waged against our veterans and their families for as far back as the eye can see. Yes, we have had years and administrations which have eased some of the hardships or problems veterans face, but overall, I can say most of us have given them a failing grade in not only protecting our veterans from various predators and dangerous scams, but in helping to provide all veterans have free and high quality medical and mental health care to our veterans and their families as well. Add in the struggle to find work that you wont lose in a few months because of cuts or downsizing, or the fact that there are far less veteran friendly jobs and opportunities than there were before. I mean how many of you have find like us, where getting even a veteran discount is like looking for a needle in a haystack. That's what we have now.
The mental health crisis our veterans face is being downplayed by not only society but our government as well. Ridiculous waiting times for mental and medical appointments and services adds to the hardships and struggles our vets and their families already face. There is literally very little protection or programs for veteran home buyers as well, as the Va and government change and lighten buying requirements for buying homes, but seriously fail to tighten restrictions and processing of the lenders and banks that handle and get to hold veteran VA and FHA loans. You can google and find what i have, stats and claims that VA home loans have the least number of foreclosures, but take a look at the foreclosed properties and homes they always have available for purchase, and well, you do the math. Simply said, my family like hundreds of thousands of others, have need protection and help in not only affording the home they have lived in before job loss or unforeseen medical or life changes hit them, but in fighting these unleashed lenders and banks to fight to stay housed and in their homes. I know for us, we cannot now not only afford to lose our home, but we cant afford to suffer the additional burdens that come along with a foreclosure on our VA loan either. Our story is not more colorful or much different than those i have heard and find. Spouse loses job suddenly, gets injured in an accident or diagnosed with a life changing illness or disability, or as in most of our situations, are already disabled veterans and thought we were somehow better protected with more options to not only get our lives back on track but to stay in our homes as well. This has been a nightmare, and besides depressing, high stress, emotionally devastating, it has also left us questioning the real feelings that this country has for those who have given so much of their lives and time to protect and defend the constitution and freedoms we all enjoy, but as for so little in return. Honor, courage, and commitment doesn't stop when the uniforms stop getting put on, and our veterans deserve better than to be drug through all that they are which creates additional hardships and traumas on top of what they are going through already, and literally leave them being forced out onto the streets where a growing national homeless crisis already exists.
Let me be clear, just for those who don't know, the homeless crisis in this country, while being downplayed by the current administration and various agencies, is a serious and growing problem. Under reporting the actual numbers of students, elderly, veterans, families, and individuals who are out on our streets every night and day is a huge problem regardless of whose to blame or why. These are human lives, and all of them matter. But my focus is and will be on our veterans, because there are multiple existing and new grassroots movements and programs being funded to combat the homeless issue in our cities but there are virtually no programs for veterans and veteran families to help prevent foreclosures much less afford the expensive legal fees associated with trying to fight these greedy lenders, who are so heavily protected by the laws and government because profits and greed matter more. The crisis is real, families are being forced out of their homes and onto the streets, and lives and futures of these amazing people are being forever changed with little hope of relief or justice unless we as a collective grassroots movement, come together and be the voice and "in your face" regular activists to stand up and speak out.
The research on the history of this country, its government, and its continued practice of increasing enlistments for political wars that go on for years and years, creating waves of new groups of veterans that come back to this mess and these nightmares, is gut wrenching. Congressional members have no problems admitting that we are failing our veterans and their families, and are aware of the problems, only to blame congressional gridlock as the two political parties clash and bicker, attacking each other and doing what they can to undermine or make passing legislation or actual solutions impossible, And month after month, year after year, it goes on and on as #partybeforecountry becomes their foundation and the people pay the price. I think I've cried myself to sleep more than ever these last few years, and i am trying to work up the courage to tell our story, since we are entering into the beginning of a legal battle just to keep our home. But I remember that what we are living and going through could very well help or inspire others gong through the same or unaware of how serious this issue is, to actually fight back themselves or help us fight for awareness and change. Because truth be told, I wouldn't wish this nightmare on even my worst enemy, and humans should have access to and be able to have the very basic necessities (housing, food, clothing, etc.) without having to die trying to hold onto them.
I hope that as you read through the stories i tell and share, the updates and photos, the resources and research i find and share, the thoughts and efforts to raise awareness and form an army of angels that are not afraid to speak out for and fight for our veterans and their families...you remember one thing, regardless of when you served, what branch you served in, if you ever saw combat or not..regardless of if you are a proud active duty or veteran spouse, you matter! And while the politics and political agendas far too often distract and divide us, the brotherhood and sisterhood of military and veterans and their families is always there. I just hope that one day soon, we set aside those differences and come together to help each other, because when an injustice or war is waged against one of us, it is actually waged against us all. They get away with preying on individuals, but would lose every time we stand united for change.
