Quite by chance I met Carol Grice,
a few weeks ago and she introduced me to the SWVBRC by telling me about the
office named in her honor in Fallbrook. I am always looking to meet new people,
and make new friends, as I recently moved from Iowa to California and I don’t
know ANYBODY here. Carol is quite a story teller, and after spending a little
time listening to her tales, I think she must have left an indelible mark on
the military, worthy of such an honor, as having a center where Veteran’s can
meet named after her. After you are finished reading and leaving me feedback in
the comments section, go read up on Grice’s blog, she’s an amazing woman.
I was curious about SWVBRC
and within a month I was to meet Albert and actually visit the Fallbrook office
named in honor of Carol. Albert first showed me a diagram, demonstrating the
available Veteran’s care and resources out there today, with the services
available on one side, and the Veteran’s needing services on the other side,
some of who are get their needs met, and sadly the rest who are falling through
the cracks. Many of the resources out their never get to the person who needs
them. A systemic problem that perpetuates homeless Veteran’s in this country,
and then it becomes a monumental task for many of them to ever reintegrate
again into a society, they once swore an oath to protect and defend.
Then, Albert showed me another
diagram with EVERY resource available, reaching EVERY veteran in this country,
and not one Veteran getting left behind. His vision is to eliminate the
problem of homeless Veteran’s in this great nation, and just like you’d expect
from a Marine, he’s got a plan. I have donated thousands of hours to various
projects over the years, and Veteran’s issues have always been at the top of my
list, but until I met Albert, I have never thought of the problem in terms of a
solution. His vision is inspirational and I am honored to now be a part of that
effort.
I think everyone’s heard of
networking, I felt like I had pretty solid network, back home in Iowa, where I
grew up, I knew who to call for money, for volunteers, for special event
speakers, I’m an Army Veteran with a college degree and also a little Navy
reserve experience too, I was working, and raising a daughter, I am proud to
say, who is now a Marine. I never needed anything special because I am a Vet,
but I have always had something to give if it would help a Veteran’s cause.
Then,
thanks to a series of misfortunate events, and a few big mistakes on my part, I
find myself here, starting over. Since moving to California, my network
has come to a screeching halt, and I wasn’t finding it as easy to just walk
into a new state, new town, and pick up where I left off, and let me tell you I
probably pick the worst time, because of the economy, to come to one of the
most awesome places I have ever lived, except for the little things like COLA
and with the high unemployment, maybe I just bit off more than I can chew.
Finding a job and building a new network has become daunting challenge, and
even if I was willing to admit I might could use a little of those Veteran’s
resources for myself at this time, I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking
for them. Just looking for a job has become a nightmare, so I thought if I did
a little volunteer work that would pick me up, and who knows, maybe even meet
someone who knows someone who IS hiring. Initially when I first found
SWVBRC I thought I was going to be doing some volunteer work, hey I am good at
that! Later I discovered, while yes I will be doing the giving, this time it’s
for me, and right when I really need it. SWVBRC is giving me the tools to put
me life together on my own terms and I like those terms.
The more I communicated with Carol
and Albert, before I actually went to the meeting, the more it became apparent
to me; these guys have something I need to become successful out here in
Californialand, A NETWORK. Sure, it feels good for about 5 minutes, if you can
volunteer some time, or write a check, but those involved with SWVBRC have a
way of making you feel good tapping into their resources and taking something
from them, and that’s a feeling will last me a lifetime, because that
goes to the heart of what SWVBRC was designed to be, a network of Veteran’s who
give and take and keep each and every one of us from falling through the
cracks, with a lifetime membership no matter where your travels in life may
lead you. So maybe they just helped me a little and my needs don’t seem so
overwhelming, as they did yesterday, and wait, it didn’t cost me anything???
OK, well I didn’t have to write a check… but what’s in this Learner’s agreement
I just signed???
Once Albert finished going over
the visual showing resources and needs he moved into showing me a SWOT, hey
maybe this is a new idea, or maybe it’s more like an idea I have heard and seen
in many forms throughout my life, and never truly utilized. It’s an analysis of
Strengths and Weaknesses. His SWOT is an evaluation of SWVBRC, he can
tell you where the weakness lie in a new start up organization and he can show
you how drawing on the Strengths he can overcome the challenges ahead. WOW
never heard it put quite this way before, although I bet there are libraries
full of books saying the same thing, and if I read them all, I would still be
sitting in the same place when I finished. Giving someone a hand out, or
reading a book isn’t going to cure the problem of homelessness in this nation
and it won’t fix my more immediate needs either. Maybe if… not maybe, but
rather, WHEN I put my own personal SWOT together and can see my strengths as clearly
as I can always see my failures, then the task of getting the job I want will
be easy, or at least easier than the haphazard hit and miss crap that I have
been doing. Maybe getting a job isn’t for me, maybe I want my own business, I
have had a few ideas running around in the back of my brain for years, but
without a plan that’s all they have been doing is running around.
A Dream Deferred
by Langston Hughes
What
happens to a dream deferred?
Does
it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe
it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or
does it explode?
I was first introduced to this
poem in high school, and have never given it much though until now, what does
happen to a dream without a plan? We all have aspirations, and now I understand
exactly what’s in that Learner’s agreement I just signed. It’s not a
handout, it’s not a scheme from some guru who’s going to teach me how to get
rich if I give him $150 or just $19.95 or at today’s discounted one time
only deal; it’s not even a job offer.
What the Learner’s agreement
appears to be is a road map, a plan of action that all Veteran’s can benefit
from on some level. Maybe you own a business or have a career already, but your
stalled for whatever reason, the SWVBRC has a plan and they will give it to you
FREE of charge to get you prospering again. Maybe you’re further down, and you
don’t have an income or permanent residence, and you can really use a little
more support. There are stipends available and they will PAY you to learn their
secrets. And they aren’t really secrets, just a well thought out design for
getting yourself from point A to point B, reinforced with a network of
volunteers that stretches across the county. Or maybe you’re just doing fine
and you have skills and services or money to offer SWVBRC so they can open a
center in your town. Where ever you are in life as a Veteran the SWVBRC has
something to offer you and you have something to give them too. By following
the learner’s agreement I won’t be sitting around on a road to nowhere
wondering how I got here, but I’ll be creating my own personal plan of action,
and accountability to a road that doesn’t end in homelessness.
I don’t have the energy to
question whether or not this plan will work; it will only be as successful as
the effort I apply, and any plan is better than no plan at all. As I embark on
this journey I invited you to share with me in my successes and always know that
I am here for you too.
