Greetings all,

This was passed down for posting with full backing of the Military.com Home Office. Please help if you can.

Thank you!

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November 6, 2009
OPERATION HOMEFRONT ESTABLISHES FUND FOR FT. HOOD FAMILIES

Donations Accepted Online

SAN ANTONIO – Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency assistance for our troops and their families, has established an "Emergency Tragedy Fund" for the families of the injured and deceased Soldiers at Ft. Hood.

If you are a family directly affected, please contact Operation Homefront Texas at
1-800-779-5921.

If you would like to donate to this Fund, go to http://www.operationhomefront.net/Texas and click on the “Donate Now” button.

You can also send donations to:
Operation Homefront Texas
10157 IH 35 North, Suite A
San Antonio, Texas 78233

One hundred percent of the funds collected will be designated for the families at Ft. Hood.

“Of course, our thoughts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with all of and the soldiers and families at Ft. Hood,” said Jim Knotts, President and CEO of Operation Homefront. “We are saddened by the tragedy and we’re standing by to help. The Army is taking care of the families right now, and their specific needs are still being accessed. As we work with the Army to identify how we can help, we’ll be there.”

About Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance for our troops, the families they leave behind and for wounded warriors when they return home. A national nonprofit, Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide, and has met more than 202,000 needs since 2002. Operation Homefront is a four-star rated charity by watchdog Charity Navigator. Nationally, 92 cents of every dollar donated to Operation Homefront goes to programs. For more Information, please visit www.operationhomefront.net.

How about the CG1705 and the USMC helo crew?
CWO A

quote:

Originally posted by 4101670:
How about the CG1705 and the USMC helo crew?

CWO A

Fair question, IMHO.

quote:

Originally posted by 4101670:
How about the CG1705 and the USMC helo crew?
CWO A

Military.com has CG1705 information. Not sure why this one is featured on all forums and the others are not though.

It's awesome to see people so readily set up a program to help those who serve our country.
Continued prayers for those families touched by this tragedy.

I will Pray for the men Who died in a terrible crash GOD IS MY FATHER

quote:

Originally posted by ipscone:

quote:

Originally posted by 4101670:
How about the CG1705 and the USMC helo crew?
CWO A

Military.com has CG1705 information. Not sure why this one is featured on all forums and the others are not though.

Done!

Does the U.S.C.G. site cover the U.S.M.C. helo crew as well?...
If not, where do we also donate for that?...
Respectfully, SUNLINER81

Greetings all,

Here is a second release passed down for posting for Ft. Hood... and also information on one of the organizations that is involved in aid for the CG1705 and USMC Helo Crew:

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Please take a moment with this important press release. USA Cares has a seven year history assisting our post 9/11 veterans and their families. The following news item regards assistance to those military and military families at Ft. Hood. Please feel free to contact me for any additional information. Best Regards … John

Press Release Text:

Fort Hood Shooting Underscores Need for Military Family Assistance

USA Cares responds by establishing a Ft. Hood Family Emergency Fund

Washington, DC USA Cares Executive Director Bill Nelson had just climbed the stairs on his way into a meeting with the Veteran’s Administration in Washington when his Blackberry mobile phone signaled him with an incoming email. The message was from his Dallas, Texas Field Representative informing him about the horrific event at the largest military installation in her area of responsibility.

Stephanie Melson is the USA Cares Field Representative who spends a large portion of her time interfacing with various support organizations on the base at Fort Hood. Her message to Bill Nelson was terse, “Bad news – they just broke in & mentioned that there has been a shooting at Ft Hood. 7 are dead, 12 injured & we don’t really know much other detail. The base is on lockdown at the moment”.

That sketchy and short message loomed very large in Nelson’s mind as he entered the VA Headquarters. For many at the VA, Nelson’s relayed message was the first they had heard about the shootings.

According to Nelson, “This tragedy certainly underscores the need for robust public and private sector support of America’s military personnel and their families”. He went on to add “this will result in many family members needing emergency travel, lodging and other resources. USA Cares has established a Fort Hood Family Emergency Fund to assist with these and other unforeseen difficulties”.

