In several previous blogs, I addressed the fact that many wounded warrior families face considerable financial challenges, and I noted details about the Military Caregiver Financial Hotline, which can help guide you as you work toward financial health. This current blog continues the discussion of financial resources, with an introduction to another excellent online resource, Operation We Are Here, which provides a wealth of information to help families of wounded warriors manage their money concerns.
My husband was injured while serving in the military, and when he returned from deployment from Afghanistan, we underwent many changes in our lives. Among the many dramatic changes we faced were those related to our finances, which were the most devastating for us. I quit my job as a public-school educator to care for my husband full-time. If faced with the same dilemma today, I would make the same decision to help him, but doing so put us in a hard-financial place for quite a while. For a long time, we lived with the constant uncertainty of how we would make ends meet. How would we be able to pay bills or obtain the basic needs: food, shelter, transportation, and clothing? We faced a myriad of mounting problems, but fortunately, we were able to reach out to family and friends and our place of worship for emotional support, which is always my recommendation if you are able to. Reaching out in this way has been shown to enhance one’s life and longevity generally, but doing so is especially important in stressful circumstances, including tough financial times.
Operation We Are Here
Quite importantly, we benefitted from the array of excellent resources we found on the Operation We Are Here website, which is designed specifically for the entire military community, including wounded warriors and their families. Operation We Are Here is similar to an online clearinghouse that provides links to organizations and agencies that help with financial matters. Operation We Are Here also provides links to helpful non-profits and organizations that offer all families useful information on retreats, therapy, information on service animals, and more, to caregivers, veterans, active duty members, and their families. We found a number of terrific resources on this website to help us organize and manage our finances and get a good start toward a more comfortable financial future.
Summary
Today, we still face financial difficulties, but with much prayer, agency support, the emotional support of family and friends, persistence, and careful planning, we have stabilized our financial situation to a great degree. My husband and I still face a degree of uncertainty each day generally, dealing with his unpredictable behaviors and triggers due to his numerous injuries from war, and there is not one day that is the same – every day is different and comes with its own set of surprises and challenges. However, I am thankful that our financial issues aren’t a major source of stress at this point. Through my abiding faith and the help of family, friends, and these wonderful organizations, we have been able to identify important resources to help us navigate our financial difficulties. I highly recommend that you take a look at Operation We Are Here to view the wonderful resource options available in all areas, including financial matters!
