Craig Michael Crawford Sr.'s 6 Month Plan

The purpose of my 6 month plan will be to prepare me, in all aspects of my life, to become the owner of a business and a property which I can properly develop for sustainable long term profit. The first step I must take is to analyze my current situation and identify the weaknesses I currently posses that would prevent me from being successful. After this is done I can then find the appropriate, logical, solutions for those weaknesses.

Unfortunately my weakness are quite all encompassing. First, for me personally there has been long term financial instability. Second, my health, particularly my mental health has been questionable for about 10 years. Third, I do not currently have the education and background knowledge to properly run the business I propose. Fourth, my current legal issues which prevent me from legally driving a car. And fifth, My considerable debt to the IRS from the last 9 years of un-filed taxes. If I can find solutions to these 5 major problems I feel I can and will be able to successfully become the first Veteran Property manager for Green Acres Sustainable Property Development.


Long Term Financial Instability

In the short term, long term financial instability seems like it cannot be rectified. While this is true, planning for long term financial stability in the short term is the only way to prevent long term financial instability in the future. This seems to be a lesson which many of us as Americans have forgotten. My plan will guarantee me a stable income for the next 35 years. To help ensure I properly manage my own finances in the future, as I have in the past, I am going to enroll in the Community Action Partnerships programs to assist low income families in planning for a future productive asset. There are a few different programs within but the ones I plan to utilize are the Individual Developments Account, and the Springboard program.

The Individual Development Accounts program is set up for low income families as a savings matching program where the partnership and the federal government each match your own deposits when you are ready to purchase a productive asset(home, business, education). This will be an important step because not only will I have to complete the 15 workshops to be eligible, but I will also have to find a way to put savings away for the next 6 months. Given my current monthly budget, which I'm sure is like many of yours, I have more going out than coming in. Since most of the goings out have been drastically reduced to bare essentials, I need to create more coming in. I need to find a job. I have been looking for some time now, and believe I will find something soon.

The Springboard program is a non-profit consumer credit management program. Their mission is: “Our people improve the lives and financial well being of individuals and families by providing quality financial education and counseling....we are here to help”. I could use some professional help in this area of my life without a doubt.

The best part about both of these services is that they are free. Here to provide individuals like me and many others out there with the resources to change their own current situations. I first learned about these program while at the Community Action Partnership getting assistance with my electric bill. Taking these handouts, as I have, has been extremely humbling. I think I needed these types of humbling experiences in order to think of things in a different way. The programs are out there for many people who really need them, but they need a way to utilize them effectively. That is what I will also do for the residents of my sustainable development. Show them the resources and show them how to use them effectively.


Health

My health is the most important aspect of my plan. Without it I cannot achieve any of the goals I set for myself in the long term. I have been diagnosed for 10 years now with bipolar disorder, and it has effected every aspect of my life severely. I need to regularly attend counseling and come up with a proper treatment plan with a doctor I am comfortable with. Currently I have Medi-cal, but the overworked Psychiatrist I have seen has been nothing short of a medicine dispenser. I have been in the process of attaining VA disability benefits for over 13 months now and am expecting the VA to come through with a decision any time. When this happens I will have access to the medical benefits I was promised so many years ago to deal with the problems which they diagnosed back in 2001. Until then I can rely on the support of my family to keep me in check. Coupled with family support, I have to take the steps in my life to eliminate the things which make me depressed or extremely emotional.

I have not spoken to my son in over 2 years. He just turned 13 and he really does not know his 2 half sisters and I don't really know anything about the young man he has become. This main aspect of my life is the most depressing. Failing as a father has caused me and him more pain than should be necessary. I can no longer continue to keep this depressing fact out of my life. I have tried to contact him through his mother, and rightfully she is apprehensive about me entering his life again. I have said similar words many times. The only thing I can do is speak through my actions and believe that I can make her believe if I continually work at it. So that is my plan continually work at being a better father for Craig Jr. and a better person for myself, and do it publicly so she hopefully sees.

