The Home Sweet Home Campaign Salutes MYVetwork

If you are looking for a place that is designed just for military community, you may want to try this social network. 

About MyVetwork

MyVetwork is the online social networking community custom designed to be the most valuable and sustainable community of individuals in the US military - whether active duty, retired or veteran - and their spouses, families and friends. MyVetwork is provided at no cost to individual users.

MyVetwork's objectives for individual users are twofold:

1) To provide our US military and those who care about them with a means to interact with and support each other in ways that range from the lighthearted and entertaining to deep and meaningful connections that they wish to sustain.

2) To create an interactive exchange where a broad variety of experts - including veterans of earlier conflicts - provide timely news of particular interest to military personnel, distributed in sophisticated, graphically exciting format; job and career advice; information about educational opportunities, advice regarding health care, access to coaching and mentoring services, and a variety of other resources valuable to recently separated veterans demobilizing from the military, whether they are recuperating from injury, moving on to further their education, or planning careers in public or private sectors.

The Home Sweet Home Campaign is proud to introduce five new designs to their exclusive collectionof tees. 

In recognition of the men andwomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice of themselves to ensure theliberties of America, Cyn Ibanez, a Washington DC artist and Corpus Christian,has created  and donated these images tothe Home Sweet Home Campaign.  Each imagewas created as an oil painting to represent the five branches of the military -Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.  

         

         

Ms. Ibanez’s work was inspired by the tireless efforts of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, founder of the American GI Forum and her father-in-law Gilbert Casares.  Mr. Casare, a founding member of the GI Forumand lifelong friend of Dr. Garcia, helped post World War II veterans whosuffered from disillusionment and depression (known today as Post TraumaticStress Disorder-PTSD) receive the adequate healthcare services they needed.

The Home Sweet Home Campaign Salutes Coupons to Troops for supporting military families all over the world.

Coupons to Troops is a great organization that helps service members overseas receive the same discounts that we take advantage of daily, through manufacturer's coupons.

How does Coupons to Troops work? 
Military families are limited to doing their shopping for groceries and household items at the Commissaries and Post Exchanges on base,where prices are much more expensive than you will find in our stores in the U.S. Both the Commissaries and Post Exchanges allow the use of manufacturer's coupons up to 6 months past their expiration date. In other words, a coupon with the expiration date of January 31st can be used overseas until July 31st.  Military families who are stationed overseas do not have easy access to the Sunday newspapers like we do here, so they are very appreciative of any coupons that are sent their way.

So before you throw away that Sunday paper, take a minute and pull out all those coupons you don't use and send them to a family that will truly appreciate your small act of kindness.

For more information on Coupons to Troops Click Here

The Home Sweet Home Campaign Salutes the Howdy Show and Miziker Entertainment Group.

This past week was quite special to my family and friends.  We had the opportunity to take a moment and celebrate all the veterans who have served and protected our country.  Our children had the day off from school, there were local town celebrations and several parades to attend, along with local restaurants offering free dinners to all vets. 

I was proud to be part of the celebrations and I think my family enjoyed one event more than any of the others that we attended... The Howdy Dinner Show and Extravaganza in Mesa Arizona.

This Show reached out to the Home Sweet Home Campaign and asked for our help.  They were looking to honor our local Vets and wanted to invite a small group to their Premiere Opening Night.  I was proud to be able to fill two tables with Veterans that had served our country and fought in both the Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan War.  They were honored to be part of the shows celebration.

The show was quite a hoot - The cast , all local actors, were witty, fun and very talented.  In addition to a great show, the food was fantastic.  Serving about 700 people, family style, the atmosphere was full of energy and smiles.  There was a lot of  hootin' and hollerin', which was my favorite part and my husband, who is a vet, had the pleasure of going on stage to help act out the final scene of the show.  Talk about a good laugh - it was priceless. 

So a special "Thank You" to Ron Mitizer for hosting our 2 tables of Vets this past week - You made 14 people very happy!

To learn more about the Howdy Dinner Show  Click Here

The Home Sweet Home Campaign is Proud to Announce
Our 1st Commemorative T-Shirt 

Honoring each branch of the military, our latest shirt design (see insert)
holds the names of 47 Service Members, men and women who have taken the oath to serve and protect our country. 

 

With Christmas just around the corner, what better gift to give a friend or family member than an exclusive Tee from the Home Sweet Home Campaign? You'll not only be making someone's holiday bright with a unique and stylish shirt, you'll be making a difference by helping a post 9/11 wounded war veteran and their family.
For every Home Sweet Home purchase made, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to USA CARES.

