quote:

It's a casualty of war - Families separated by thousands of miles. One parent left to run the house and the kids, while the other fights overseas. One local military family is keeping it together one day at a time.

The family's story is like a lot of other returning veterans, one that is becoming far too common. These Americans put their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. And when they come back, they find it tough to make ends meet on government pay and benefits.

"Both my husband and I, all we've ever wanted was to do something for our country. I wanted to make sure my kids had the same freedom I had."

D and her husband J have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will. She's a wounded veteran, who was severely hurt by a mortar blast while working on a truck in Iraq. J's a local police officer and Army Specialist. He was wounded twice on his first tour and now he's back in Iraq on his second tour as a roof gunner on a Humvee.

"It's hard on me physically and emotionally on the kids," said D. "With the kids being older it's tough. J has to stand up and be the man."

Her oldest child is a big help around the house, but all four kids take on extra responsibilities cooking, cleaning and caring for their mother who is still recovering from breaking her back.

"It's not as easy as I thought it would be," said her son, Little J. "[It's] not very fun."

Soon after the family moved into their new home things began to fall apart. The roof is caving in, rafters are rotting and every time there's a storm rainwater floods the house.

"On a budget it's kind of hard to do anything."

Hard for anyone to handle, but especially tough for a wounded mother trying to raise a family of four alone while her husband is fighting overseas. The local VA and her church have stepped in to help, but still there's only so much they can do.

"They have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will," said Mike Hathaway. "And we need the community to step up and ask what can we do to help them be taken care?"

Friends say the family is in desperate need of a new roof and a new elevator. The one in the home is unreliable. And due to D's injuries it's the only way she can get from the bottom floor to the top.

A fund has been set up at American Bank of Texas, so that anyone can help the family. It's in D's name. Donations can be made at any of the bank's North Texas branches.

Katy Blakey, KTEN News

quote:

Originally posted by BigRobT:

quote:

It's a casualty of war - Families separated by thousands of miles. One parent left to run the house and the kids, while the other fights overseas. One local military family is keeping it together one day at a time.

The family's story is like a lot of other returning veterans, one that is becoming far too common. These Americans put their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. And when they come back, they find it tough to make ends meet on government pay and benefits.

"Both my husband and I, all we've ever wanted was to do something for our country. I wanted to make sure my kids had the same freedom I had."

D and her husband J have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will. She's a wounded veteran, who was severely hurt by a mortar blast while working on a truck in Iraq. J's a local police officer and Army Specialist. He was wounded twice on his first tour and now he's back in Iraq on his second tour as a roof gunner on a Humvee.

"It's hard on me physically and emotionally on the kids," said D. "With the kids being older it's tough. J has to stand up and be the man."

Her oldest child is a big help around the house, but all four kids take on extra responsibilities cooking, cleaning and caring for their mother who is still recovering from breaking her back.

"It's not as easy as I thought it would be," said her son, Little J. "[It's] not very fun."

Soon after the family moved into their new home things began to fall apart. The roof is caving in, rafters are rotting and every time there's a storm rainwater floods the house.

"On a budget it's kind of hard to do anything."

Hard for anyone to handle, but especially tough for a wounded mother trying to raise a family of four alone while her husband is fighting overseas. The local VA and her church have stepped in to help, but still there's only so much they can do.

"They have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will," said Mike Hathaway. "And we need the community to step up and ask what can we do to help them be taken care?"

Friends say the family is in desperate need of a new roof and a new elevator. The one in the home is unreliable. And due to D's injuries it's the only way she can get from the bottom floor to the top.

A fund has been set up at American Bank of Texas, so that anyone can help the family. It's in D's name. Donations can be made at any of the bank's North Texas branches.

Katy Blakey, KTEN News

(names redacted to protect the potential scammer)

URL redacted for privacy reasons

Ok, I KNOW that she's making at LEAST $2932/mo for being 100% disabled. She has three children, so add another $150 for the other two children. That adds up to $3082/mo. Her husband is at least an E-4, probably an E-5 as he's been in the Army for over six years. At the E-4 level, he is entitled to $2218 base pay, Basic Allowance for Quarters (D) @ 681.90, Family separation allowance of $250, Hostile Fire/ Imminent Danger pay of another $225. That totals up to right at $3400/ mo. Combine those two incomes and we get $6481/mo. x 12= ALMOST $78,000/ yr. As an E-5, that adds on almost another $4600/ yr. for a total of $82,600.00/yr. (all of it tax free, as far as I know)

What I have been told is that the couple bought a house that had been unoccupied for almost 20 years without even doing a home inspection or even physically looking at it. In this area, they probably got a REALLY good deal on it. Her husband's usual job is as a police officer, and I know they make right around $30K/ yr. with a few years in the department. In my opinion, he's making more while on active duty. She has also been spending a lot of time at the local VFW, among other places, drinking and dancing while her 13 year old takes care of his siblings. In my unofficial opinion, I'm thinking that she's making a bad name for veterans and disabled veterans as I THINK she's trying to scam money from the local public. I DO know the woman, personally. What say y'all??

