My name is Rachel.  I am a stay at home Mom with 2 children.  My husband is in the United States Navy going on 7 1/2 years.  We do plan to retire from the military, but our plans change all the time.  My husband, Billy, has deployed overseas 3 times, not including the month in month out deployments he did on the USS Abraham Lincoln.  In 2001, he was sent overseas to Iraq on the USS Lincoln.  He was gone 11 months straight.  My only child, at the time, went the longest time away from his Daddy, a total of 1 year.  1 year total w/ the short cruises to test the ship and to pick up some airplanes.  

I know this may sound confusing, but if any one wants me to clear anything up I would be happy to.  My life story above is the reason why my family needs financial help on our bills.  My husband makes, believe it or not, a total of $24,000 a year.  We not only have about $10,000 in credit card debt, we also have a automobile loan with a total of about $21,000.  We also have regular bills for our house we are renting. Our children want things, but cannot have them.  My son's birthday is coming in November.  We need to get gifts for that.  Plus Christmas, then my daughter's birthday in January. 

I am pleading for some help with our bills.  I know you are probably thinking we should of not have put ourselves in this situation.  I agree, if we were spending the credit cards on crude.  They all are for gettting truck fixed, birthday from last year, christmas last year, and for other important stuff that we had to get.  We are not charging just to get stuff we do not absolutaly need.  We do not gamble our money away.  We are just a lower income family with a family member serving our country.  My husband always wanted to do this military career every since he was little.  No one is forcing him to stay or even made him sign up.  He is just doing his duty that he swore he would do.  In the meanwhile, while my children, husband and I are sacrificing our time together, our family is struggling to pay any of our bills.  I sometimes say this is not fair.  Military, firemen, policemen are not being provided enough to support their family.  They sacrifice their lives because they love and respect what they do.  Why is it we have to struggle on $24,000 a year.  Doctors and lawyers and many more get paid a lot to keep us safe, healthy, and alive.  Is that not what military, police, and firefighters do?  Why is there no charity set up for the military and their families?  I can name tons for police and firemen.  Heck they call my number all the time asking for a donation, or a "pledge". 

Please help my family.  We need as much of help we can get.  Less stress for our family so we can focus on each other while we have it.  My husband will of course deploy again for the 4th time.  Thank you for taking your time to read.