Written by Andrea Bowling
I see the gas needle moving towards the quarter tank mark. I take a breath and pick up the phone to look at the signal. One bar. I pull over and try to call you again.
Ring…. Ring…. Crackle…. Ring
“Hello? Ryan? Can you hear me?” my dad asks.
“Dad I can hear you! What street was I supposed to turn on?” I say trying not to move so I won’t lose signal.
We were supposed to be to the cabin three hours ago, but bathroom breaks and getting a late start has us trying to find our way on unfamiliar forest service roads in the night fog.
I am second guessing myself using the little money I had saved, to buy gas for a weekend away with my girls. My hand automatically checks my pocket for my last five dollars until pay day.
“Dad I passed the ranger station, but I can’t find the next road,” I say hoping my phone still has signal.
Beep beep, my phone signals the call has been lost.
“Crap!” I yell and smack the steering wheel.
I hear a little sob in the back seat, “Dad, I am scared. Where are we at?” my oldest girl asks.
“Just looking for the turn honey, we should be there any minute,” I try and reassure her.
I feel like a failure, I am not able to make enough money to take my girls on a proper camping trip and now I cannot find the road to get them to a safe place to sleep tonight.
Finding your bearings as a veteran in civilian life can be like trying to find your way on a foggy night with your gas tank running low and your family depending on you. Know A Vet? is here to help veterans who are ready to get help but need a one stop place they can find the resources specific to their situation.
Know a Vet? directs veterans to resources for their specific situation. Resources are available whether you are a new veteran just learning to adjust to civilian life, have a life changing event such as a marriage, birth of a child or illness, or a senior vet, Know A Vet? has resources to help you.
Know A Vet? currently is focusing on outreach to senior veterans, surviving spouses, and civilian seniors in assisted living centers and nursing homes. This outreach program brings resources to seniors to help find ways to lower costs, get help with medical issues, provide social connections, help receive more income, and other general resources. As Know A Vet? grows additional outreach programs will be developed.
The Know A Vet? office is a virtual office to keep costs at a minimum. This means a smaller donation makes a bigger impact! For instance, $36 dollars covers all the resources needed for one researcher for a year! Our researchers ensure that the information provided by Know A Vet? gives veterans accurate and up to date information, as well as providing both common and outside the box solutions.
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Visit Know A Vet? for a list of resources for a wide range of issues and resources by zip code. Your local VSO can help connect you to other veteran or civilian organizations. To find your local VSO visit Know A Vet? and put your zip code in the box toward the top of the home page for your local Federal, State and County resources.
Watch for future articles from Know A Vet? that will discuss how to keep connected after the holidays.
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