Veterans Advantage

(I HAVE THIS AND EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL IN ICELAND, THIS IS JUST ONE STEP CLOSER TO MOVING BACK TO BOSTON. HAVING THIS IN PLACE ALREADY WILL HELP TO FURNISH OUR HOME AND HELP SAVE ON SO MANY OTHER THINGS. IF YOUR A VETERAN OR YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS A VETERAN, SHOW THEM THIS BLOG!)

http://www.veteransadvantage.com/

Veterans Advantage is a national program that partners with corporations that want to do their part to honor and thank all who serve our country. Our partner companies show their appreciation and thanks by providing preferred pricing on their goods or services everyday.
Learn more about Veterans Advantage:

1. Mission: Respect, recognition and rewards for all who served, are still serving, and their families.

2. History: Founded by Vietnam Veteran Scott Higgins.

3. Board of Advisors: Highly decorated veterans, still serving in the military, corporations, charitable programs, sports, and the arts.

4. Membership Card Fees: Learn about what we put into your Veterans Advantage membership, including exclusive military discounts, and why your support allows us to serve you.

5. Testimonials: Satisfied members report and review our military and veterans benefits program every day.

Why the Veterans Advantage mission is important:

In 1789, General and President George Washington spoke these words,

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country."

It's hard to believe these words were written more than 200 years ago because they have such meaning today. We all know what Washington was saying. We must acknowledge and reward the service of our Veterans if we are to expect our young people to serve our country and to defend our freedoms.

The Government must do its part with public benefits. All of us as citizens must do our part in honoring Veterans on our national holidays. The great corporations of this country need to do their part, too. After all, corporations are the direct beneficiaries of Veteran's service because collectively, Veterans have preserved the free enterprise system under which corporations operate.

The Veterans Advantage Card Benefits Program has been created to provide greater recognition, respect, and rewards for all who have served in the U.S. Military, including Veterans, Active Duty Military, National Guard and Reserves, and their family members. You qualify from any branch of service and rank, period of service, or length of service.
As soon as you enroll, you will receive your Veterans Advantage Card, personalized with your name and branch of service, and be eligible for special offers from top corporations who wish to honor and thank you for your service. We make all efforts to let you know your benefits exist, too -- online, direct to your mailbox, and through our toll-free member support hotline.
At Veterans Advantage, we believe when one family member serves, the whole family serves. Family members who are "next of kin" may enroll as the spouse, mother, father, daughter or son of the Veteran or Serviceperson and are eligible for special benefits too.
Included with Your Veterans Advantage Membership:

• Immediate online and phone access: Everyday discounts nationwide, honoring you for your service 365 days a year.
• Your own personalized Veterans Advantage ID Card: Sent to members by First Class Mail, the Veterans Advantage "VetRewards" card is nationally recognized at thousands of locations -- including Verizon Wireless stores nationwide for 15% monthly discounts on eligible voice and data plans, and 25% off accessories.
• Your 60-page Benefits Book: Your complete benefits package - We also send this to you by First Class Mail, as part of your Veterans Advantage membership.
• Personal Attention to Your Needs: Special toll-free number for dedicated customer support, plus online help staff, for membership assistance whenever you need it.
• Special family discount: You can also enroll your family members for HALF PRICE, too!
• Insurance coverage: $55,000 in travel and accident insurance, included at no extra charge. Covers you for as long as you remain a Veterans Advantage member.
• Bonus included with your membership: You can choose a 30-day trial ($4.95 processing fee), or select from other special offers with your membership here.
• Flash and Save: The Veterans Advantage Card is accepted at thousands of participating locations, in addition to other benefits available online and by phone 365-days-a-year.

Every membership plan includes a group of member benefits worth hundreds of dollars if purchased independently, which more than covers the cost of your plan, before you make a single purchase:

• $55,000 of CHARTIS Travel & Accident Insurance Coverage plus toll free CHARTIS TRAVEL ASSIST providing you emergency travel coverage 365 days a year anytime you are more than 100 miles from home; includes $5,000 AD&D coverage.

• Veterans Advantage Prescription Drug Plan with drug discounts at over 55,000 pharmacy locations nationwide, from major pharmacy chains like CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walgreen's, Target, and Eckerd Drugs to local neighborhood pharmacies.

• Full Member Support Services including live person toll-free phone member support, and online benefit access & account service tools -- “Members Only” login on www.veteransadvantage.com for online benefit access and a personalized "Your Account" section for account access and information.

• Complimentary Financial Analysis Professional financial planning analysis, customized and personally delivered to Veterans Advantage members – fully complimentary!

                                    THOUSANDS IN SAAVINGS INCLUDE:

       

 

                                   AND MANY MORE

 

Thanks to our members' support since February 2001, Veterans Advantage extends nationwide benefits to all who serve and their families as a special "Thank You" from top U.S. corporations.

To become a member supporter of Veterans Advantage, you can be assured all personal and service information will be kept strictly confidential, and can choose from the following membership plans during your enrollment.

All plans are confirmed by e-mail, and your benefits begin immediately. For those choosing a 30-day trial, a $4.95 processing fee is payable upon enrollment. Plan options include:

• One-year membership: $59.95
  (A one-time charge -- an average of just $4.99 per month)
• Three-year membership: $149.95
• (That's a 20% savings compared to a one-year plan)
  An average of $49.98 per year.