Please be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter, and this blog and keep sending in your stories and struggles, support and positivity. United we stand, god bless us all.
The mental health crisis our veterans face is being downplayed by not only society but our government as well. Ridiculous waiting times for mental and medical appointments and services adds to the hardships and struggles our vets and their families already face. There is literally very little protection or programs for veteran home buyers as well, as the Va and government change and lighten buying requirements for buying homes, but seriously fail to tighten restrictions and processing of the lenders and banks that handle and get to hold veteran VA and FHA loans. You can google and find what i have, stats and claims that VA home loans have the least number of foreclosures, but take a look at the foreclosed properties and homes they always have available for purchase, and well, you do the math. Simply said, my family like hundreds of thousands of others, have need protection and help in not only affording the home they have lived in before job loss or unforeseen medical or life changes hit them, but in fighting these unleashed lenders and banks to fight to stay housed and in their homes. I know for us, we cannot now not only afford to lose our home, but we cant afford to suffer the additional burdens that come along with a foreclosure on our VA loan either. Our story is not more colorful or much different than those i have heard and find. Spouse loses job suddenly, gets injured in an accident or diagnosed with a life changing illness or disability, or as in most of our situations, are already disabled veterans and thought we were somehow better protected with more options to not only get our lives back on track but to stay in our homes as well. This has been a nightmare, and besides depressing, high stress, emotionally devastating, it has also left us questioning the real feelings that this country has for those who have given so much of their lives and time to protect and defend the constitution and freedoms we all enjoy, but as for so little in return. Honor, courage, and commitment doesn't stop when the uniforms stop getting put on, and our veterans deserve better than to be drug through all that they are which creates additional hardships and traumas on top of what they are going through already, and literally leave them being forced out onto the streets where a growing national homeless crisis already exists.
Let me be clear, just for those who don't know, the homeless crisis in this country, while being downplayed by the current administration and various agencies, is a serious and growing problem. Under reporting the actual numbers of students, elderly, veterans, families, and individuals who are out on our streets every night and day is a huge problem regardless of whose to blame or why. These are human lives, and all of them matter. But my focus is and will be on our veterans, because there are multiple existing and new grassroots movements and programs being funded to combat the homeless issue in our cities but there are virtually no programs for veterans and veteran families to help prevent foreclosures much less afford the expensive legal fees associated with trying to fight these greedy lenders, who are so heavily protected by the laws and government because profits and greed matter more. The crisis is real, families are being forced out of their homes and onto the streets, and lives and futures of these amazing people are being forever changed with little hope of relief or justice unless we as a collective grassroots movement, come together and be the voice and "in your face" regular activists to stand up and speak out.
The research on the history of this country, its government, and its continued practice of increasing enlistments for political wars that go on for years and years, creating waves of new groups of veterans that come back to this mess and these nightmares, is gut wrenching. Congressional members have no problems admitting that we are failing our veterans and their families, and are aware of the problems, only to blame congressional gridlock as the two political parties clash and bicker, attacking each other and doing what they can to undermine or make passing legislation or actual solutions impossible, And month after month, year after year, it goes on and on as #partybeforecountry becomes their foundation and the people pay the price. I think I've cried myself to sleep more than ever these last few years, and i am trying to work up the courage to tell our story, since we are entering into the beginning of a legal battle just to keep our home. But I remember that what we are living and going through could very well help or inspire others gong through the same or unaware of how serious this issue is, to actually fight back themselves or help us fight for awareness and change. Because truth be told, I wouldn't wish this nightmare on even my worst enemy, and humans should have access to and be able to have the very basic necessities (housing, food, clothing, etc.) without having to die trying to hold onto them.
I hope that as you read through the stories i tell and share, the updates and photos, the resources and research i find and share, the thoughts and efforts to raise awareness and form an army of angels that are not afraid to speak out for and fight for our veterans and their families...you remember one thing, regardless of when you served, what branch you served in, if you ever saw combat or not..regardless of if you are a proud active duty or veteran spouse, you matter! And while the politics and political agendas far too often distract and divide us, the brotherhood and sisterhood of military and veterans and their families is always there. I just hope that one day soon, we set aside those differences and come together to help each other, because when an injustice or war is waged against one of us, it is actually waged against us all. They get away with preying on individuals, but would lose every time we stand united for change.
Please be sure to follow us on facebook, twitter, and this blog and keep sending in your stories and struggles, support and positivity. United we stand, god bless us all.
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