We have a large assortment of unique designs and styles to choose from, all high quality 100% cotton.  And if you're feeling creative, you can design your own "one of a kind" tee for that special someone on your holiday list!

 

You can find our collection of Tees here: http://shop.oursoldiers.org/

 

The Home Sweet Home Campaign has pledged to raise $1 Million for
USA CARES Warrior Treatment Today Program
 
"Helping our Post 9/11 Wounded War Veterans and Their Families"
To learn more about the Campaign Click Here

 

Please share our site with your family and friends: www.HomeSweetHomeCampaign.org

 

Join our Facebook Cause: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/359504?m=618c3fb4

                                    Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BethAnnVanHoose

1st Commemorative Home Sweet Home Campaign T-Shirt

An Arizona Bunko Group Honors Veterans Day

Mesa AZ – The Home Sweet Home Campaign is proud to announce their 1^st Commemorative T-Shirt in honor of this year’s Veterans Day.  Like all of the Campaign’s designs this one is as unique and special, with a story all its own.  Honoring each branch of the military, this shirt holds the names of 47 Service Members, men and women who have taken the oath to serve and protect our country.

The designer, Kimberly Steele, an amateur artist, was excited to be able to give back to the cause in such a way that would touch so many lives.  When asked why, she replied, “My hope in designing this t-shirt was to help bring attention to the Home Sweet Home Campaign.  Several of my family members have served in the military and I am grateful for this unique opportunity to honor them, as well as the other brave men and women who have served.  Although the design only captures a short list of names, the intent is a heartfelt “Thank You” to them all”.

Kimberly’s small act of kindness is an example of how one person can make a big difference in a lot of people’s lives.  Kimberly is part of a Bunko group that each year during the holiday season identifies a charity of choice to support.  Not only will the group be making a financial donation to USA Cares, Kimberly has donated her design which will be featured on the Home Sweet Home Campaign’s website to help raise additional funds.

This design is so personal and unique that the Home Sweet Home Campaign could not have asked for a better design at a better time of the year.   Campaign founder Beth Ann VanHoose had this to say, “We worked for weeks reaching out to our friends and families to find Service Members who would like to participate.  Including these men and women on this shirt makes it so incredibly special to us, but even more so for those 47 Service Members and their families and friends.  We hope to raise a lot of funds for USA Cares through the sale of this T-Shirt.”

About the Home Sweet Home Campaign

The Home Sweet Home Campaign was inspired by Tim Little; a US Army reservist who served two tours in the Middle East and currently suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Little and his family nearly lost their home while he was being evaluated by the VA, but thanks to USA Cares, they were able to stay in their home and focus on the future and healing. 

The Home Sweet Home Campaign has pledged to raise $1 million for USA Cares “Warrior Treatment Today” program.  A program designed for all post 9/11 wounded war veterans, bridging the gap between personal financial demands and the need to receive treatment.  The Campaign has several venues to help raise funds; through the sales of T-Shirts designed exclusively for the campaign, through the Groups That Care Program and through local fundraising events.   

To learn more about the Campaign and USA Cares, go to www.HomeSweetHomeCampaign.org

(Formally www.OurSoldiers.org) or contact Beth Ann VanHoose at 618-567-1384 or via e-mail at Beth@HSHCampaign.org.

The Home Sweet Home Campaign sends it heartfelt sympathy to all the soldiers, families and friends that have been affected by this tragedy. 

On November 5th the world became a little bit darker and the ugly face of war showed it's face in Texas.  It is our duty to help lift that cloud of darkness and help our fellow American. No matter where you live, you can make a difference. 

Here's how...

 

Below you will find a copy of our recent press release outlining USA Cares’ response to the Fort Hood shootings last Thursday. I am asking for your assistance for these families as they struggle with the consequences of this incredible tragedy. USA Cares will be assisting the victims’ families in the areas of travel, lodging, and food during this initial period. Long term, some of the victims will need financial support for basic quality of life needs such as housing, income, and job training. These types of needs are typical of those of the thousands of military families USA Cares has helped since 2003. Please consider a contribution not only to help the victims of the Fort Hood tragedy, but also to continue the work of USA Cares throughout 2010 (we will be contacting you in the next few weeks regarding your annual gift). I urge you to consider “Sharing the Sacrifice” of our brave men and women in the military as we move into another year of economic stress at home and armed conflict in the Middle East.

