This past weekend I flew home to go to a Marine Corps Ball. Usually I find parts of the ceremony dry and boring, but this time was different. What made this ball significantly different from other balls was that it was for the retired Marines. The event was very elegant and traditional. During the ceremonies there was a guest of honor who had a very powerful message that I want to share with you in this posting. The guest of honor was Major General J. Michael Myatt, a retired Marine. He had many stories to tell, but the one that stood out to me was regarding the spouses. Myatt acknowledged how hard Marines today serve their country, but he also said behind every great Marine there is a great spouse. Myatt claimed there is not enough support for the spouses and then he advocated for a fund called “The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.” This fund helps families of injured Marines. After Myatt’s speech I had a different perspective of how much injured Marines and their family need assistance.
Myatt told a story of a woman who received news that her husband was severely injured in Iraq and transported to a hospital in Germany. The wife who lived in San Diego faced a serious dilemma. Her significant other was thousands of miles away, and she knew she needed to be by his bedside. Being on a tight budget, she started to accumulate debt by buying plane tickets and staying in hotels in Germany in order to be with her husband. I have always thought of the emotional consequences for the families when a tragedy happens, but I never thought about it financially. Spouses of the Marines have to make hasty decisions to travel great distances at a moment’s notice; some loose their jobs because they choose to be with their husband and others fall behind on their mortgage. Myatt exclaimed this situation happens all the times and sometimes families are forced to choose between buying a plane ticket or paying their bills. This is why Myatt advocated so strongly for The Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund. These families need our help.
Since 2004 the fund has provided over seven million dollars in assistance to the wounded heroes. In addition, the fund has helped hundreds of families during their personal crisis. As the government fails to lend a hand to the families, funds like this assist families in their greatest hours of need.
The Troop’s Advocator
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