More than 1.6 million of America’s bravest men and women have deployed in support of Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Over 5,000 service members have been killed in the Global War on Terrorism and almost 35,000 have been wounded in combat since October 2001. Estimates place some 300,000 individuals as suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. These numbers multiply rapidly when one considers that each casualty impacts a spouse, children, or extended family members.

November is Military Family Month and Warrior Care Month. Our Serve America Mud Run will help raise funds for the following organizations:

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAMS

Each branch of the Armed Forces has a system of support and advocacy for severely wounded, injured and ill soldiers from evacuation through treatment, rehabilitation, return to duty or military retirement and transition into the civilian community. All wounded, injured and ill soldiers are assigned to an Army Warrior Transition Unit, a Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, the Air Force Palace HART or the Navy Safe Harbor program to focus on healing before returning to duty or transitioning to veteran status.

These brave men and women are living with one or more of the following:

> Loss of vision/blindness

> Loss of limb

> Spinal cord injury/paralysis

> Permanent disfigurement

> Severe burns

> Traumatic brain injury

> Post traumatic stress disorder

> A Fatal/incurable disease

> Any other condition requiring extensive hospitalization or multiple surgeries.

With almost 35,000 veterans have been wounded during the Global War on Terrorism. Each one needs support from their communities and the citizens which they helped keep safe for over eight years.

Portions of the proceeds of the Serve America Mud Run will benefit organizations dedicated to helping our Wounded Warriors and military hospital service organizations.

MILITARY HOSPITAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS

Walter Reed Army Medical Center (Official Site)

The WRAMC medical care facility has approximately 5,500 rooms covering more than 28 acres of floor space. In 2011 it will become the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center by combining with the Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (Official Site)

The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC) is the largest military hospital outside of the continental United States. It is located near Landstuhl, Germany, and serves as the nearest treatment center for wounded soldiers coming from Iraq and Afghanistan. A large portion of serious casualties from the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters are treated here, flown in via Ramstein Air Base.

If you would like to send a get well/thinking of you card to an American Son or Daughter – now a “Wounded Warrior” – here are some addresses:

Landstuhl Regional Medical Center
Wounded Warrior Ministry Center
CMR 402
APO AE 09180

Walter Reed Medical Center
Medical Family Assistance Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20307-5001

FISHER HOUSE (Official Site)

The Fisher House program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There is at least one Fisher House at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 10,000 families, and have made available nearly three million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. By law, there is no charge for any family to stay at a Fisher House operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and Fisher House Foundation uses donations to reimburse the individual Fisher Houses operated by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House!

AMERICAN RED CROSS (Official Site)

U.S. military families rely on the American Red Cross to relay emergency messages between U.S. troops and their families. Emergency communications, counseling and emergency financial assistance are just some of the assistance provided to U.S. military families everyday by American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services.

While providing service to 1.4 million active duty military personnel and their families, the Red Cross also reaches out to more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families living in nearly every community in America.

Red Cross personnel form a global network in 700 U.S. chapters, military installations worldwide and in forward deployed locations in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. To accomplish this, the Red Cross maintains a worldwide Emergency Communications system, anchored by 237 Red Cross stations, with 42,000 volunteers and 624 paid staff, on military installations around the world. These stations are integrated with the nearly 1,800 Red Cross chapters throughout the United States to form a network that quickly gets emergency information to military members worldwide. Through the Veteran Administration Volunteer Services, Red Cross volunteers provide a number of support services to patients in Veterans Administration hospitals.

Red Cross services include:

Armed Forces Emergency Services (AFES)

AFES helps military members and military families cope with separation and other special situations related to military service. This includes around-the-clock, around-the-world communication between military members and their families; neutral, impartial assistance, including comfort and counseling; independent verification of emergency situations; and financial assistance and referrals for emergency travel and other family needs.

Emergency Communications

Red Cross emergency messages provide military personnel and their commanders with fast, reliable information to help them make decisions regarding emergency leave, deferment, compassionate reassignment and dependency discharge.

Financial Assistance

The Red Cross collaborates with the Military Aid Societies in providing financial assistance when an urgent personal or family crisis arises. Financial assistance is provided when there is a demonstrated need for funds for such things as emergency travel, burial assistance, or urgent health and welfare needs such as food and shelter. Red Cross workers will assist veterans in the preparation, development, and effort to obtain evidence to support claim for financial benefits through the Board of Veterans Appeals.

Counseling

The Red Cross offers counseling, information, referrals and other social services to military families. Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services workers are neutral personnel to whom military presons or family members can go for confidential problem solving.

To contact a deployed servicemember, call (877) 272-7337 to reach the Red Cross office nearest you. Most military installations have a Red Cross office on base. To find your nearest Red Cross chapter or office, you can also go to the Red Cross Website

ARMED SERVICES YMCA

For 145 years the Armed Services YMCA have reached out with programs specifically to address the stresses and concerns of the military community, especially junior enlisted men and women and their families– the individuals on the front lines defending our nation. The Armed Services YMCA is a national member organization of the YMCA of the USA and works with the Department of Defense.

ASYMCA operates at 16 dedicated branch locations and nine affiliated community YMCAs, as well as six Department of Defense/Department of Homeland Security affiliates worldwide.

These locations offer essential programs such as childcare, hospital assistance, spouse support services, food services, tutoring for military children, computer training classes, health and wellness services, and holiday meals, among many others.

These programs are especially important for the children of deployed parents. Confusion, loneliness and depression are common. ASYMCA programs educate, entertain, stimulate, and comfort young minds, helping them understand and cope with the absence of their parent.

FOUNDATION OF FIVE STAR FRIENDS (Official Site)

The Foundation of Five Star Friends was formed was to raise money to support charitable organizations; to support international and domestic relief and service agencies; to support medical care research; and to provide education, services, and assistance to families in crisis and need.

For over seven years, members of the armed forces have been deployed to Afghanistan and for over five years to Iraq. The Foundation has provided support to these troops by sending morale boxes to commanders to be distributed to troops that receive little or no support from family members back home. Community members shop for toiletry items, books, DVDs, phone cards, disposable cameras, candy, oatmeal, socks, t-shirts, sheets, and drink mixes; fill the U.S. Post Office flat rate boxes; and provide the donations to send the boxes to our troops.

With over 2,000 boxes sent, we have received hundreds of thank you letters and commendations for our support. One shipment included AYSO soccer uniforms for over 80 children in Afghanistan. Schools throughout Southern California write letters and collect items to send overseas. The Foundation accepts donations of items needed by our troops, postage, items for local populations where our troops are stationed, as well as cash and credit card donations. For more information please go to www.5star.org.