Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act

Open Letter to Armed Services Committee Members on Memorial Day

Mrs. Sergeant Major — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:05:50 +0000

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Armed Services Committee Offices.

My name is Rachel Kenyon. I am a proud and battle-tested Army wife and mom of two beautiful babes, one with autism.

Currently, TRICARE military healthcare provides less than half the recommended treatments for autism, and only to children of active duty service members.

Service members who retire after more than twenty years and Wounded Warriors forced to medically retire are stripped of what little treatment TRICARE allows via the Extended Care Health Option (ECHO).

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, Congressman John Larson took to the House floor armed with embarrassingly large photos of our little family and made the case for Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act to be included as an amendment to the FY2013 NDAA. It worked, because for Mr. Larson, this had become personal. It worked because Rep. Tom Rooney had the courage to walk up to Chairman Buck McKeon and tell him it was personal. Mr. Rooney has two nephews with autism. Mr. McKeon did the right thing, because now he understood, it was personal. The amendment passed as part of the NDAA in the House.

Senator Gillibrand attempted this past week to do the same in the Senate Armed Services Committee markup session. The amendment was rejected.

I contact you today because this fight is so very personal for so many of us serving our country each day. Not only do I want my husband to feel that his more than 25 years of service warrant the medical care our daughter with autism needs, but I want my daughter to have the security of being able to access the tools that can give her a richer, more meaningful life.

It’s personal because I now hold 23,000 other children in my heart, and more than that many parents who serve our country. I love them as I love my own. I want them to feel proud of their country’s service to them in return. I want them to sleep at night, knowing that though autism may have knocked on their door, they can live their lives to the fullest with the care they need and deserve. It’s personal.

I know once you read the petition comments from your constituents, both military and civilian, you all will choose to do the right thing. To take this fight personally. To share with your fellow staffers and your Senators and Representatives that our families are proud. That our children are worthy. That if just one military child was denied the cancer treatments he or she needed, we would not be wasting time with emails and petitions. A true American who hears that 23,000 military children are being denied the medical standard of care for autism takes that personally. Well, for real American patriots, it is so very personal.

I appreciate your time and I wish you all a fun, relaxing Memorial Weekend in remembrance of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Our little family will be spending another weekend living with autism in our house and struggling to understand why we have to fight this battle, too.

Best,

Mrs. Rachel E. Kenyon

Wife to Command Sergeant Major William W. Kenyon

Mother of two beautiful babes – one with autism.

http://www.change.org/petitions/congress-make-recommended-autism-treatment-available-to-all-military-children

Senate Armed Services Committee Members

Mrs. Sergeant Major — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:08:57 +0000

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Here are all the email addresses for SASC staffers,

plus HASC Chairman Buck McKeon.

There are a handful of public servants standing in positions to help us.

They need to know you to want to help you. If they do not know you, if they do not know what you need, they simply cannot help you.

So tell them.

Reach out to them so that they know you.

Move them with your story so that they want to help you.

We need the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Members to know all of our stories. We need them to be thinking about our families when their heads hit the pillows at night, and when they wake each morning. They need to be consumed with the injustice of our children not getting the medical treatments they need for autism.

Beth_Jafari@cornyn.senate.gov

Bob.Cochran@mail.house.gov

Bob_Foster@wicker.senate.gov

Brian_Rogers@mccain.senate.gov

Brooke_Jamison@gillibrand.senate.gov

Charlie_Harman@chambliss.senate.gov

christopher_griffin@lieberman.senate.gov

David_Bonine@webb.senate.gov

David_lyles@levin.senate.gov

David_Ramseur@begich.senate.gov

Elyse_Wasch@reed.senate.gov

Jack_Danielson@levin.senate.gov

Joan_Ohashi@akaka.senate.gov

Joe_Donoghue@mccain.senate.gov

John_Bonsell@inhofe.senate.gov

John_Easton@ayotte.senate.gov

Julie_Dwyer@mccaskill.senate.gov

Kyle_Ruckert@vitter.senate.gov

Laurie_Rubiner@blumenthal.senate.gov

Mara_Boggs@manchin.senate.gov

Marshall_Wittmann@lieberman.senate.gov

Mary_Dietrich@collins.senate.gov

Maura_Keefe@shaheen.senate.gov

Michael_Sozan@udall.senate.gov

Mike_Harney@hagan.senate.gov

Neil_Campbell@reed.senate.gov

Nu_Wexler@blumenthal.senate.gov

Paul_Reagan@webb.senate.gov

Rebecca_Tallent@mccain.senate.gov

Richard_Perry@lgraham.senate.gov

Rick_Dearborn@sessions.senate.gov

Rob_Lehman@portman.senate.gov

Ryan_Jackson@inhofe.senate.gov

Stephen_Miller@sessions.senate.gov

Tim_Becker@nelson.senate.gov

Vanessa_Sinders@scottbrown.senate.gov

Remember, be respectful, be positive, and share your story!

Tell The House Armed Services Committee Members to Bring CMKAA to VOTE

Mrs. Sergeant Major — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:42:01 +0000

Tell The House Armed Services Committee Members to Bring CMKAA to VOTE in favor of the 23,000 military children with autism.

There are several ways to get the attention of the Members of the House Armed Services Committee. We NEED them to act and bring CMKAA to a vote in favor of our military families. Otherwise, the bill will die sitting in Committee.

Facebook, phone and Twitter are the best ways, because you can contact Members beyond your own district. YOU can help us get ALL legislators to take action!

Facebook:

Most members have facebook pages that you can use to send a direct message to the Representative. Click on the “Message” icon in the lower right-hand corner just below their cover photo.

Some will even let you post open comments on their facebook wall.

Both are effective tools to spread our message about CMKAA.

Keep in mind that posts and messages must be respectful, stick to factual points and should be positive and hopeful.

Rude comments, slurs and slander will do nothing but alienate out efforts.

Here is a sample message or post you can send:

” HR2288 is currently sitting in HASC. Our military families cannot keep waiting for Congress to take action. Please. Bring HR2288 to a vote in favor of our 23,000 military children with autism. Thank you. http://youtu.be/AhSEYoMOIOg ”

Twitter:

Twitter can be confusing, but it doesn’t have to be. Getting a message out in 140 characters or less is actually an advantage when getting people’s attention about an important issue.

Here is a sample Tweet you can use:

@BuckMcKeon HR2288 – Caring for Military Kids w/Autism Act MUST be brought to vote in favor of 23,000 military kids waiting for care. #CMKAA

The following is a listing of most HASC Members’ phones, facebook pages and Twitter accounts. It is being updated frequently.