Letter from a Soldier
Dear Sir,
I have not been stationed in the US since 1995, and the nature of my job will keep me overseas throughout my career. Although I am not always viewed as that soldier with “dusty boots,” I know all too well what it is like to be away from home for so long — especially during the holidays.
I would like, however, to take this opportunity to thank you, and America, for being the fine, grand, noble Nation that makes each and every one of us out here serving in the military extremely proud of the country and the people we protect.
You don’t necessarily have to pray for us soldiers, as we have chosen this life….and we will sacrifice our life for OUR people and OUR country. No, do not pray for us this holiday season…..Pray for OUR Nation and Her people……for only then will the life we ‘chose’ be worthwhile.
Yes, I do pray for peace on Earth…always. But, “there will be wars, and rumors of wars,” so, in the meantime; maybe, just maybe, this year you can put out a suggestion to OUR American people…… We tend to fly our flag on 4th of July, we tend to fly our flag on Veteran’s Day……maybe this year, through your web-site, you could maybe “ask” the American people to put a small American Flag on their Christmas Tree, amongst their ornaments, (or within their own religious ceremony/custom) just to “remember.”
A small reminder that “we” are free to celebrate whatever holiday, however we please, because of that flag and what She represents. Sir, I have volunteered to protect ALL Americans… Christian, Jewish, Agnostic, even Atheist…. it is my proud honor to do so…. and all I ask is that maybe, during this “holiday” season (whether one believes in it or not) is your help in asking “America” to wave Her flag in Unity and be thankful for our Grand Nation. It would mean a lot to us out here, wherever we are……
EPILOGUE
The Giving Season has arrived and with it an outreach email to the Friends of the Invictus Foundation to consider a donation to the Invictus Foundation in 2020. A donation can easily be made by going to www.invictusfoundation.org and hitting the donate button.
For your review I have attached a jpeg visually representing that ten years of effort in executing the first phase of our capstone strategy has been achieved. WHN 2020 Coverage This year we completed our eighth and final regional Welcome Home Network covering the New England states.
Starting in 2021 we will begin moving forward on the funding and development of eight regional Invictus Centers for TBI & Psychological Health. As with the WHNs we will build out the Centers moving West to East. Our first one will be built in Orting, WA on a beautiful piece of land that fits one of our strategic requirements that the Centers be built in a pastoral setting.
Each Center will cost 3M dollars to build. Attached is a jpeg of an architectural rendering of the Centers. Invictus Center As I promised with the Welcome Home Networks there will be no long-term endowment required to keep the Centers operating. They will be self-sustaining.
For the past ten years we have built out the WHNs by the generosity of corporate sponsors, grants, high net worth individuals and grass roots fund raising. Now we will begin to move into the capital construction phase of building the Centers which are the capstones to our strategic and tactical capstone strategy. They will require capital construction costs of 3M dollars each to build. To raise those types of funds we will need to have a more robust fund-raising infrastructure than we currently have in place.
My “ask” of the Friends of the Invictus Foundation is specifically around the strengthening of our fundraising infrastructure. I have researched and sought proposals from three companies I believe offer the Foundation the best value for its money. I have narrowed it to one contractor and the cost of engaging them to help us strengthen our fundraising efforts would be $25,000 thousand dollars. This line-item expense will help us put in place the infrastructure necessary to raise the 3M dollars in capital construction costs to build our first Center in Orting.
Thanking you in advance for your review and consideration of our Christmas Ask.