Fort Hood Shooting Underscores Need for Military Family Assistance USA Cares responds by establishing a Ft. Hood Family Emergency Fund 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. USA CARES

Sincerely,



Bill Nelson, Executive Director, USA Cares”

Attention:  All military personnel and their families... 

We are excited to announce our 1^st Commemorative T-Shirt for the Home Sweet Home Campaign. On November 11, 2009, this new Tee will be featured on the Home Sweet Home website in honor of Veteran’s Day.  I am reaching out to you today to ask you be part of this exciting milestone. We have the T-Shirt design ready to go, we just need to add real names of Service Members, like you, to make it complete. 

 

Attached you will find a  release form, granting the Home Sweet Home Campaign permission to use your name, rank and branch of service.  By participating in our 1^st Commemorative T-Shirt you will be helping to raise funds for our post 9/11 wounded war veterans and their families.

 

Why are we doing this… The Home Sweet Home Campaign has pledged to raise $1 million for USA Cares and for every T-Shirt sold a portion of the proceeds will be donated to USACares Warrior Treatment Today Program. 

 

Please do not miss this opportunity – you can make a difference!  All we need is the attached release form completed and returned.  You may fax it to 480-272-6030 or scan and email to beth@oursoldiers.org.  If you are unable to scan or fax, we are able to accept an email stating that you give the Home Sweet Home Campaign permission to use your information.  PLEASE return by Monday November 2, 2009.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 618-567-1384 or at beth@oursoldiers.org.

RELEASE FORM DOCUMENT

 

The Home Sweet Home Campaign Honors MIKE MONSOOR

April 5th, 1981 ~ September 29th, 2006
Navy Petty Officer,
(Petty Officer, Second Class)
EOD2 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Second Class)

Mike Monsoor,
Was Awarded "The Congressional Medal Of Honor" Last Week,
For Giving His Life In Iraq, As He Jumped On, And Covered With His Body, A Live Hand Grenade,
That Was Accidentally Dropped By A Navy Seal,
Saving The Lives Of A Large Group Of Navy Seals That Was Passing By!
~
During Mike Monsoor's Funeral,
At Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, In San Diego, California.
The Six Pallbearers Removed The Rosewood Casket From The Hearse,
And Lined Up On Each Side Of Mike Monsoor's Casket,
Were His Family Members, Friends, Fellow Sailors, And Well-wishers.
The Column Of People Continued From The Hearse, All The Way To The Grave Site.
What The Group Didn't Know At The Time Was,
Every Navy Seal (45 To Be Exact)
That Mike Monsoor Saved That Day Was Scattered Through-Out The Column!
~
As The Pallbearers Carried The Rosewood Casket
Down The Column Of People To The Grave Side.
The Column Would Collapse.
Which Formed A Group Of People That Followed Behind.
~
Every Time The Rosewood Casket Passed A Navy Seal,
He Would Remove His Gold Trident Pin From His Uniform,
And Slap It Down Hard,
Causing The Gold Trident Pin To Embed Itself
Into The Top Of The Wooden Casket!
Then The Navy Seal Would Step Back From The Column, And Salute!
~
Now For Those,
Who Doesn't Know What A Trident Pin Is, Are What It Looks Like?
Here Is The Definition And Photo!
~
After One Completes The Basic Navy Seals Program Which Lasts For Three Weeks,
And Is Followed By Seal Qualification Training,
Which Is 15 More Weeks Of Training,
Necessary To Continue Improving Basic Skills And To Learn New Tactics And Techniques,
Required For An Assignment To A Navy Seal Platoon.
After successful completion,  Trainees Are Given Their Naval Enlisted Code,
And Are Awarded The Navy Seal Trident Pin.
With This Gold Pin They Are Now Officially Navy Seal's!
It Was Said, That You Could Hear Each Of The 45 Slaps From Across The Cemetery!
By The Time The Rosewood Casket Reached The Grave Site,
It Looked As Though It Had A Gold Inlay From The 45 Trident Pins That Lined The Top!
 
This Was A Fitting End To An Eternal Send-Off For A Warrior Hero!
This Should Be Front-Page News!
~
Here's A Good Idea!
Since this did not make the Main Stream Media.
Then We Choose To Make It News By Forwarding It.
~
I Am Proud Of All The Branches Of Our Military..
If You Are Proud Too, Please Pass the blog on
~

"GOD BLESS AND KEEP OUR TROOPS SAFE!