Operation Second Chance

OPERATION GIVING BACK PROGRAM

Through the Operation Giving Back program, our goal is to provide opportunities to wounded veterans and their family members who have the desire to give back by assisting others in similar situations. Each Internship is tailored to the individual and consists of various activities and a variable amount of time, during which the Intern volunteers each week in support of our mission. Each intern will have their own personal profile page on the Operation Second Chance website, including their photos, bio and goals.

The Internship application process is competitive. Applying does not guarantee admittance.

If you are interested in applying, please contact us to receive an application. During participation in Operation Giving Back, eligible candidates, based on financial need, will be provided a monthly stipend to offset their cost of living.

SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE

AIRFARE AND ESSENTIAL DAILY ASSISTANCE

Operation Second Chance offers an unparalleled range of services guided by the founding principle that we treat wounded warriors and their loved ones as if they were our own family. We believe in providing assistance to our troops and their families on the ground where the greatest need exists and where OSC’s support will have the greatest impact. Our ability to quickly assist with these needs is why the staff from our military hospitals reach out to us for help daily. We assist countless families. Our assistance includes everything from airline tickets to daily family support such as a baby stroller or diapers and formula. Whatever the need, we do what we can to help wounded warriors and their families as if they were our own. We may be able to help you and your loved ones obtain air travel to or from military health care facilities. If you do not meet the criteria for eligibility of military travel benefits but have a compelling need to be with your loved one, we may be able to assist. Other situations where we might be able to assist with travel include special circumstances, one-way flights, and urgent or short notice flights. We can also assist with your daily needs while you are at the hospital. If you need something that is unavailable at the hospital or need assistance off base/post, we might be able to help. For any of these special requests please contact us.

FINANCIAL AID

Did you know that as an E-1 with less than two years of service the base pay is less than $18,000 per year? Even if you are lucky enough to get promoted to E-5 in your first enlistment your base pay is still less than $28,000 per year. We realize that if you have a family you may make slightly more with BAH and dependent pay, but it is not an easy living. In many cases your spouse or significant other must work just to pay the bills and live paycheck to paycheck. Then, what happens when your loved one is injured while serving our country? Do you leave your job and ignore your bills to be with your loved one while they recover, or do you leave your loved one to recover on their own to continue to work to pay the bills?

Operation Second Chance helps make that difficult decision a lot easier by covering monthly bills during those critical first months when life is so chaotic. Whether it’s your mortgage, rent, utilities, or childcare, we want to do our part to help. It has been our goal from the very beginning of OSC to assist our warriors throughout the recovery process. However, with the current economy, the number of financial aid requests that we receive is higher than ever. If you are in need of financial assistance and are post 9/11 combat wounded veteran currently receiving care at a military healthcare facility with an expected rating of at least 70%, we may be able to help. If you have any questions please have your service liaison, chain of command, or care provider request an application by email.
APPLYING FOR ASSISTANCE *** Notice: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which caused an increase in applications, and a decrease in donations. We are currently only processing assistance applications for post 9-11 Combat injured.
Operation Second Chance has set the following requirements for providing assistance:

• Veteran must have a Military or VA Rating of not less than 70%. Priority will be given to those whose injuries are Combat Related.
• Must have not less than 6 months of active duty status.
• Total family income must not exceed $4,000 monthly. (Exceptions will be made for families larger then 6)
• Must have an honorable discharge listed on DD214.
• Completed Applications will need to be submitted through a caseworker or VA Representative.

RETREATS
Our Veterans are our number one priority. Due to the Coronavirus, we are suspending OSC retreats until further notice  We appreciate your patience during these trying times in our nation!
Retreats are open to wounded, injured, and ill veterans and service members with a 70% or higher VA Rating and their families.

Veterans returning home from a “normal” tour in a warzone will tell you that returning to everyday life is not easy. Returning can be even more difficult for family members who are struggling to understand the changes that have occurred and continue to occur in their loved ones after a combat deployment. In the end, reintegration between warfighters and their families is very difficult.

Now, try to imagine receiving a phone call where a stranger tells you that your loved one has been seriously injured while conducting combat operations. Your loved one is alive, but his or her condition is unclear, and it is unknown if they will survive. This situation has happened to nearly every one of the men and women we work for everyday. To obtain some semblance of normalcy, the warriors and families that survive combat trauma must work through the stress of these events and the lifelong changes that result.

OSC recognizes the stress families experience from combat-related trauma and the importance of strong family support. We see the struggles that take place with families trying to reconnect and regain the “normal” in life after returning home from a warzone with severe injuries. We also understand how a positive attitude can impact the recovery process. One of the many ways OSC assists our wounded warriors and their families is by providing retreats that facilitate this part of the recovery process. We actively work to get wounded warriors and their families out of their hotel rooms and the hospital environment to help them relax and reconnect.

OSC offers a variety of retreats depending on the individual’s injuries and their ability to get away. We provide short local overnight trips to those who need a quick getaway but do not have the ability to go very far from the care received at the hospital or from their chain of command. We also provide longer retreats for those who are further along in their recovery and are able to get away for longer periods. During our retreats we offer many different activities for the individuals to choose from, as well as give wounded veterans and their families the opportunity to rest, relax and complete activities on their own. All OSC retreats are all-inclusive and have no cost to our recovering service members and their families.

OSC offers retreats specifically designed for:

• Individual injured service members
• Couples
• Families
• Veterans
• Caregivers

MORALE

DAY TRIPS AND NIGHTS OUT

As mentioned on our Retreats Page, the hospital environment can be very stressful. Sometimes all that is needed to improve motivation and morale in recovering service members is to give them a night out on the town. Whether we take them out to a ballgame with a couple of friends, or rent a movie theater for our warriors and their guests to catch the latest film, we do it all in our day trips and nights out.

