Photo By 1st Sgt. Mary Lester | Final Salute Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to helping homeless female...... read more read more
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - It’s instilled in soldiers to put the mission first, refuse to accept defeat, never quit, and never leave behind a fallen comrade - it’s the foundation for the American soldier’s spirit and total commitment to victory - in peace and war – to always exemplify ethical behavior and Army values. So goes the warrior ethos.
Capt. Jaspen Boothe, 33, is not wearing body armor or carrying a rifle on a battle field – what she does carry though is the warrior ethos and resolve as a military officer – a leader – to live by it. It’s indoctrinated in who she is.
“As part of the soldier’s creed it’s in there - in service or out of service - I will never leave a fallen comrade,” reiterated Boothe, a Missouri Army National Guard soldier. “And if we don’t stand and support them, why should we expect others to do so.”
And with much fervor Boothe set out to do just that – accept the charge to help female homeless veterans and to not quit less she leaves one behind. From her determination came Boothe’s non-profit organization, Final Salute Inc. and a resolve to commit to victory on the home front.
“Prevention is the most effective measure in combating homelessness,” says Boothe, founder and president. “As Soldiers we are trained to support and defend - we do not want to appear weak so we suffer to stay in the fight.”
Boothe thinks the struggle and fight should stop there and not include living without basic essentials such as housing.
Turning personal struggles into professional accomplishments
What Boothe, a fulltime Guardsman at National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Va., learned through 11 years of service - the virtues of patience, resolve, selflessness and the capacity to endure hardship - has served her in military life as well as everyday life and inspired her to take action.
Boothe’s personal triumph over homelessness after losing everything a month before her cancer diagnosis has empowered her to see past her own struggles and take advantage of what she calls “second chances”. Beating cancer and weathering one of the deadliest hurricanes in recent history are victories that today contribute to her desire to help others.
“Had it not been for Hurricane Katrina and cancer, I would not have been aware of the non-existent resources for female Veterans and their children,” said Boothe, who had no place to live in the storm’s aftermath.
And her strongest inspiration developed while fighting cancer for six months in a military hospital. Boothe, a native of Chicago, Ill., says during her treatment and recovery she witnessed firsthand the effects war had on women and children through conversations with fellow service members.
With a debilitating illness Boothe had the option of discharge - instead she opted to stay in and continue serving her country and providing to support fellow service members. As part of the active guard reserve program Boothe works in the soldier and Family Support Division.
The wife and mother of two established the non-profit organization to provide safe and suitable housing for homeless female veterans and their families. In addition to providing housing, the organization offer education, job training, job placement and counseling.
“If you have soldiers that are getting out soon, make sure they have a plan,” said Boothe. “Also, encourage female soldier to female vet mentoring - just because a soldier discharges should not mean she loses her military family.”
To help battle these statistics, Final Salute Inc. has made great strides in its infancy – including spreading the word and helping a significant number of homeless Vets with everything from housing, job placement and school scholarships.
Final Inc’s Housing Outreach Mentorship Encouragement or H.O.M.E. program, five months ago held a ribbon cutting in Fairfax, Va., for its first home. The H.O.M.E. initiative provides transitional housing and housing subsidy assistance to homeless female Veterans and their children.
What homeless looks like
A mother of four knows firsthand the difference Final Salute can make in a veterans life. Sandra Strickland was living out the American dream. She had served her country honorably and transitioned back into civilian life, where she met and married the man of her dreams, had kids and together they owned a five-bedroom house, their own business and were enjoying life. Things were great for a long time.
Fast forward to 2011 and Sandra says she found herself on a domestic battlefield – with an impending divorce, fighting for parental rights and a guest at an abuse shelter - her life changed in ways she had never imagined.
The business and family home remained with Strickland’s estranged husband as did the children initially, but in her own apartment and picking up the pieces Strickland’s plight seemed manageable to her. She scoured job announcements, sent out resumes and had job interviews she said to no avail.
More than six months into unemployment, savings exhausted and living month-to-month Strickland came to the realization that if something doesn’t “give” soon, she remembers telling herself, “Okay I’m going to have to go into a homeless shelter, I can’t afford the rent.”
