Comments on: Follow-up: Soldier, wife pick up the pieces after tragic crash

By: sfcmac

sfcmac — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:48:13 +0000

I remember that tragic story. The pain he and his wife are going through is unimaginable, but Operation Homefront does a hell of a job easing the financial burden of families like the Johnson’s. I wish SPC Johnson a speedy recovery and I hope his future brings a lot of love and healing. Kudos to the Ft. Bliss Army community for the great contributions to a Soldier in need.
HOOAH!

By: ArmywifeArmymom

ArmywifeArmymom — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 10:53:22 +0000

The military will pay for care, but trust me (as the wife of a husband who was wounded during training) the military does not always cover all of the care. Some soldiers wind up paying out of pocket for things like physical therapy and other types of care. They can take what the military offers, but if they want care above and beyond that they pay out of pocket if they can’t get the military doctors to agree. We have to pay for physical therapy because not a minute was offered to my husband… and soldiers are not allowed to just go out of the system without approval.

Also, deployments are very expensive! My son bought well over $1000 of additional needed supplies that he had to have before deployment. He is being paid a little more now, but the cost of phone calls, care packages, etc. adds up over the period of 15 months. I can’t imagine how he could manage if he had a wife and family… he’s a Specialist too. The benefits are nice, but military families often live on he edge, and an accident of this magnitude (speaking of the father) can push them over the edge.

I am very happy that the family is being cared for financially. These two parents need time to grieve, and this will take some of the stress off of them so that they can focus on their home, marriage, grief and figuring out how to live each day with the realization that their babies are gone. I am glad that they are seeing that people truly do care.

By: Miss Ladybug

Miss Ladybug — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:47:29 +0000

Ret7army~

I have no information on this family’s bankruptcy, but I make these assumptions:

*Unit based out of Ft. Bliss where the wife & kids were living, wounded soldier at BAMC in San Antonio. From personal experience, I know that is a very long drive. When Daddy was stationed at Bliss and we would visit his mom in San Antonio, it was something like a 12-14 hour drive. Gas isn’t cheap, and neither is airfare.
*If the wife had a job in El Paso, she couldn’t both work and be at her husband’s side.
*Even soldiers and their families have bills to pay, even if they live in base housing.
*Soldiers doesn’t get paid a lot of money to begin with. The additional expenses related family members traveling to be with a wounded servicemember would not likely be easily fit into an enlisted soldier’s budget, Tricare & car insurance or not…

By: Ret7army

Ret7army — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 15:17:41 +0000

Ok nice story but I’m confused… the military is supposed to be paying the medical costs for him so how did this lead to bankruptcy and huge debt on the family?
I could understand it better if it were associated with the deaths of the children , but then I’d have questions about the car insurance (required for military folks who own cars) and why Tricare didn’t pick up costs… any info on this please

By: scooter56

scooter56 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 04:17:41 +0000

Yes Chapiteer, Most of these type of stories never get printed except on the third column on section B or C. My family only listens to MSM and they marvel of the news stories that they miss and when the MSM does tell the story its usually days or months behind.

I’m not picking on anyone but the lack of interest is not any medias fault. That lies with us. We tend to get what we ask for.
http://www.nbc24.com/News/news_story.aspx?id=78604
This is a young man I am proud to call a friend. Shane served with my daughter when she was still at FT Hood. Sadly there are hundreds like Shane, whose stories are overlooked by most.
This business of saying we cover this story better than they do, we care more than they do, we are better Americans than they are is not only decisive, its just bunk. Just ask Shane. He may tell you he wasn’t only fighting for those on the right but those on the left as well. I do know that those who have helped have come from all sides of the political spectrum.
If it makes you feel better to blame the press, blame liberals, blame Soros, I feel sorry for you. I don’t think compassion is a trait only held by conservatives.
Shane was at Walter Reed when that story was broken by the….the… Oh the MSM……On the front page.

By: garyt

garyt — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 03:20:50 +0000

Yes Chapiteer, Most of these type of stories never get printed except on the third column on section B or C. My family only listens to MSM and they marvel of the news stories that they miss and when the MSM does tell the story its usually days or months behind.

By: katieanne

katieanne — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 03:12:37 +0000

It did my heart good to read this story. May God bless them and keep them.

By: DagneyT

DagneyT — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:58:25 +0000

This family has been at the top of the list for help from many military assistance groups in and around San Antonio for months. Thanks for letting us know that they’ve been helped. I have a family who have just recently purchased a home in Schertz, a suberb of SA. He is an amputee, and their new home needs some accessibility rehab. I will contact this group to see that this family gets the help they need. God bless you, Michelle, for keeping these stories at the top of our consciousness.

By: vsatt

vsatt — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:59:44 +0000

I think it’s wonderful that ordinary people in the private sector came together to help this family the way they did.

But I have to say, with all the hoopla for the government to bail out people with housing and financial woes, where was the big push for the gov’t to help this couple? If there was one from politicians who supported the bail-out, I never heard about it. This is actually one of those cases where I think the government is remiss for not stepping in (even though the family is probably better off for it).

This family suffered their tragic circumstances as a result of the husband’s military service. Shame on the politicians who are more vocal about helping illegal immigrants or folks who just can’t manage their finances than the men and women who fight for our country.

By: Drained Brain

Drained Brain — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:52:57 +0000

Please forgive the typographical error in the first of the two links above. His name was Andrew Olmsted.

By: Drained Brain

Drained Brain — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:39:33 +0000

Another sad story. Andrew Olsted says farewell. R.I.P. Major Olmsted.

By: Miss Ladybug

Miss Ladybug — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:30:43 +0000

englishqueen01~

I beg to differ. Our military (part of the government) has done an excellent job with the mission is has been asked to do. Political interference and “enemy within” and all…

By: englishqueen01

englishqueen01 — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:54:45 +0000

Don’t just sit around expecting the government to do everything - it is incapable of taking care of everything.

Correction, Miss Ladybug. The government is incapable of taking care of anything. My prayers are still with the family, and I hope they are able to move past the grief, hold on to the memories, and find joy again.

By: Miss Ladybug

Miss Ladybug — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:48:23 +0000

I heard this story yesterday on WOAI (a San Antonio AM talk radio station). This is how it should be done – ordinary Americans seeing a “neighbor” in need and lending a hand to help. Don’t just sit around expecting the government to do everything – it is incapable of taking care of everything.

By: Mookie

Mookie — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:47:55 +0000

That’s my last post on it. Don’t want to stress 30 Pieces.