Mission: Family: Support takes many forms for kin of war dead - Army Spouse and Family Resources - Army Times

Mission: Family: Support takes many forms for kin of war dead

The memorial services are over for the Navy SEALs and others who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on Aug. 6, but their families, colleagues and other loved ones have a long road ahead as they mourn.

Of great solace to the Navy special warfare community is the outpouring of support from the American public, said Kristi Cummings, a member of the board of directors of the Navy SEAL Foundation and wife of a retired SEAL. And that support has not slowed down, she said.

Checks have been coming in on a continual basis, she said. But as critical as the checks are to the families of the 17 SEALs and five special warfare support personnel who died, Cummings said she finds it “heartwarming to see Americans show they care in other ways, such as taking a day off work so they can line the streets at a memorial service … that’s worth more than a check.”

“They’re saying, ‘We appreciate what you guys do for us and we’re sorry for your loss,’” she said.

Some donations have come from people struggling themselves because of the sour economy. “I am a proud American. I am not political, but I am a moral and ethical laid-off teacher. Thirty bucks is the best I can do,” wrote one donor on the Navy SEAL Foundation’s Facebook page, which has seen a tremendous spike in visitors. Some are posting details about their own fundraisers for the foundation.

Cummings said foundation officials are still tallying up how much has been received since Aug. 6 and can’t yet quantify the increase. Regardless of the amount, “we’re glad there’s a tremendous spike,” she said, noting that some of the families lost their sole breadwinner.

Immediately after the tragedy, a group of volunteers came together on behalf of the foundation to help families with their needs, Cummings said.

Examples include helping with child care, buying groceries to fill the pantry, and helping to cover transportation costs for friends or family members who are ineligible for paid travel to memorial services under Defense Department guidelines.

Among other initiatives, the foundation has a scholarship program and provides free new computers every three years for the children of the fallen; it also provides a dental premium program to kick in after the Navy’s program ends.

“None of [them] would ever ask for help. We don’t put them in a position to ask. We just quietly provide things to make their lives easier,” Cummings said. “These families can stay part of our family as long as they want.”

The groundswell of support in the wake of this tragedy is part of the proud, long-standing tradition of the military community taking care of its own, and yet another example of the extremely high regard in which Americans hold the members of the armed forces and their families.