Samuel Whitman was in the Army for nine years. During that time, he fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan, determined to help end terrorism.
According to his wife, Brittney Whitman, the wars completely changed Samuel’s life. By the time he returned home to Brittney and their 5-year-old daughter, Charlotte, he had suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury and was struggling with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“In many ways, Samuel is no longer the same person,” said Brittney. “He sacrificed his life, mind and body, and now it’s an everyday struggle to keep moving forward.”
After his long years of service, Samuel was medically retired and awarded 100% VA Disability. All his ducks were in a row, until a delay of payment sent him reeling.
“We went two months with no paycheck, and it was really hard on our family,” said Brittney. “Looking over the caregiver handbook, I came across VFW Unmet Needs and decided to apply. The process was simple and easy to navigate.”
Their application was accepted, and the Whitmans received a grant for nearly $3,500.
“We paid our rent, car payment and utilities, and bought food and gas,” said Brittney. “It was a lifesaver, and it helped us at the most critical of times.”
The grant eased the stress and financial strain on the family. Most of all, it brought comfort to Samuel and allowed him to focus on healing.
“My husband sometimes felt like people didn’t understand, and they didn’t care,” said Brittney. “This grant gave him hope and showed him that people do care.”
The VFW Unmet Needs program assists service members and veterans who have been deployed in the last six years and have run into unexpected financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other military-related activity. To learn more about VFW Unmet Needs program or to apply, click here.