For the record, I live off of just over $1300/mo, half of which is non taxable. I am also a disabled combat veteran. I'm calling :bs: on her story.

quote:

Originally posted by 21800797:

quote:

Originally posted by BigRobT:

quote:

It's a casualty of war - Families separated by thousands of miles. One parent left to run the house and the kids, while the other fights overseas. One local military family is keeping it together one day at a time.

The family's story is like a lot of other returning veterans, one that is becoming far too common. These Americans put their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. And when they come back, they find it tough to make ends meet on government pay and benefits.

"Both my husband and I, all we've ever wanted was to do something for our country. I wanted to make sure my kids had the same freedom I had."

D and her husband J have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will. She's a wounded veteran, who was severely hurt by a mortar blast while working on a truck in Iraq. J's a local police officer and Army Specialist. He was wounded twice on his first tour and now he's back in Iraq on his second tour as a roof gunner on a Humvee.

"It's hard on me physically and emotionally on the kids," said D. "With the kids being older it's tough. J has to stand up and be the man."

Her oldest child is a big help around the house, but all four kids take on extra responsibilities cooking, cleaning and caring for their mother who is still recovering from breaking her back.

"It's not as easy as I thought it would be," said her son, Little J. "[It's] not very fun."

Soon after the family moved into their new home things began to fall apart. The roof is caving in, rafters are rotting and every time there's a storm rainwater floods the house.

"On a budget it's kind of hard to do anything."

Hard for anyone to handle, but especially tough for a wounded mother trying to raise a family of four alone while her husband is fighting overseas. The local VA and her church have stepped in to help, but still there's only so much they can do.

"They have sacrificed more than most Americans ever will," said Mike Hathaway. "And we need the community to step up and ask what can we do to help them be taken care?"

Friends say the family is in desperate need of a new roof and a new elevator. The one in the home is unreliable. And due to D's injuries it's the only way she can get from the bottom floor to the top.

A fund has been set up at American Bank of Texas, so that anyone can help the family. It's in D's name. Donations can be made at any of the bank's North Texas branches.

Katy Blakey, KTEN News

(names redacted to protect the potential scammer)

URL redacted for privacy reasons

Ok, I KNOW that she's making at LEAST $2932/mo for being 100% disabled. She has three children, so add another $150 for the other two children. That adds up to $3082/mo. Her husband is at least an E-4, probably an E-5 as he's been in the Army for over six years. At the E-4 level, he is entitled to $2218 base pay, Basic Allowance for Quarters (D) @ 681.90, Family separation allowance of $250, Hostile Fire/ Imminent Danger pay of another $225. That totals up to right at $3400/ mo. Combine those two incomes and we get $6481/mo. x 12= ALMOST $78,000/ yr. As an E-5, that adds on almost another $4600/ yr. for a total of $82,600.00/yr. (all of it tax free, as far as I know)

What I have been told is that the couple bought a house that had been unoccupied for almost 20 years without even doing a home inspection or even physically looking at it. In this area, they probably got a REALLY good deal on it. Her husband's usual job is as a police officer, and I know they make right around $30K/ yr. with a few years in the department. In my opinion, he's making more while on active duty. She has also been spending a lot of time at the local VFW, among other places, drinking and dancing while her 13 year old takes care of his siblings. In my unofficial opinion, I'm thinking that she's making a bad name for veterans and disabled veterans as I THINK she's trying to scam money from the local public. I DO know the woman, personally. What say y'all??

For the record, I live off of just over $1300/mo, half of which is non taxable. I am also a disabled combat veteran. I'm calling :bs: on her story.

AND JUST TO ADD TO THIS POST::

My Daughter is a Sheriff Deputy and I KNOW that all localities in all states have in place a program called "A Cop Next Door" where they benefit by buying a home that the city, county, state owns thru default for ONE DOLLAR.

My 2 cents to add to this post..is that the figures posted were pretty conservative. I n other words...THEY MAKE LOTS OF MONEY TO LIVE DARN NEAR ANYWHERE THEY SO CHOOSE..It smells of a scam...probably taste like one too.

Btw...It's the same IRRITATED feeling I get every frigen time I see someone standing on a corner holding a sign that says 'VETERAN, Please help me'

One guy finally got tailed and was highlighted on the local news because he lived ina beautiful condo...did this for a living and was filmed coming out on his way to dinner in a VERY FINE resteraunt...compliments of? THE GULLIBLE PUBLIC.

Eres Tu!

p/s Enjoy the wine, it is vintage !