Building a sense of community.

Two years ago, the Armed Forces Comptroller announced that the Pentagon Federal Credit Union had established a foundation to help credit union members (and other service members and civilians) improve their financial literacy and gain financial independence.

Indeed, after two years, the foundation is showing great strides forward. A pilot program called ARK (Asset Recovery Kit), now in place at Fort Hood, Texas, is aimed at dislodging soldiers from the grips of the payday lenders by providing no-interest loans at a low $6.00 fee, along with financial education and counseling. In October 2004 the foundation had a really successful fund raiser, the Annual Military Heroes Golf Classic (for which the ASMC was one of the corporate sponsors), to fund the foundation's work in providing support to wounded military personnel. This tournament promises to be the forerunner of similar future events, and organizers are now planning a summer gala event to continue to underwrite its work.

Foundation Responds to Calls for Special Needs

But, as time passed, something else very interesting was happening. The PFCU Foundation began taking on some new and very different missions. Rocky Mitchell, PFCU vice president and president of the PFCU Foundation, was approached by the military leadership from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to help with some things the military cannot do readily or with the speed and flexibility with which the PFCU Foundation can act.

For example, many of the wounded from Afghanistan and Iraq were transferred to WRAMC without any civilian clothes and were stuck with only hospital gowns--which proved of very limited utility when members wanted to walk through the corridors to sit in the lobby. The foundation quickly raised money for civilian clothing and provided clothing free to the wounded patients.

Because one service member was thought to be deceased, his pay and allowances were stopped, leaving his wife desperately in need of cash. He was, in fact, still very alive. Again, the foundation stepped in and helped until the matter was straightened out.

The medical center needed a hospice room. The foundation called on Gary Trudeau of Doonesberry cartoon fame and New York architect/designer Basil Walter to design and help install the facility. More recently, Mitchell has promoted the donation of 40 computers for service members in the Fisher House and the Mologne House (both at the WRAMC site) to use in communicating with family members and friends who are not in the area.

ASMC Chapter's Gifts of Funds and Time

Thus, it was that when the Mount Vernon Chapter of ASMC was looking for a holiday charity, the PFCU Foundation and its work with service members at WRAMC seemed a natural choice. The chapter set aside $1,000 for a donation. Tom Lord, chapter treasurer, then suggested challenging the ASMC National Headquarters to match the gift. When approached, Executive Director Lieutenant General James F. McCall did not hesitate, and the total amount of the gift increased to $2,000.

The author, who also serves currently as the Mount Vernon Chapter president, called Mitchell to let him know the donation was forthcoming. He replied, "The folks at Walter Reed have asked that the foundation sponsor a holiday dinner for the wounded at the Fisher House, and this donation will go a long way to help. I'll list your chapter as sponsoring the dinner. By the way, Ridgewell's [one of the D.C. area's top catering firms] will cater, and they have promised us a 30 percent discount."

Fisher House Background

Let me explain a little about the Fisher House Foundation. The Fisher Houses (I, II, and III) are three of many "homes away from home" for families who have a member receiving medical care at major military and Veterans Administration (VA) medical centers. The homes at WRAMC are located on the Walter Reed installation within walking distance of the hospital and are modern, first-class facilities in every way. Nationwide, there are 32 Fisher Houses located on 17 military installations and 6 VA medical centers.

Each house is designed to provide 8 to 11 suites and can accommodate 16 to 22 family members. Each features a common kitchen, laundry facilities, dining room, and toys for children. The building and donation program began in 1990 and has served over 60,000 families to date. Philanthropist Zachary Fisher, a strong supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces, donated the houses, providing more than $20 million for the purpose. There is a very strong demand for this facility, since very little inexpensive housing is available in the Washington area. The facility targets those patients with the most need.

An Evening of Comfort and Joy--and Poignant Moments

On the evening of December 21, 2004, right after President George W. Bush's holiday visit with the troops, the caterer appeared and dropped off a vast feast. The house was cheerfully lit, a fire was blazing in the fireplace, and a tree with presents under it graced the living room. Kids rail back and forth, and a young man sitting on a couch and holding a baby was being interviewed by a Washington Post reporter. All the while, visitors came in and out.

I met Mitchell in the kitchen, awaiting the caterer. Margaret Szeliga and Candy Montero of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union staff were there, along with ASMC member Donna Brown. We all pitched in to help serve the meal. Gravy and potatoes were heated, pies were set out, turkeys and hams abounded. One of the sergeants said grace. And then they ate, men in wheel chairs, men on crutches, kids, family members, service members from wards, wives getting plates to take upstairs to those too tired to make it down, staff, and even security guards. It was a great holiday feast!

There were many poignant moments as well. Many of the dinner guests were amputees. One young lady, probably under 30 years old, announced that they had "finally figured out what kind of cancer my husband has." One young man, balancing on his one remaining leg, stated that the real mashed potatoes were his favorite "since we only got the powdered stuff in the mess hall," and then he thanked us for the dinner and went out into the night. The sergeant who had said grace looked to be in pretty good shape, and I asked his connection with the Fisher House. He said, "I've been at Walter Reed 14 months. Lost part of a leg. First I was in bed, then in a wheel chair, then on a walker, then on crutches, and now on a leg brace."

Looking back on the holiday dinner, I see it as just a small tribute that we were able to pay to these service members who had made sacrifices so great that they can never be repaid. I also see that each Fisher House is both a place of shelter and a wonderful bridge so that at least some of the wounded can have the healing benefit of family members nearby as they recuperate. I urge all of our ASMC chapters to look for these kinds of community service partnerships where we can really help and maybe make a small difference in the lives of those around us.

Author's note: If you or your chapter wishes to donate to the PFCU Foundation and its work, please contact Rocky Mitchell at [phone]. The foundation's web address is http://www.pentagonfoundation.org/support/militaryheroes.html. The Pentagon Federal Credit Union underwrites all administrative costs for the foundation; 100 percent of all donations are used for charitable work.

John T. Raines is Associate Director for Professional Development at the American Society of Military Comptrollers. He is currently working on the training portion of the Defense Financial Management Certification program. Raines is a member of the Mount Vernon Chapter of ASMC.