Thursday, March 15, 2012

Inc. Vets Program

Pre-event meet up with other amazing participants
Dawn Halfaker, amazing inspiration & hero
"So, how did that program go?" Overwhelming! I met so many amazing entrepreneurs with so many good ideas of their own and so much enthusiasm. The most amazing people started magazines, spouse networks, PR companies, photographers, web masters, travel companies, wrote books and some did all of the above. I felt a little like a fish out of water.


My little idea while a good one doesn't hold a lot of interest. I got a lot of advice of starting grassroots and building momentum that way. So, I'm at a loss -should I just start baby siting kids in my home? pay for others to get baby siting? WTH? I'm still paying for all the baby siting I needed for sanity's sake while my husband was deployed. I'm at a loss for the next steps and I'm really frustrated by that. Any ideas would be welcome -anyone? Or, should I just fold it up and call it a day??

Monday, September 19, 2011

Taking my Big Idea to DC!


Great news! I've been invited to Washington DC to share my little idea and to bring it to fruition. I'll be joining Inc. Magazine and Joining Forces Military Entrepreneurs Mentoring Fair. I am very excited to be getting mentored by these great business leaders -it is a huge opportunity to see this idea go big. Pinch me -I must be dreaming!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Welcome to my IA story


It was a strange day, my husband's unit in Michigan had been trying to reach him most of the day. We live in California and I never really remembered hearing them call so much. That evening, after I had just put down our baby and 4 year old son to bed, my husband sat me down on the couch. He had been acting strange and I was wondering if the stress of having made an international move, buying a house, losing his father, having a baby in addition to an independent toddler all within a year was getting to him. “Honey, I have some hard news to give you.” And that is where things began to spiral into the rabbit's hole for me.

'WHAT do they want a submariner in the desert for?'

He was being deployed to a remote area in Afghanistan. All the usual questions came flooding into my head, 'The Army?! Don't they have their own people? 13 MONTHS?!!' And finally the, “Are you kidding me?” He wasn't kidding and no I couldn't break his legs (he wouldn't let me even try -chicken!).

Fast forward a few months into the deployment and I was feeling very alone, isolated, overwhelmed and TIRED. Trying to be a full time single parent was wearing on me. During this time of deployment we took a salary hit. The Navy doesn't pay as well as a civilian job so we had to tighten our belts because our mortgage and standard of living was based on a salary that wasn't coming in anymore. Don't get me wrong we weren't driving around in a luxury car and living in a mansion on my husband's salary. We live in a two bedroom one bathroom bungalow and have only one car -and yet things needed to be tightened.

"So sorry but, we can't help you..."

As every month passed major life events happened. My father died, my dog of 13 years had to be put down, four families we were close to moved away, the garage started to cave in, the baby started walking, communication with my husband was getting harder. It is then that I started to calling around the Navy for some help. I made at least 30 calls to different military departments and installations -Fleet and Family Service Center, Children Development Centers, Counseling Services, etc. I was given the name and number of the YMCA for respite care --only to find out that free respite care is only available the the families of those with special needs children and the YMCA is available only to those on base. Everywhere I turned there was either no help available, a large wait list, or the fees and paperwork were overwhelming.

I've survived this deployment by the skin of my teeth. However, it has left me thread bare in the sanity department. Taking care of two small children while constantly wondering if my husband will make it back home alive and in one piece was really difficult. Every time I saw men in uniform I prayed that they wouldn't be coming to my door to deliver bad news. It was a lot of pressure, loneliness and isolation because we don't live on a base nor were there any others that I knew of in our unique situation.

IA = I'm alone??

I don't want others to go through the tough 13 months that I did and this is why I am so motivated to start an organization that will help support respite care for forward deployed Individual Augmentee families -regardless of geographic location, branch of military service, reserve or active duty, or age of children. Once a week for few hours I want every family caretaker to be able to have a break to take care of themselves in any way they see fit. It is time we recognize the sacrifices of those families left behind and it is time to pitch in support for a few hours a week so that they can better take care of themselves and their families --because without them there would be no military.