My good friend’s mother, Carol, volunteers at the USO on a regular basis. “The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the troops by providing morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform.” [http://www.uso.org]
When I was in the Navy, the Navy Marine Corps relief society helped my family out a couple times. “Founded in 1904, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is a private non-profit charitable organization. It is sponsored by the Department of the Navy and operates nearly 250 offices ashore and afloat at Navy and Marine Corps bases throughout the world.” [http://www.nmcrs.org/]
Now that my military life is well behind me and I’ve launched my own business, there are quite a few organizations that I’m working with:
· The National Veterans Business Development Corporation – whose mission is “To create more prosperous communities and a stronger national economy by fostering entrepreneurship and business opportunities for Veterans and Service-Disabled Veterans. [http://www.veteranscorp.org/]
· National Veteran-Owned Business Association - unites current and future veteran-owned businesses by acting as the national voice for the veteran business movement. There are currently three million veteran-owned businesses in the United States. NaVOBA works to convince corporate America and the government to consider using veteran-owned businesses as preferred vendors. [http://www.navoba.com]
· Department of Veterans Affairs - Our goal is to provide excellence in patient care, veterans' benefits and customer satisfaction. We have reformed our department internally and are striving for high quality, prompt and seamless service to veterans. Our department's employees continue to offer their dedication and commitment to help veterans get the services they have earned. Our nation's veterans deserve no less. The VA also has a Vender Registry for Veteran-owned businesses – [http://www.vip.vetbiz.gov/]
The fact is that there are hundreds of organizations – some profitable and some non-profit – that are dedicated to simply help Veterans! Search: http://www1.va.gov/vso/index.cfm?template=search.
There are also charities for the families of those who paid the ultimate price, like the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund [http://www.fallenheroesfund.org] – Celebrity Apprentice winner Piers Morgan is a big supporter - and for those Veterans who were wounded [http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/].
I’m leaving hundreds of organizations out here – but find it incredible that so many Americans who didn’t serve are now serving so many of us veterans. My friend’s mother, Carol is an amazing lady – she doesn’t ask for anything but serves so many with a smile and a thoughtful hug.
I’m thankful for so many Americans who serve those who serve… or served in our Military!
