Why You Should Take Action to Help Military Families Affected by Autism

As those of you know who are regular readers of this blog, I have been supporting the effort of military families to have the treatment of their autistic children covered by the military health care program TRICARE.

I got permission to share the following letter with you from Army Major Shannon Beckett, currently stationed in Tikrit, Iraq.

Please read this letter and then read the email below to learn how you can help:


Dear Representatives~

I am a military officer currently stationed in Iraq. I am currently serving my
4th tour of duty. Autism nearly took our youngest son Jacob from us, with a
diagnosis of moderate to severe autism in July of 2005. I was serving as a
MEDEVAC (Air Ambulance) squadron commander at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, at that time.

As a family, we were able to pull together to see our son recover from this
simply horrific disorder. But, to be sure, there have been costs. If I may
speak plainly, TRICARE has been of very little help.

The required intensive behavioral therapy (ABA)proved very costly. To date, we have expended $385,000.00 in personal funds, which of course we did not have.

Please, ladies and gentlemen, our military families need help. Any family
dealing with a son or daughter battling autism is in peril and needs responsive support, and a military family faced with extended separation and
recurring deployments is no exception.

It would be difficult to convey just how hard the task of bringing our son
through to recovery was. What I can tell you is that it made four tours of combat look easy.

My wife held down the toughest job I have ever witnessed through
this ordeal: patiently working all day, every day, and most of the night,
every night, working to break through to our son again.

Sadly, without support through military insurance, many military families do
not have the resources, support, and training to handle the severity of this
disorder. Many families (80%: CNN data) simply disintegrate.

Our son has since fully recovered. He attends elementary school with his older
brother, reads at two grades above his level, loves to surf and skateboard, and
is a joy to be around.

I ask for your help in providing this hope to my brothers and sisters in
service to our country. I ask that you support the Sestak Ammendment and
provide the funding required for autism treatment right away.

Respectfully,

Shannon Beckett
Major, United States Army
Tikrit, Iraq

Now a report from Karen Driscoll, the Marine Corps wife and mother of three children -- one with autism -- telling you how you can help now:


Dear Family, Friends, & Military Supporters:

As you are aware, a group of military spouses from across the country has been
working tirelessly to improve the lives of military families with autism and
other disabilities.

With the help of many key leaders on Capitol Hill, we have a unique opportunity comprehensive legislative reforms for military children living with autism. We need your help!

Please take action to voice your support for legislation in the National Defense Authorization Act to recognize the medical necessity of effective autism treatments. There is still time to help our special kids!

Thanks to Autism Speaks, we have the below link to email your support directly
to the conferees on the Armed Services Committee. Please take a minute to
complete the form and email the conferees directly:

AUTISM VOTES

Semper Fi,

Karen Driscoll - Marine Corps wife, mother of 3 (one with autism)
___


Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of the novel MRS. LIEUTENANT and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She is also an Internet business consultant and the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show YourMilitaryLife.com.

Phyllis' company provides Internet marketing training as well as social media marketing to promote your business more effectively.

Military Families Impacted by Autism Need Your Immediate Help

Here is the latest update from Karen Driscoll, Marine Corps wife who has three children, one with autism:

Dear Friends, Family, and Fellow Autism Advocates,

The Senate Defense Bill will likely wrap up tonight or tomorrow and go to the floor for a vote.

Unfortunately, the autism amendment to recognize the medical necessity of effective autism treatments and provide appropriate coverage of treatment services under the TRICARE basic program was rejected by the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Military families impacted by autism need your immediate help and action today.

1. Please contact Senator Levin and Senator McCain and ask they allow the Gillibrand autism amendment, amendment #1786, be voted on. Phone numbers below.

Senator Levin 202-224-6221

Senator McCain 202-224-2235

Not sure what to say? Below is a sample statement for your consideration:

“I appreciate the service and sacrifice our military families have given this country. Military families with autism face extraordinary challenges and need the senator’s help. I ask the senator allow the Gillibrand autism amendment to the NDAA, amendment #1786, be voted on.”

2. Call your senator and ask the senator to support and sign on to the Gillibrand autism amendment to the NDAA, amendment #1786.

Not sure who your senator is or how to contact him/her? Simply click here.

3. Please forward this e-mail to your friends and family and ask for their support and immediate action.

This important legislation will provide access to the much-needed medical services and treatments military children with autism require. Our military families shoulder significant responsibilities today. We have a moral obligation to provide our military families with the medical care they require. I ask for your help.

