Military Special Needs Network
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Strength in Numbers: Military Families Unite
When I had my first child, my husband and I barely had two pennies to pinch together. My husband’s chief and his wife brought us a gift of baby clothes and a hot meal. When he deployed for the first time, I found friends in the ombudsman and seasoned wives. When my son was diagnosed with special needs, the other special needs moms and dads rallied around us and we gained a wise and proactive family. I rarely spent the holidays alone because someone always had their door and their heart open to us.
Today is no different, my friends. We will not simply throw our hands up and give in to the pressure to “embrace the suck.” At least not by Nancy Pelosi’s definition. Congress wants us to embrace the new bipartisan budget deal they pioneered. This bill means large financial hits to the retirement pay of active duty military members as well as wounded warriors. It means an $83,000 cut in pension funds to an average enlisted servicemember, and a $124,000 chop to the average officer. There is no grandfather clause. Everyone under the age of 62 who retires after a full 20 year commitment, or is medically retired, will feel this in their pocketbook. Well Congress, we don’t, and won’t embrace that. What we will embrace is our pride in looking out for each other.
OUR way of “embracing the suck” is picking each other up and gaining strength. We learn to speak up, speak for ourselves, and speak loudly until we are heard. We gain momentum, experiences, and new friends. We learn we are much more resilient than we ever thought possible.
This Holiday Season, reach out to that single person who might be eating his meal without a family. You are now his family. The family who has a child in a wheel chair and is shunned from attending holiday caroling, you are now that child’s family. We are strong because of each other. We are a family, no matter how far apart we are, what service we are in, or what our assignment is. No matter what happens in Congress, we still have our dignity, our resilience, and each other.
3 comments on “Strength in Numbers: Military Families Unite”
Comments, discussion and insight always welcome!
Military Special Needs Network 
Wonderful post. I love the resiliency of military families – I just wish we wouldn’t keep having to demonstrate it every time we get screwed.
I agree Vanessa. But we will persevere.
Great post! and VERY informative, WE always adapt and overcome! Marine Corp OORAH!!!