As soon as warriors in military care facilities are physically able to take trips away from the hospital, we get these heroes out to help them regain their sense of independence. Operation Second Chance has two ADA approved handicap vans to ensure that we are always able to give injured individuals with an approved pass a break from the hospital despite their injuries. These actions lift morale, improve mood, and facilitate mental and physical recovery following difficult events. This is where OSC’s founding principle to treat wounded warriors like family shines brightly.

Thanks to Comcast Sports Group and generous private donors we are able to routinely take warriors to sporting events with first class treatment. Our heroes often have the best seats in private suites at events in the Verizon Center and elsewhere. These venues allow a group of seriously injured veterans to ease back into public events while still maintaining enough privacy to not draw unwanted attention to their recently acquired injuries. This is one more tool OSC uses to help our seriously wounded rejoin society without thrusting them into the spotlight before they are ready. At all times we maintain the integrity and privacy of the individuals who have given so much for America, while also ensuring they have a first class experience. Ultimately, the objective is to improve the recovery for these fine Americans.

No matter what the reason—if you are a wounded warrior that needs to get away from the hospital campus, we can help. If you are a veteran or family member of a veteran recovering in the Washington, DC area that could benefit from our services please contact us.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Giving heroes a break is always fun for both OSC and the troops, and when the warriors are ready, we offer them the opportunity to go to special events with the public. Hosting these special events is one way we involve OSC supporters in our warrior care operations. These events give the public an opportunity to talk with and encourage these heroes so that they can enjoy the company of others who appreciate their sacrifice. Most importantly, the events also provide another venue for recovery, growth, and reintegration of these wounded warriors.

OSC hosts all sorts of special events, some are independently organized while others are organized by our partners. Special events are a great way to have fun in a family friendly environment while simultaneously spreading awareness of OSC’s missions and needs to maximally support wounded warriors. We participate in fishing outings, golf tournaments, car shows, BBQ’s and much more. If you or your company may be interested in hosting a special event to benefit the troops please contact Emily.

HOSPITAL VISITS

OSC’s work with recovering service members starts as the wounded, injured, or ill warriors transition out of intensive care units (ICUs). We make initial contact with families in the hospital and inform them of the assistance we provide. More importantly, at OSC we believe in building lifelong 1 on 1 relationships with each individual Solider, Sailor, Airman, and Marine receiving our support. Having a personal relationship is what makes every program OSC offers so successful.

As you can imagine, inpatient troops get bored in the evenings after most people have left for the day, and that is why OSC has spent so much time in military hospitals during the evening. We often bring recovering service members game systems like PSPs, DVD players, movies, games, and other special requests to help them pass the time. Likewise, hospital food often lacks variety when you are recovering for an extended duration and can occasionally leave a lot to be desired. OSC brings in favorite foods from local restaurants for the wounded warriors when the service member is unable to get out of the hospital—it is amazing how the little things seem to have the biggest impact.

OSC’s former Vice President, Adam, is a recovered wounded warrior himself. He visits with fellow warriors and shows them that despite his injuries he is still able to have a normal and productive life. As a wounded warrior from the current era, Adam connects readily with other wounded warriors and shares his story. He shows how he has been able to succeed physically, emotionally, and professionally thereby building faith and hope in both the warriors and their families going through a difficult recovery process. OSC has many warriors that constantly assist in accomplishing our mission and ensure that we leave no one behind.

For the OSC President, Cindy, and former Vice President, Adam, visiting with the troops and watching them progress through the recovery process is likely the greatest and most rewarding part of their job. However, in some ways, this is also bittersweet. Cindy often says that she builds awesome relationships with “her Soldiers and Marines” over the course of 1 to 2 years, and then upon completing their rehabilitation they go back to their hometowns or units. It’s tough to have such close relationships with these warriors and their families to then say goodbye. It’s bittersweet to see them complete their recovery to know that they are moving away from the area, but also so wonderful to see our heroes back on their feet. In the end, we will always be there for our heroes and their families regardless of where they live because ultimately they are the most important part of our OSC family.

OPERATION SECOND CHANCE – SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

2021 Application process is now closed.  Please look for us again in 2022.

The OSC Scholarship Program seeks to further the organization’s mission of support for wounded, ill, and injured service members/veterans and their families through need-based dependent financial assistance grants, to aid in the pursuit of higher education. During each academic period, OSC will award grants of up to $2,500 to a select number of dependent children (unmarried, 23 years and younger) and spouses of Qualifying Military Sponsors.

TIMELINE

• Jan 15th Application window opens
• Apr 15st Application window closes
• May 1st Award decisions emailed to applicants
• Aug 1st Payments sent to schools

ELIGIBILITY
Unmarried dependent children, 23 years and younger, as well as spouses of Qualifying Military Sponsors whom are seeking their 1st award of an undergraduate 4-year degree, associate’s degree, or a certification from a vocational or technical institution that is DOE accredited. Qualifying Military Sponsors are defined as meeting criteria from one selection in each of the following sections:

• Active Duty (having served greater than 12 months).
• Title 10 Reservists on extended active duty, Title 32 Guard performing full-time active duty.
• Sponsor “veterans” (classified as non-active duty, and/or not currently enrolled in the reserve or guard), are required to have a VA disability rating of 70% or higher.
• If in or pending Medical Board; with a statement from a command liaison verifying member will be DOD qualified as combat wounded with a 70% or higher rating.
• Deceased from injuries related to combat deployment.