• Five-year membership: $199.95
  (Our best value = a 37% discount compared to a one-year plan)
  An average of only $39.99 per year, or just 11 cents a day
• Family memberships: 50% Discounts
  You can choose to add family memberships at half the price
  you pay for your primary membership -- or $29.97, $74.97
  and $99.97, for each 1, 3, and 5-year family membership, respectively

Information on the 30-day trial:
We invite you to experience the Veterans Advantage Card program before purchasing your plan with a 30-day trial membership. If you opt for a 30-day trial, a non-refundable $4.95 processing fee is required to activate your trial.
You will be sent your membership materials electronically via e-mail for immediate access. You will also receive information on personal member support: Choose our dedicated e-mail member support, or toll-free phone member support, which is available Monday-Friday from 9 am - 9 pm ET, and Saturday 11 am - 4 pm Eastern Time at 1-866-VET-ASSIST (838-2774).
As a Veterans Advantage member, you receive physical membership materials including:

• Your Veterans Advantage "VetRewards" Card, proudly personalized with your name, branch of service, and a unique Member ID number. The card is recognized at thousands of locations nationwide -- including Verizon Wireless stores for 15% monthly discounts on voice and data plans, and 25% off accessories. 
• A 60-page Veterans Advantage Benefits Directory, with information on hundreds of important benefits provided to reward you for your service.

If you choose a 30-day trial, you can cancel at anytime during the trial with no questions asked, by toll-free phone. If you decide to continue with the program, at the end of your 30-day trial the plan price you selected will be charged to the credit card you provided upon enrollment.
Special Offers:
Veterans Advantage also has special offers rotating across the site, offering full membership benefit access as well. These include discounts on non-trial memberships, which are redeemable at their own dedicated links. You can find more information on Veterans Advantage Card special offers at this dedicated link.
Please note: Veterans Advantage was started by a group of Vets to provide greater recognition and rewards for our Active-duty Military, Veterans and their families. We receive no government support or other funding outside of your plan fees. We work very hard to keep the cost of membership as low as possible, so you can both provide support for this valuable program, and get the benefits you deserve, all for only pennies a day.

Brief bit about my Army time.

Video I made when I was in Iraq. (video)
Some may know, some may not but I served 8 years in the United States Army. Going into basic training during the summer of 1996 at Ft. Jackson, SC, and having my 29th birthday during basic training, I was the 4th oldest in my company. Two other trainees were older, but fell out of basic training. I was even older than some drill SGTS.  Being yelled at from drill Sgts was not  a big thing. I got yelled at growing up from pretty much everyone....hey what can I say, being a sarcastic, smart ass is a gift! (LOL) ANYWAY, I was in charge of my platoon for the full 8 weeks of basic training. First one up, last one out. Being in charge of 80 or so soldiers is not an easy task, especially when you end up with pneumonia and bronchitis. I was not about to give up, or go to a doctor. I was in such bad shape that I coughed so hard and pulled muscles on my left side. Everything I did hurt. From running two plus miles, situps, pushups. You name it.

After basic training it was onto AIT (Advanced Individual Training) at Ft. Rucker, AL for Aviation Operation Specialist. And then my final destination, Ft. Campbell, KY. HOOAH!!! I learned a lot during those 8 years. I did various jobs from Aviation Operations, to light wheel mechanic, to being a driver for key Officers. My goal in the Army was to be an Apache pilot and be assigned to 160th Special Operations (The Night Stalkers) The reason that did not happen will be spoken a bit more in private, and it wasn't from my doing. Someone I listened to, and I should not have. But the good thing is that if it did happen, I would not have the lovely kids I have, and the beautiful wife I married. So I am grateful things turned out the way they did despite not becoming a pilot. The military training, lasting friends, stationed in Europe, deployed to the Middle East for nearly two years to search for WMD (seriously??) Nothing was there. (Thanks Bush....NOT!)

I think that was the hardest thing I had to go through. Training was a breeze. Everything the drill sgts tell you is that if you have mental strength is the key to making it in the military. I have seen guys who come in, and boast about how physically strong they are, or they were the best player playing high school football. So? You want a cookie or something? Without mental strength, your physical strength is nothing. I saw these so-called "tough" guys wash out. Cry for mommy at night because they could not handle the pressure.

Now back to what I was saying, being deployed was the hardest thing I had to go through. My wife Adda, and our first child Anya, came back to her country of Iceland as I was shipped to the Middle East. Getting pictures of them, or getting to talk to Adda on the phone or the internet was the highlight of my day.  It's too bad that others who were out there did not care much for their spouses. Husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends found "ways" with others to cope during the deployment. Unbelieveable!  I saw relationships destroyed, and of course I was thinking, would my wife wait for me, and she was thinking the same thing. We held onto the feeling that we will get through this. We will not be destroyed by this.

A homecoming video my cousin made (video)
We were told that we would only be there for 6 months, and that turned into 3 more months, then 3 more months and so on. Then 3 months in Kuwait. It took having lunch with then Vice Presidential candidate Senator Leibewietz (spelling) Al Gore's running mate to get us back. He didn't want to hear from the officers, he wanted to hear from the enlisted soldiers and we told him the things that were going on. A month after that we were home. I could have gone on and on about a lot of things. I just wanted to do a brief (very brief) bit about my Army time. I can elaborate on so much more, but maybe I will save that for another time. So when Veterans Day rolls around, and Memorial Day, give thanks to those service members who leave everything behind, and give thanks to the wives, and FATHERS who are home taking care of the kids and household. Keeping things together. They deserve as much praise as the service members. So too my wife Adda (Arnbjörg) thank you for being there, thank you for sticking with me while I was deployed, and after coming home for the things we went through. I am truly grateful for marrying you, and calling you my wife! I love you!