On behalf of the thousands of military families impacted by autism, I thank you for your action in support of our special children.

Semper Fi,

Karen Driscoll – Marine Corps wife, mother of 3 (one with autism)

Karen0622@aol.com
___

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also blogs as a National Internet Business Examiner and at Operation Support Jews in the Military and Fiction Marketing, and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show Your Military Life. Her newest military-related project is the book/website project In Support of Our Troops.

Phyllis' company Miller Mosaic LLC provides internet marketing information to help people promote their brand, book or business. On July 1st the company launched the Miller Mosaic Internet Marketing Program.

Uniformed Service Autism Heroes Act Introduced -- Read Below to See How You Can Help

I got the following email from Karen Driscoll, a Marine Corps wife and the mother of an autistic child. Karen has worked relentlessly to help military families with autistic children.

Please read her email below and then help out.

Dear Family, Friends and Fellow Autism Advocates:

I am very pleased to announce that on Wednesday, June 3rd, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Uniformed Service Autism (USA) Heroes Act (S1169). They were joined by co-sponsors Senators Brownback (R-KS), Cardin (D-MD), Sanders (I-VT), and Specter (D-PA).

This important legislation is the Senate companion to HR 1600 introduced by Representatives Joe Sestak (D-PA), Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX), and Walter B. Jones (R-NC). These great leaders are committed to improving the lives of our brave men and women in uniform, their loving families, and most significantly…military children with autism and other disabilities. Families applaud their leadership!

Both S1169 and HR1600 will recognize the medical necessity of effective treatments, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), under the TRICARE standard of care (our military healthcare system).

In addition, it will honor physician-prescribed levels of treatment; hence lifting an arbitrary dollar cap restricting access to effective care and forcing military families to mortgage their homes, pay thousands of dollars out of pocket annually, or worse … to go without.

This important legislation will also allow access to these vital treatments for autistic dependents of military retirees who have proudly worn the uniform.

Get more information now.

Along this journey of ours many of you have asked how you can help. I am calling on you now for your voice and support for our military children with autism.

ACT NOW FOR HR1600 & S1169!

1. Contact your Federal lawmakers – Please take a few moments of your time … what seems to be a very small gesture will have a tremendous impact. If there was ever a time to act and let your voice be heard it’s NOW!

Call, fax and/or e-mail your senators and representatives. Let them know that you are deeply concerned about access to medical treatments for military children with autism. Ask them to strongly support and co-sponsor HR1600 and S1169.

Here is contact information for your senators and representatives.

2. Please forward this e-Mail to your Friends and family –- ask for their support and action.

3. Please contact the below key leaders on the Armed Services Committee. They are in a key position to help.

Senator Carl Levin
202-224-6221

Senator John McCain
202-224-2235

Senator Ben Nelson
202-224-6551

Senator Lindsey Graham
202-224-5972

Rep. Ike Skelton
202-225-2876

Rep. John McHugh
202-225-4611

Rep. Susan Davis
202-225-2040

Rep. Joe Wilson
202-225-2452

4. Please take the time to thank Representatives Joe Sestak, Ciro Rodriguez, Walter Jones and Senators Gillibrand, Collins, Cardin, Brownback, Sanders, and Specter. They are true CHAMPIONS for our special kids and military families.

Our military families shoulder significant responsibilities today and make a great deal of sacrifices. In support of their selfless service to this great nation, I urge you to take the time and let your voice be heard.

Our success can be attributed to each and every one of you taking action. Together we can make a difference in the life of a military child with disabilities.

On behalf of thousands of military children impacted by autism … a million thanks!

Semper Fi,
Karen Driscoll - Marine Corps wife, mother of 3 (one with autism)
karen0622@aol.com
___

Phyllis Zimbler Miller is the author of MRS. LIEUTENANT: A SHARON GOLD NOVEL and the co-author of the Jewish holiday book SEASONS FOR CELEBRATION. She also blogs as a National Internet Business Examiner and at Operation Support Jews in the Military and Fiction Marketing, and she is the co-host of the BlogTalkRadio show Your Military Life.

Her company Miller Mosaic LLC builds call-to-action websites that get people to say yes to your brand, book or business. Her newest project is the book/website project In Support of Our Troops.