Ben Stein How Not to Ruin Your Life

Here, however, is some investment advice that truly can't lead you astray. This is a way for you to get a very good return on your money, guaranteed.

The Price of Our Freedom

I'll start with the obvious. Of course we all love the free society that is America. We love the freedom from fear, the abundance, and the chance to control our own personal, political, religious (or not religious), and financial destinies. We play in a magnificent garden called the United States of America, the greatest gift to mankind there has ever been.

But how much thought do we give to the men and women who keep us free? How much do we actually consider those who wear the uniforms, fight America's battles, and give their lives to keep us happy and safe in this magnificent garden?

And do we think about what happens to the widows, widowers, orphans, and parents left behind when a terrorist IED kills a group of Marines or a squad of soldiers? Do we think of the intense despair, pain, and loneliness that grip these fine people whose loved ones have given their all for America?

Most of us probably believe the Department of Defense takes care of them and nurtures their emotional wounds. In a way, they do (and, as taxpayers, so do we), but the "casualty officer" only visits the widow, widower, or orphan for 10 days, and then the family is on their own.

Or they would be if it weren't for a wonderful woman named Bonnie Carroll, who started an organization for military widows 14 years ago called the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS for short. Bonnie's motivation was the horrible, accidental death of her husband in a plane crash in Alaska. He was an Air Force general.

The Bereaved Helping the Bereaved

Today, most of the widows Bonnie and her staff care for are alone because of terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. As we all know, there are thousands of men, women, and children who have suffered a terrible loss -- usually a sudden one -- because of the wars in these countries.

Bonnie's group reaches out to every one of them, offering counseling, reading materials on how to cope with grief and loneliness, and, most of all, camaraderie with others in similar situations. One widow helping another, one orphan helping another, one parent helping another -- this is how TAPS works

They hold workshops, a summer camp for children, and a 24-hour help line. It's a network of men, women, and children offering their experience, strength, and hope to each other, and helping to keep each other going.

What kind of things do they do in particular? Recently, an Army sergeant killed in Iraq left behind several children, including a seven-year-old boy. His mom told the child and his siblings that their father was in heaven, and that they would see him when they went to heaven themselves.

A few days later, the boy told a friend that he had figured out a way to see his father right away: He would kill himself and go to his father in heaven. His mother got wind of it right away and asked TAPS for help. They sent the boy to talk to other kids whose fathers or mothers had been killed, and the boy put aside his suicidal thoughts and now helps other children who have lost parents in the wars.

I'm not saying he understands death; who does? But he won't be taking his own life and thus destroying his family anytime soon. That's thanks to TAPS.

Hope Amid Heartache

There are other such stories:

• A widow in rural New Mexico called TAPS saying she couldn't go on without her husband. She said she was going to kill herself. A TAPS network reached a police officer in her vicinity, and he stayed with her for three days until she calmed down and entered grief counseling at TAPS.
  
  
• The father of a slain Marine was trying to tough it out without help. He was furious and became suicidal. TAPS put him in touch with other grieving dads, and now he sees some small sliver of hope despite his terrible loss.
  
  
• Joanna Wroblewski, the widow of a young Marine killed in Iraq about two years ago, couldn't get out of bed for months. Now she's a major force in TAPS, and has formed networks of survivors and keeps them going through the example of her own strength and love.

I've seen these people in action at their Memorial Day "Good Grief" camp for orphans. I've seen them link hands with the men and women who are asked to endure the unendurable. They do work that reflects glory on the entire organization.

What You Can Do

I don't know what the DIA count will be at the end of this year, or of next year. I love the EEM and the IGE, but I can't forecast their short-term return, either.

I can say that whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, whether you support the war in Iraq or not, you can be sure your money will take care of some extremely deserving people if you give to TAPS. The return is tax free, and it will last forever.

Please join me in helping these men, women, and children who have sacrificed so much. You can reach TAPS at this address:

TAPS -- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
1621 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009

It's the best investment you'll ever make.