Another major point of depression within my life is my current living situation with the mother of my 2 girls. I have never loved her, nor do I think I ever will. I have told her this many times, yet surprisingly she does not want to split up. We are 2 different people that are together only for our children, we barely like one another most of the time. Much of my stress is related to her and our relationship. I have to end this relationship so I can have the hope for a future meaningful one with someone I truly love and loves me back. I have not done so in the past because I have been the primary caregiver for my girls since they were born and do not feel she would raise them how I want them raised. To solve this problem I am going to sell her the first house within my development so she has a place to live her life, and I mine, and our children will always be close to both of us. Maybe she might even see what I had been talking about so many times when I was trying to get her to change the way she thinks. At least I will be ensuring her future success as a property owner, and a stable home for my children.

The last major issue affecting my mental health is the bad things I have done in the past to people who were very close to me. The list is long here, but my plan to rectify them is simple. Go directly to the persons I have wronged face to face, sincerely apologize, and ask for forgiveness. My only hope here is in the goodness of man as a whole. Luckily I do still believe there is goodness in man.

When I accomplish these tasks then the condition of my mental health will be dramatically improved. Many of the triggers which cause my emotions to fluctuate one way or the other will be eliminated and the support group I have will only grow and become stronger. I will be mentally prepared to take on large tasks again with confidence of long term success.


Background Knowledge/Education

My education and background is quite varied. I have been through training to become a nuclear machinist mate and have worked around mechanical systems most of my career. Submarine systems training is unique because much of the focus is on conservation and self sustainability. All water and power while aboard ship was made by us and everything 100+ guys could need was fit in 300ft can. You learn how to live life with less and realize the process it takes to convert water into electricity or oxygen or propulsion. I have also done sales for a few years and construction on and off for several years. I do not have the specific training necessary to develop sustainable properties.

I plan to go back to college and obtain dual bachelors degrees, one in business management and one in landscaping design. Before doing this I will take specific product specific courses in small wind power generation installation, photo voltaic installation, home energy retrofitting, and KISSS irrigation systems landscaping professional training.

Other than the KISSS training these courses are offered by many companies lately, but I think I will go to “Boots on the Roof”. It is geared towards veterans transitioning from the military into a new “green” economy. The cost of this can be fairly substantial($7,000), but it potentially can be covered under the GI bill or Sallie Mae student loans. What is not, I will utilize my fund raising skills, using donations from generous individuals, who would like to see the affects of widespread eductaion, to fund this valuable education. The actual course is only about 21 days and will give me at least the introductory background knowledge to be an assistant to a long term licensed professional who performs the installation of these systems on my project.

The KISSS training I will take is 5 days long, and only costs $1700(plus travel and lodging to Colorado Springs for 2 people) to be trained on the installation of a revolutionary irrigation product very new to the US. This training will be for residential specific applications. They also offer additional training specific to comercial applications which would be a natural stepping stone in furthering my education within the sustainable landscaping industry. KISSS technology utilizes up to 80% less water to irrigate many types of landscapes while improving the growth rate and health of the landscape. I plan to pay for this training by soliciting a major local landscaping company to sponsor myself and one of their employees to be trained and I will market, sell, and design these systems for their company. In return they will have a share in the success of all of my future projects.


Driving Privileges

In order to succesfully run my life and a business I must be able to transport myself and others legally. I obtained a DUI about 3 years ago and have yet to resolve it with the court system. In order for me to obtain my license again I have to pay fines totaling $2025 and attend 4 months of classes once a week. To complete this goal I must pay $337.50 per month to my fines, and I must start the classes within the month. Of course times are hard I don't have $337.50 extra per month. I need to get a job. Even a part time temp job will be enough to get the ball rolling on this issue.


IRS Debt

I have not filed taxes since 2001. I owe the IRS last time I checked around $18,000. My plan to rectify this is to meet with an attorney who specializes in these types of cases. They have the ability to file for the years you didn't file, negotiate down any amounts owed and set up a repayment plan with the IRS. I am not an expert here, where I definitely need expert advice. I will seek out and find the proper attorney to deal with my tax situation, the veterans service organizations have numerous resources for legal issues, and I will finally take advantage of these services to rectify my mistakes.

When I complete all of these short term goals I will be ready to manage the property which I propose to develop and implement my 5 year plan. In addition I will give other people just like me the ability to do the same and the resources for them to rectify their mistakes.