Nelson immediately contacted Dennis Miller, the National Spokesperson for USA Cares who announced the creation of this fund on his national talk radio program “The Dennis Miller Show”. He did this by saying on-air to the 220 or more stations carrying his show daily “I just want to let all of my Fort Hood listeners know that if any of the victim families need any assistance to contact USA Cares by calling 1-800-773-0387 and ask for Forest.”

Nelson had already assigned one of his senior Family Resource Coordinators in charge of this contingency. Forest (last name not published), a 20 plus year US Army retiree, was asked to field calls in lieu of the normal website application for assistance that the organization usually requires. He did this in order to be as responsive as possible to grieving and anxious family members needing to be near their loved one at Fort Hood.

Anyone wishing to donate to USA Cares’ Ft. Hood Family Emergency Fund can do so by visiting usacares.org, clicking the donate button and noting “Fort Hood Fund” along with their contribution of any amount.


About USA Cares
USA Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that helps post 9/11 military families bear the burdens of service with financial and advocacy support. Its mission: To help with basic needs during financial crisis, to assist combat injured Veterans and their families and to prevent private military home foreclosures and evictions. In six years, USA Cares has received over 19,000 requests and responded with more than $6.3 million in grants. Military families anywhere in America can apply for assistance through the USA Cares web site, http://www.usacares.org/ or by calling 1-800-773-0387. For more information on USA Cares contact John Revell, jrevell@usacares.org or call (270) 352-5451 x101.

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The Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families, announced that it has re-activated its emergency Family Disaster Relief Fund in response to the C-130 crash off the California coast. The Coast Guard Foundation is asking for financial support to assist the families of the lost crew of CG-1705.

Those wishing to support the Family Disaster Relief Fund, the Fallen Heroes Scholarship Fund or the CG-1705 Memorial Service Fund may visit the Coast Guard Foundation's website at www.coastguardfoundation.org.

About The Coast Guard Foundation:

The Coast Guard Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1969. It was initially created to provide funds for academic, athletic, and morale needs of the Coast Guard Academy and its cadets, which were not covered by federal operational funding. In 1986, the Foundation expanded its charter to support projects that enhance the education, welfare and morale of all Coast Guard members and their families. A Board of 100 Trustees from all parts of the country governs the Foundation. The Trustees elect from their members a 30 person Board of Directors to oversee the management of the Foundation. Located in Stonington, Connecticut, the Foundation employs a staff of ten civilians responsible for meeting the Foundation's objectives and working closely with the Coast Guard on all issues.

One more...

It looks like Texas A&M is reaching out too

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In response to the shooting and mass casualty event at Fort Hood on Thursday, November 5, 2009, the Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) College of Medicine offers as a resource to media and potential service consumers the TexVet: Partners Across Texas website.

http://www.texvet.com/

The TexVet website serves as a landing page—a collection of veterans-related resources from federal, state, and local organizations, including hotlines, counseling websites and family support services listings. The TexVet website directs interested parties to its partner agencies, provides information, identifies resources and builds partnerships in order to disseminate information to anyone who is serving or has served in any branch of the military, as well as those who support service members.

The HSC-College of Medicine also offers the following experts to speak on areas of expertise appropriate to this matter:

Kathryn J. Kotrla, M.D. (Round Rock)
Associate Dean of HSC-College of Medicine Round Rock campus; Associate Professor, Head of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Specializes in PTSD, mental health, psychiatry

Dr. Keith Young (Temple)
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
Specializes in the root cause of post-traumatic and developmental stress disorders

MAJ (Retired) Michael A. Duck-Lombardo (Round Rock)
Director, TexVet: Partners Across Texas
Broad knowledge of Fort Hood and deployment procedure

Dr. Roy Smythe (Temple)
Professor and Head of Surgery
Specializes in surgery

Regards,

MDL

Michael Duck-Lombardo, MBA
TexVet: Partners Across Texas
Director

Texas A&M Health Science Center
Office of the Associate Dean - Round Rock Campus
On the web: http://www.texvet.com
Work: 512.255.0527
Cell: 512.632.1400
Fax: 512.388.1363
duck@medicine.tamhsc.edu
michael.duck@us.army.mil
www.tamhsc.edu

we all pray for our fallen brothers & sisters.

Try the American red Cross or call Ft Hood.

