Ideas!!!

OK, well, I'm off the ledge a little bit compared to yesterday, but I wanted to let people marinate in the idea I had when I get home. Now, it obviously has the right idea, and I am not looking for acceptance of it, but I want peope to hear what I am taling about. I am notorious for NOT writing things down, and spewing my thoughts verbally!! Oh well, I have NO plans of changing, but I think I have good ideas! Like my Sponge Painter that I designed out of a sponge and cut the "M" in the U of Minnesota logo, and dipped it in paint and used it on the walls in Hunters room! Yeah, they have something cheesy stencil type things at paint stores, but this was a normal sponge and I liked it! Oh well, my engineering brother said "Write your ideas down", and I said "I don't write ideas down"! Well, you can see how far I have come with that idea!
I'm in IRAQ!!!!
Anyways, something I have even more passion about right now and really believe in wholeheartedly even more than the soldiers being supported while they are deployed, are their families and how THEY are treatd and affected while they are deployed!
Well, the way I see it, and I also come at it from a National Guard/Reserve point of view, is that in MY situation, I left and regardless of the circumstances my wife quit her job while I was deployed. I was a stay at home dad, and she made good money with good benefits! As of now neither of us have jobs when I return, and you know what, there is NO desire to look, because I am STILL deployed we have to take care of business at home. That is fine, I get paid decently for being over here, BUT......BUT........immediatly upon my return, WHENEVER THAT IS, we have to compensate! No problem, and we were fortunate enough to be a little financially responsible before, but a lot are not! A lot of individuals need financial help, healthcare help, housework help, Routine maint. on cars, houses, apartments, yards, DAYCARE, EVERYTHING, and in a lot of cases it becomes a burden on the remaining spouse to do the things that the other spouse took care of before they left.
OK, I know there are tons of GREAT organizations out there to support the troops, and honestly, it helps a great deal to get care packages, but I am more fulfilled knowing my family has the least amount of issues, and knowing they are fine is a care package to me!
I don't see ANY organization out there, NONPROFIT or NONPOLITICAL, that is solely to help the "homefront" for the families of military members! When I say that I want someone who needs a new air conditioner or furnace, or new transmission, or new oven, even a new(used) vehicle t be able to HAVE one if they are unable to afford one! Even if they are able to, at least have it partially paid for! I know it sounds simple, and it is, but a lot of poeple, when someone is deployed, could care less about the AC because they are worried about the kids, and getting to work, and homework, and illness! Anyways, if all you had to do was call this FOUNDATION, and give them your application details(ie. finances, what the issue is, family member deployed), then you are approved, the foundation calls someone to come out and fix it and pay for that, or buy an item they need and deliver it! Or if someone NEEDS to have a root canal, but it is gonna cost them $400 out of pocket, and that would put a dent in there finances, the foundation will pay!
It is pretty simple really and requires a lot of $, but you know what? They have this new foundation in MN that is trying to raise money from local business people and the public for a fund that will give each deployed service member from MN a check for a certain amount, including the likes of myself! Even a bigger check to the ones that have lost loved ones or ones that are injured, and deservedly so! VERY GENEROUS INDEED, but I will accept it, but probably don't "need" it, after the fact! Or should I say, SOMEONE probably needs it MORE than me! This is the person I could help with the foundation!
My goal would not be to give people $ itself, but to pay for something they NEED!
Not necessarily for financial hardships in all cases, but for HARMONY, in life.
If my wife needs to get a new garage door opener and have it installed! We could probably afford it, but it sure would be a lot easier to just make a phone call and then someone says "No Problem, give us 3 days or less and we'll have it DONE for you! "
Anyways, that would help poeple tremendously! Heck, we could even set up immunization clinics for the families in coordination with a Health Insurer or the State! Only for deployed servicemembers families!
OK, that is my hope and dream, and it could change at any time. I hope to have a HUGE Golf Tournament next spring, with either all the $ going to the foundation if it is started, or some other similar foundation for military families!
OK, that a long post, but I am not giving up on this because I believe in the military family and what they sacrifice for US! Everyone say WE sacrifice, but don't forget about the families!
They get overlooked in the media, and in politics! I'm just one person, I don't matter as much as my family!
Check out the pic from high atop the Palace, and in the background the best shot of all of Baghdad we have gotten!
Have a great Saturday!
Erik