Today the 43-year-old Iraqi war veteran says she doesn’t know what she would have done had her and Jaspen’s path not crossed. Strickland is among the working homeless; though initially work hasn’t been steady she consistently acquires jobs, including temporary employment.
“I never thought that I would be in a position where I would consider myself homeless,” said Strickland, who served in the military for six years. “Normally when people think of homeless they have this picture of what they think homeless looks like. But when I was living in the domestic shelter I would get up and go to work.”
Strickland, 43, said she doesn’t freely share information about her circumstance but she also readily talks about her difficulty if it comes up in conversation.
‘I remember I had to let my boss know my situation and she said, ‘I would have never guessed! You don’t look homeless,’ said Strickland. “It’s like a silent epidemic – many people don’t think about women and homelessness. I think putting a voice to the female veteran situation is something that needs to be shared and told.”
And that’s where Boothe’s non-profit comes in – it grants Veterans the opportunity to network with other Veterans and provides education on topics such as finance, marketing, human resources, government contracts, and how to properly balance work and life.
Strickland said she’s happy that it’s an extensive program and Veterans are afforded an opportunity to get on solid ground and have a long term plan established.
“You share your two-year plan and they help you to reach those goals with resources,” said Strickland, from Final Salute’s first H.O.M.E. where she resides and provides a safe space for her and her children.
“I look at it as a ‘starting over’,” says Strickland, who still wants to own her own business again someday. “Having somewhere to live without having to worry about getting evicted has been a load off - that is where Final Salute has helped me tremendously.”
The Way Forward
When asked why not provide these valuable services to all Veterans, Boothe chuckles, “Ladies First.”
Boothe said she gets asked that question a lot.
“Women play just as vital a role in the military as men do but often times are an afterthought when people think about Veterans,” added Boothe.
Boothe said that she is aware “Final Salute” resonates with burial and funerals but the reason she chose the name is because it means something much different to her.
“It’s in line with people saying ‘final straw,’ Boothe explained. “We have to remember our commitment to never leave anyone behind and to honor that commitment and not to solely rely on others to do it.”
Across America the number of homeless women veterans continues to grow. At the end of last year, the Government Accountability Office released a study entitled “Homeless Women Veterans – Actions Needed to Ensure Safe and Appropriate Housing,” which reveals recent government estimates the number of women Veterans identified as homeless has more than doubled from 1,380 in fiscal year 2006 to 3,328 in fiscal year 2010.
Boothe says that as of 2009 the number of homeless female veterans has reached a startling 13,000 or more and also points to the findings in the GAO study on the Final Salute website.
She says HUD collects data on homeless women and on homeless Veterans, but does not collect detailed information on homeless women Veterans. Final Salute’s website also says neither VA nor HUD collects data on the total number of homeless women Veterans in the general population.
While citing limited data, the GAO study identified prevailing characteristics including more than one-third had disabilities and many also had minor children. The study also points out the number of women Veterans has grown substantially, doubling from 4 percent of all Veterans in 1990 to 8 percent, or an estimated 1.8 million, today and will continue to increase as Service Members return from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Boothe knows these statistics all too well. But she also knows the warrior ethos and the set of principles which has served her way of life and helped those who benefit from the foundation.
One homeless female veteran at a time - this career soldier is refusing to leave any of them behind. And if she has her way, where does she see her foundation in say twenty or thirty years?
“My long term goal is to be put out of business. I don’t want to be around for the next 20 or 30 years. Heroes should not be homeless,” declares Boothe. “For the sacrifices they and their Families have made, this is an unacceptable state for any of them to be in. If they fail, it's because we have failed them.”
For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard; www.moguard.com/blog; www.pinterest.com/monationalguard/
To learn more about Final Salute, Inc., its programs and housing requirements, please visit www.finalsaluteinc.org.
| Date Taken: | 05.25.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 05.25.2012 18:30 |
| Story ID: | 89030 |
| Location: | CHICAGO, ILL, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 340 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, One Missouri Guardsman’s mission is a final salute to women vets in need, by 1SG Mary Lester, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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