August - About

how to operate the Humvees and seven ton trucks. After nearly a year ofintense training, it was time for his first deployment.“I was sent to the fleet in Okinawa, Japan where I got my license forthe Humvee, MCV, the seven ton, the MRAP, and the ITV. I can operateand perform first and second echelon maintenance on those vehicles,”LCpl Evans says.With our country involved in multiple conflicts around the globe, it’scertainly possible that LCpl Evans may be operating those weapons andvehicles in combat. “I am part of a QRF or Quick Reaction Force as amortar man,” LCpl Evans states. “There are two teams and I am a gunnerfor one of the mortar teams. When other units are out in the field takingcontact, we will be there for support. If a company goes out and they aretaking heavy fire and need back up, a helicopter will drop us off in thatzone and we will support them and help them out. We will see actionwhere we are going for sure.”LCpl Evans was preparing to leave for a seven month deployment toAfghanistan shortly after this interview.“It doesn’t scare me,” LCpl Evans calmly shares. “More than anythingit pumps me up and motivates me. It’s a weird feeling.”Part of that calmness comes from a sense of being well prepared since,as LCpl Evans explains it, the learning never stops. “Right now they’reteaching us how to deal with the culture - how to interact with the cultureand with the Afghani people - how to treat them with respect. Forexample, you go into a village and you find their senior man and youshow them respect and they will give it back to you. For the past twomonths we have been living in the Mojave Desert conducting trainingfor Afghanistan. It was hot all day and cold at night and then cold in themorning. At the end of the day you say: ‘Wow, that’s was some cool stuffwe did’.”It is clear that LCpl Evans’s experience in the Marine Corps haschanged him.“When I come home I feel like I’m taller. I have a little more pride,”he says. “It’s a good job. It’s helped me out, and it has already benefitedme, even though I have only been in for a year. It’s good to know theytake care of you. Even though I am 22 years old, it’s matured me. It’s puta good head on my shoulders and it is starting to make me realize who Iam. Because before I didn’t know. Nobody knew.” NDNPublisher’s Note: On the day this issue was scheduled to go to press,Next Door Neighbors learned that LCpl Daniel Evans had been injuredin Afghanistan when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded,impacting the vehicle he was in. Here are excerpts from his subsequentemail to his parents:The vehicle did well, it was the terrain that was very bad (a crater to theright and a huge slope to the left) and because we had on all our gear, plusseatbelts...because of all that we survived. I slammed my head on this metalplate that stands behind me and the other guy. We were in the backseat. Thedriver and I recieved concussions, and the guy to my right broke his hand,and the gunner broke his finger..once the vehicle rolled completley 180 degreesi slammed my head again, this time on the roof..our vehicle commanderpulled me out and then i turned around and pulled our gunner out. We thenscanned the area and set up security until the other marines came to us..theni got under the vehicle and pulled out the 50 cal. and lifted over the cans offuel that spilled everywhere...it was then that i realized that i didnt feel toowell...I went to medical and got treated... everythings fine now...Love •MoneyControlSuzanne ThomanAnswers from your Estate Planning Attorneysat Ferris & Associates, P.C.460 McLaws Circle, Suite 200 Williamsburg, VA 23185 (757) 220-8114An essential part of pre-deploymentpreparation is carefulestate planning. Estate planningmay consist of a will, trust, advancemedical directive, durablepower of attorney and life insurancebeneficiary designations.Careful attention should be paidto the individual’s goals, objectivesand family situation toassure there are no unintendedconsequences upon death. Sometimes,seemingly minor oversightscan have tremendous consequences.Take life insurance,for instance. Most of us tend toname our beneficiaries when webuy a policy and then never givethe matter another thought. Thatcould be a mistake.Here are two examples of abeneficiary nightmare:Example 1: Tom had a$500,000 insurance policy on hislife. He named his wife, Karen,and his minor daughter as equalbeneficiaries, to share and sharealike.When Tom died, his wifereceived $250,000, enough topay final expenses and retirethe mortgage on their home.The additional $250,000 wasset aside for their daughter. AlthoughKaren was named guardianof their daughter by theCourt, the Court restricted distributionsto a limited amount peryear. Karen struggled for yearsto make ends meet. When theirdaughter turned 18, she receivedher share - $250,000 plus earnings- without restrictions. Theresult was a nightmare of squanderingof assets.Example 2: If both spousesare active military personnel, ifstep-families are involved; orconcerned if a spouse would remarrydue to their young age, aparent may decide to name onlythe minor children as beneficiaries.What would happen to thesurviving spouse if the insureddied?In this scenario, with the childrennamed as beneficiaries andone spouse excluded, the survivingspouse’s financial needscould remain unmet, while alarge sum of money is set asidefor distribution at the children’s18th birthday. As a result, thesurviving spouse could be disinherited,while minor children areheirs to a fortune.In both instances, the finaloutcome would bear no resemblanceto what the insured mayhave thought were his or hersimple and clear intentions. Itcould also result in financialhardship for one or more people,often intended heirs, as well aslegal wrangling that can go onfor years.For their own sakes, minorscannot receive or control proceedsfrom life insurance. Statelaw determines when childrenare entitled to receive insuranceproceeds (usually 18), controlshow the surviving parent can usethose funds as the guardian, andrequires annual review of theparent’s actions.When minor children are involved,a trust can be set up toreceive the life insurance proceeds.The advantage is that theinsured establishes the trust, selectsthe trustee, and establishesthe terms under which assets canbe used and distributed from thetrust. In this way, the life insuranceproceeds will be used inthe manner specifically selectedby the insured. This works in thebest interests of both the minorchildren and other dependents,such as a surviving spouse.Think twice before namingminors as beneficiaries of yourlife insurance. Talk to an experiencedestate planning attorneyfor the best strategy in your ownsituation, especially pertainingto the use of trust agreements.For more information abouttrusts and the role they play inestate planning, please visit ourwebsite at www.ferrisandassociates.comfor our seminarschedule, or to schedule an in officeconference with one of ourfirm’s attorneys.NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORSAUGUST2011 17