The events that occurred in Fort Hood are truly tragic. I pray for those family and friends who lost a loved one and pray that this never happens again.

In addition the already offered assistance I want to let everyone know that Prescription Audio is offering a free sound therapy download for those in the military suffering from PTSD.

<www.prescriptionaudio.com/pages/ptsd>

EDIT - UNAUTHORIZED HYPERLINK REMOVED

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LetsGoRedSox,

Greetings all,

More news & information of services and outreach available:

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Fort Hood Offers 24-Hour Grief Counseling

By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante
Special to American Forces Press Service
FORT HOOD, Texas-

In the aftermath of the Nov. 5 shootings here that left 13 dead and 38 wounded, soldiers, family members and civilians who work on post are looking for answers, and for help in grieving.

A U.S. Army soldier buries his head in his printed program during a memorial service on Fort Hood, Texas, honoring the 13 who were fatally shot in a Nov. 5 shooting spree by a lone gunman on post, Nov. 10, 2009. U.S. Army photo by Grazyna Musick

Following any loss, individuals and communities go through a grieving process which can be complicated, unpredictable and long-term. Fort Hood leaders have set up a Grieving Center at the Spiritual Fitness Center within the Resiliency Campus that is being staffed 24 hours a day with chaplains and Military Family Life counselors to help anyone in need.

Since the massacre, the Spiritual Fitness Center has doubled the number of chaplains and Military Family Life counselors on duty to ensure there are enough to meet with all the people who need someone to talk to, , said Chaplain (Maj.) David Waweru, on-site coordinator of the Spiritual Fitness Center.

Although the shooting was over in a matter of minutes, the grieving and healing process will take much longer to run its course, Army chaplains said. "An event takes a second, but the complete ramifications can take months or years to show the strain it's put on people," said Chaplain (Capt.) Edward Harris, 4-4 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion.

The five-stage grieving process model developed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, which she and David Kessler have written about, is widely accepted as a standard list of steps taken by someone who is moving through a healthy process of grieving, according to the National Institute of Health.

The first stage of grief is denial and denial, along with shock, helps to numb people to the event and enable them to keep moving through each day. Stage two is anger, where the individual lashes out at many different people in an attempt to channel all the denied feelings into something tangible. Stage three is filled with "If only" and "What if" statements. The bargaining stage deals with people trying to "make a deal" in order to make the pain stop.

Stage four of the grieving process is one of the most widely known stages of grieving – depression. This is when a person truly deals with their feelings of loss. While painful, it is a necessary step towards healing. The final stage of the grieving process is acceptance. It doesn't mean that you're all right with losing someone; it just means that you've learned to live with the event. People can move on and begin to enjoy the activities and people in their lives again. It is necessary to reach this final stage in order to fully cope with a traumatic event or loss.

While it seems structured, the process isn't actually a checklist and there is no timeline for how long each stage will last. "People will grieve differently," Waweru said. "The process of getting back to normalcy is different from one to another. There is no time limit. Some will be done as soon as this week, but others will take longer.

"The Fort Hood family is dealing with a tragedy, which is initially accompanied by shock and, later, denial," Waweru said. Following the initial period of four or five days, most likely after the memorial ceremony ... people will start processing how the incident affected them personally, he said.

"Everyone is holding up together right now, but as time goes by you'll start seeing the individual reactions," he explained. "Unfortunately, many soldiers are used to these kinds of tragedies in combat."

One of the best ways to better cope with the feelings and issues arising from an incident like this is to try and return to a regular schedule, Waweru said. Getting involved in hobbies and interests again is a good way to help readjust to life following a traumatic event, he explained.

Soldiers are encouraged to look out for themselves and others in the coming weeks to make sure everyone is learning to cope with these tragic events. According to Harris, difficulty sleeping, withdrawal, depression and coping difficulties are signs that indicate that soldiers are having issues with the grieving process.

"Everyone knows himself; if you feel you're not where you're supposed to be, that should be a red flag to seek help," Waweru said.

Following the initial adjustment period, the Spiritual Fitness Center staff will be working with brigade and battalion elements to ensure that soldiers having coping issues receiving long-term help and care, Waweru said.

(U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante is assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, III Corps.)