How many applicants will be awarded gifts?
We have allocated up to $10,000 to be gifted to folks in need for this calendar year. The way that amount is split up is entirely dependent upon how many and what kind of requests come through. If there is one applicant that we can put through a year of college, that would be great. However, if there are a few smaller needs that could be met in this first year, than we would be excited to have a bit of diversity as well. The bottom line is that we will cover what we can with what we have, and hopefully what we are able to give will be multiplied back to us a hundred fold, allowing us to continue this program for a few subsequent years. If you are able to help us keep this dream alive for years to come, please visit our Donate Page and indicate you would like to contribute to our Gift Fund. All donations marked for Gift Fund will be held for next year’s gift period.
Can I apply for a friend or loved one?
Absolutely. In our application, keep in mind we need the person’s information who will hopefully be receiving the grant. In places that ask for “your,” please enter only the data for the potential recipient. It would also be good to indicate somewhere your own name and contact info so we can get some context for the request.
How will the money be sent or handled when someone is selected?
When possible, we will pay the debt directly to the creditor in the amount we have determined is necessary. This serves a dual purpose; it keeps a middleman out of the picture and avoids a lot of tension and awkwardness, but it also makes it clear to others that our recipient has a relational community in place to support them, hopefully multiplying our gift’s inspirational effect. When we are not able to meet the need directly, we will work with the recipient and other allies to determine the best course of action.
What’s up with the name “Centurion?”
To many of us, “Centurion” directly evokes images of the Gospel narratives, of faith and duty, and of trying to be both a Christian and a warrior. By utilizing this name, we affirm and support the many centurions who struggled with their allegiances to their empire and to Christ, both in the Gospels and throughout the Christian tradition: the man from Capernaum of Matthew 8, Cornelius of Acts 10, Saints Maximillian of Tebessa, Martin of Tours, George the Brave, Brother Francis of Assisi, and most recently, Franz of Austria. We recognize that Centurions necessarily must have “great faith,” courageously forging a tumultuous path between patriotism and piety.
So do I have to be religious to apply for or receive a gift?
No person seeking assistance from Centurion's Purse will be turned away or asked to adhere to a common doctrinal viewpoint in order to receive aid. Centurion's Purse is not, nor will it ever be, a tool for proselytizing or advancing a singularly religious message. Furthermore, religious background will in no way be a requirement for membership or assistance. All Centurions are expected to place the human needs of the least of us above the dogmatic presuppositions that so often turn our neighbors in need away.
Do I have to currently be serving or have prior service in order to apply or receive a gift?
While much of our language is geared toward veterans or current service members, we hope to reach potential recruits as well. In our mission statement, we make it clear that we hope to provide assistance to prospective as well as current or prior service members. In our day and age, recruiters rely heavily on financial incentives and promises of higher education to compel many in relative poverty to sign up for military service. If you or a loved one has been told you are not fit for college or cannot afford to pursue your dreams, Centurion's Purse would like to help.
It has also been our experience that recruiters rarely outright lie, but information and details not in their interest to share with possible recruits is too often withheld (for example, did you know that the military entrance contract is a legal rarity in that one of its signatories is essentially not at all obligated to the terms of the contract? We’ll let you guess which participant that is, the military or the recruit…). We are not here to convince people not to join or to help folks get out of their service obligation, but we have compassion for those who have not had a positive experience within the Armed Forces. We stand behind the troops still serving as well as those who have found it an enterprise in which they can no longer be participate.
Are you guys against the military?
Within Centurion's Purse, some of our members have sought discharge because of their beliefs, while others have felt no convictions that would exempt them from the Armed Forces. We are all very supportive of service members (in fact, many of us have walked more than a mile in their boots) and seek to provide as much legal, educational, financial, and spiritual support we can possibly offer. None of us are opposed to civil service and we will never advocate for service members in distress to violate their oath of enlistment (for example; going AWOL or UA). It is our belief that such actions severely limits one’s options in resolving their issue and can set in motion circumstances that may also limit our ability to provide support. However, no matter what one’s status is, we are committed to seeing that person though to financial and spiritual relief, including but not limited to finding supportive communities who may be able to provide practical solutions in such situations.
Why money? Aren’t there better ways to help service members?
Money is certainly not the only assistance we offer. In fact we will do everything we can to offer support in every alternative means we have access to; our financial gift will always be a last resort for applicants we cannot provide other means of support for. We believe that first and foremost, service members in distress (and people of every walk of life) need supportive personal relationships. To help realize that goal, Logan Laituri, a cofounder and our current organizer, has taken it upon himself to act as an informal GI Rights counselor. You may contact him via AIM chat at the hours specified on our Contact Us page. If you have comments or concerns regarding GI Rights or Centurion's Purse issues, please feel free to contact him.
Beyond our Purse initiative, we also are hoping to open a small coffee shop in Honolulu, Hawaii, the most militarized state in the US (Military population concentration is at 17%, compared to a 1% national average. The Aloha state also has the highest per capita defense spending in the US at $2,500+, higher than Virginia, which is home to Norfolk Naval Base, the Pentagon, the CIA, and other defense industry giants). There, we will be able to offer more direct counseling and support to the over 60,000 active duty and reserve military personnel, as well as educate their dependents and civilians at large about the difficulties and intricacies of armed service. We also have hopes of launching an online educational resource aimed at informing military and civilian personnel about the legal and spiritual demands of military service, accessible anywhere there is internet service (including, hopefully, Iraq and Afghanistan). All of these initiatives will be housed under an umbrella nonprofit entity we are calling Centurion’s Shield. To learn more about how you can help realize these projects, check out our Donate or About Us pages.