AFAF campaign a way to give back

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Jason Schott
  • 445th Flight Test Squadron, Test Operations director
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  I just returned from the Air Force Assistance Fund Kickoff Event. It caused me to reflect on my own opportunity and responsibility to give back in ways that alleviate the real suffering going on in the world.

The event sponsors shared a statistic that every person goes through a life altering event at least every decade. I hope for you it is a marriage or other blessing, but unfortunately for many of us it will be a kidney transplant, divorce, or family death. Regardless, in most seasons of life we have excess. We can choose to spend it all, save for our future, and/or give some to those going through that other phase, running out of hope, happiness and/or funds.

America is the most generous nation in the world--we give more to help than any other people of the earth. I choose to be available to comfort through friendship and to give sacrificially during those seasons of life that I can. I drive that old white car in the CC slot not because I need to, nor because I like it, but because it allows me to give more away.

If you've never given before, you may wonder how much is enough. I start with a percentage of my income--"to whom much is given, much is required" and vice-versa. I have been developing the habit of giving for a couple decades now and I now operate from a belief that I should give away 10% of my income as a baseline. I strive to double that when I'm able. I don't tell you this to brag, because there are some of you much more generous than I am, but I tell you this to give you a gauge of what's possible. We don't benefit from giving materially, but I absolutely believe it makes us better human beings, and that is worth more than gold.

The AFAF is a worthy cause with low overhead and it directly helps Air Force families. A unit rep will be contacting you directly and you can choose to participate or not, it's completely voluntary; but I encourage you to assess what season you are in. If a season of need, then get help so that you move beyond it quickly--have a bad year, not a bad decade. If you are in a season of excess, I hope you choose to give to AFAF and other worthy causes.