Ellie Kay: Celebrating Home Heroes

CBN.com HOME HEROES
Ellie's husband was a US Air Force Stealth fighter pilot for 25 years and is now a test pilot for a military contractor. They moved eleven times in thirteen years of that service with five children. Ellie says the average military person is 25 years old with a family. Some of the toughest challenges for military families are being separated from loved ones, dealing with controversy, and the practical aspects of having someone in the family physically absent. Separation is difficult for the person in the service just missing his or her family. Ellie says that people having contact with their families or knowing that their families are okay is very beneficial. She says families can do little things to help make the separation easier, like making voice recordings of letters to loved ones or absent parents can pre-record a reading of favorite bed time stories to their young ones.

Controversy surrounding political aspects of war can be harmful for military families because they feel judged in the midst of tremendous sacrifice for their family. Ellie says though people may not agree with the war, they need to be appreciative of the sacrifices the families make on behalf of the fight for freedom.

The practical aspects of having a father or mother gone because of the military can be very difficult. Ellie says it is really important for military families to find ways to plug into community when they're stationed somewhere new, but also keep in touch with the old friends made from previous assignments. Ellie has learned this from her own experience and it has helped sustain her and her family. This way there will be a support system to help with whatever is needed emotionally and even physically, like changing car oil. Ellie says financial problems can be big for military families, but there are financial counselors and other financial services available for the military. A few good websites that provide support and services for the military are: www.americasupportsyou.mil; www.treatthetroops.org; www.operationshoebox.com. It is also good not to forget what it may be like for military families overseas. They need to feel the support of people and a sense of community even more. It is good to stay in touch and encourage families overseas.

SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS
Support for the troops is vital and there are many ways that civilians can get involved. You can come up with your own ways to support troops. One lady, Jeanette, has baked cookies for soldiers on the front line since the Gulf War in 1990, which totals 143,487 cookies and counting. Ellie says when you support the troops; you support the family as well. It can even be as simple as saying thank you to those who are serving or have served. It is good to thank all veterans. Ellie says that Vietnam veterans still haven't been thanked for their service. Ellie challenges civilian families to find out who the military families are in their community and show them gratitude by saying thank you, offering to fix a car or giving a gift certificate. Schools could even get involved by writing letters in English class to soldiers. When people in the service know that their families are taken care of the military person will have peace of mind, therefore serve at his post better.

A HEROINE AT HOME
Ellie Kay has been seen on CNBC, CNN and Fox News as a woman who seeks to garner support for military families as they wait out the separation from their loved ones. Ellie is currently traveling the world with her "Heroes at Home" conferences, based on the Gold Medallion finalist book of the same name. She is speaking with humor and passion, directly to military members, their families and those who desire to serve them. She subbed for Laura Bush last year at the annual National Guard Bureau convention (all Army and Air Force guard units), subbed for Barbara Bush at the NCOA "Spouse of the Year" award ceremony and is partnering with a corporate sponsor at their summer convention (7,000 participants) in their "Red, White and Blue" day.

Ellie concludes each Heroes at Home conference with a reading of the closing section of her book, Heroes at Home which paints a "dream scene" in which President Bush and the nation salutes the hero at home.
Despite a demanding schedule, Ellie maintains her family as highest priority. She is married to Bob Kay, a former F-117 Stealth fighter pilot and current test pilot for a military contractor. Over the years of being a military wife, Ellie has learned some practical information about being a military family that she would like to pass on - Ellie endured eleven moves in thirteen years with five children. She says that people who have served in America's military past and present should be thanked and that their families that they leave behind are heroes. It is important for military families to be supported and embraced by the community.