The Sanctuary for Veterans & Families is a non-profit initiative that provides advocacy, support, and Sanctuary Weekends for women veterans, wives of veterans, and their loved ones.
“A nation that does not take care of its veterans has got
no business whatsoever making new ones.”
— Stacy Bannerman,
After Half a Year on the Hill: What I Know For Sure, April, 2007
OREGON SENATE VETERANS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER MILITARY FAMILY ADVISORY COUNCIL
Blue Star wife introduces proposal to create landmark committee of military family members bearing the burdens of repeat deployments and caring for our veterans.
Medford, Oregon – On February 23rd, a proposal for what could be this nation’s first state Military Family Advisory Council (MFAC) will be delivered to the Oregon Senate Veterans Affairs Committee at a 3:30 pm hearing in the State Capitol. Presented by Stacy Bannerman, wife of a two-time Iraq War veteran, the Oregon Military Family Advisory Council is modeled after state veterans’ boards and commissions.
Ms. Bannerman successfully spearheaded the passage of Oregon H.B. 2744, providing two weeks of time off for employed military family members during the mobilization of a loved one, and the introduction of the federal Military Family Leave Act of 2009.
Bannerman’s proposal to establish a state Military Family Advisory Council is believed to be the first time a state legislative body has been petitioned to empanel military family members in an advisory capacity. According to Stacy Bannerman, “With the protracted wars and multiple deployments, military families are struggling with finding day care, health care, dealing with relationship issues, domestic violence, and deployment-related financial and mental health problems. Military family members are the primary unpaid caretakers of veterans, and when a veteran comes home with a physical or psychological injury, the whole family hurts, but help for the family member can be hard to find. The Military Family Advisory Council would provide a voice for our military families to assist the state, including the Oregon military and Department of Veterans Affairs, in better serving us and our loved ones. I salute the Oregon State Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for recognizing the sacrifices and service of Oregon’s military families.”
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Stacy Bannerman is the founder of The Sanctuary for Veterans & Families, which provides Sanctuary Weekends™ for Women Veterans, and advocates on behalf of the women who serve at home and in harm’s way, developing and promoting policies for military family support, and improved prevention, care, and treatment of the invisible wounds of war in our veterans and their families. To arrange an interview with Stacy Bannerman, please contact her at 253-217-2153 or stacy@stacybannerman.com.
Sanctuary WeekendsTM
The Sanctuary Weekend retreats are spearheaded by women veterans or wives of combat veterans, and co-facilitated by female counselors, advocates, and practitioners who are friends and family members of veterans, and have years of personal, professional, and practical experience supporting women with ties to the Armed Services. These gender-specific programs address the unique challenges and realities of women affected by war, who often struggle with a lack of peer and social support, secondary trauma or military sexual trauma, and the caregiver burden endured by wives of combat veterans.
We provide the women who serve at home and in harm’s way a refuge to rest, heal, and connect with other women who have walked in their shoes while learning self-care and stress-management skills, and gaining tools to help restore a sense of emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness.
If you would like to schedule a Sanctuary Weekend in your state, request a speaker, or have questions or comments, please contact our Project Director, Stacy Bannerman, at 253-217-2153 or info@sanctuaryvf.org.
Women veterans connect at Sanctuary Weekend.
Women who went to a Sanctuary Weekend said:
“This retreat would have given me a reason to live in my first year after the deployment.”
“My husband stated, ‘WOW, something happened over the weekend, you are relaxed and I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like you found yourself.’”
“I feel connected in a way I have not experienced prior to the military.”
Legislative Issues & Agenda
• Military Family Leave: We successfully spearheaded state and national legislative campaigns for military family leave, resulting in passage of Oregon H.B. 2744, and introduction of the federal Military Family Leave Act of 2009 by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), a House Armed Services Subcommittee chairman, in July of 2009.
The Military Family Leave Act of 2009 allows those whose family members have received notification of impending active military duty to spend time with and support their family members by giving them two weeks un-paid leave prior to and after deployment. Under provisions added to Family and Medical Leave Act by the FY08 National Defense Authorization Act, parents, children, and spouses of military personnel are allowed 12 weeks of leave if a family member is notified of impending active duty. However, as is the case with all FMLA scenarios, it excludes many people such as those who work part time or are employed by a company with fewer than 50 employees. This bill would create two workweeks of unpaid military family leave for employees of all stripes. (From the office of Senator Ron Wyden, D-OR).
• Women Veterans: We support the Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act of 2009, introduced by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), and are advocating for an expansion of programs and services for women veterans, including gender-specific reintegration retreats and help for victims of Military Sexual Trauma.
• Health Effects of Burn Pits: According to a leaked military document, the Pentagon knowingly exposed US troops at Balad Airbase to cancer-causing toxic chemicals, while publicly downplaying the risks of exposure. The report details the health hazards posed to US troops in Iraq, and identifies various carcinogens released by burning waste in open-air pits. A military document revealed that chemicals routinely exceeded safe levels by two to six times. We are seeking a Congressional investigation into this issue, and demand that appropriate screening, care, benefits, and services be provided to our soldiers who were stationed at LSA Anaconda.
Thank you for helping us keep America’s promise to care for this nation’s veterans and military families by making a tax-deductible contribution today.
FFI: Contact Stacy Bannerman, Founder/Director, at info@sanctuaryvf.org
