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Well it was inevitable that cyber bullying would reach the ranks of military spouses and there is quite a variety of military spouse bullying out there mostly on Facebook. Most military spouses are tough and resilient and take an instance of cyber bullying and let it roll off our shoulders even though our feelings maybe hurt. For some these attacks can come at a moment of weakness when they are at a low point dealing with loneliness and depression. Sadly, we recently lost one of our military spouse sisters to suicide and it is thought that cyber bullying may have played a role.
In reading about this story, I read many articles and the comments as well. One really resonated with me as a young spouse described her experience with cyber bullying. Her husband was deployed, and other spouses had created a Facebook group and made up rumors about her and her husband. They also judged her on her appearance and weight. Unbeknownst to these cruel cyberbullies she was beginning to suffer from depression and almost took her life because of their comments. Luckily, she was able to seek treatment.
Types of Military Spouse Cyber bullying – Here are some of the common types of military spouse cyber bullying found on Facebook:
Making fun of Dependent Status – This type is usually single active duty service members or disgruntled ex-husbands who rant and rave about how military spouses are entitled, haven’t served and are freeloaders.
Rumors – This one is particularly heinous and can often affect the unit as well. People spread rumors that a spouse is having an affair, or a group of spouses are out partying all the time. This one is not new, my mother experienced this during the Vietnam time frame. The husbands were deployed, and a group of wives decided to go to dinner at the Officers’ Club for dinner. Next thing you know it made to the unit and everyone was up in arms not knowing what was going on as of course the rumor became this group was partying and hanging out with other men, not their husbands. Rumors like this can take the focus off the mission.
Just plain mean – This is the bullying where photos are taken and posted online to ridicule a spouse on her looks, how she is dressed or her weight. It also can be directed to someone who asks a question on Facebook and mocking their question or others responses.
What Can You Do to Prevent Military Spouse Cyber bullying or Other Forms of Bullying?
Call it Out. Bullies will often say things on Facebook they would never say in person. This can be an intimidating thing to do as it can often result in that bullying coming down on you. There are ways to be more subtle about this. Report online bullying to Facebook and enlist your friends to report as well. I rarely get told any rumors anymore because I have a reputation of not tolerating it. It is amazing how not saying anything and giving someone a look as they gleefully share a negative rumor can shut them down in their tracks. I also like to ask them who told you that and how do you know this is true? It forces someone to realizes they are spreading rumors and gossiping. Another response, a look of surprise and the comment. “Wow, that’s mean.” You can also make comments online but be careful you don’t get sucked into a bunch of negativity.
Be Positive. Make your comments on Facebook groups and pages encouraging and upbeat. It you can show military spouses in a positive light do so. You can write a blog post or make social media posts highlighting cool things military spouses are doing. This is an effective way to deal with trolls that make fun of military spouse dependent status.
Report to the Chain of Command – Really think this one through and only do it if the situation warrants it. Bringing bad behavior to light goes a long way towards stopping it.
Mental Health
Military Spouses who are suffering from mental health issues such as depression are extremely vulnerable to cyber bullying attacks. When visiting and participating on Facebook pages and groups pay attention to signs someone may feel left out or hurt by comments directed towards them. Reach out if you feel comfortable by private message and ask how they are doing. Maybe suggest a resource if you sense something is amiss.
Here are a few resources:
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
By Marguerite Cleveland
The USO Pathfinder Program is a great resource for military spouses who are trying to have a career while moving every few years across the country and around the world. The program is located at 20 different installations around the country including Alaska and Hawaii.
1. What is the first step a military spouse should take if she is interested in employment or learning new skills?
The first step is evaluating the “Why” and what is the overall “Vision”. Then I recommend getting connected with a USO to determine the “How” to get connected within our network that has been established for over 75 years. Spouses are eligible to connect with a USO Pathfinder Scout at any time no just when your spouse transitions service. Those who are interested in getting connected with a Scout should download the USO phone application to get connected with a scout or just connect with us at https://www.uso.org/campaign/signup-pathfinder.
The USO Pathfinder program is committed to ensuring military spouses are taken care of just as much as their service member counterparts, both in service and through transition back to civilian life. USO Pathfinder extends the USO experience to service members and military spouses transitioning from the military as they settle into their new communities, as well as for military spouses at any point in their military journey as they transition from one installation to the next. USO Pathfinder provides a supportive community to keep military spouses and military families strong and connected, while ensuring their voices are heard and their needs are met as they transition to life after military service. USO Pathfinder is a free service for military spouses and their service member counterparts to help transition from active-duty to civilian life.
2. Tell
me a little bit about the role a scout plays in the process?
Pathfinder Scouts, the heart of the USO
Pathfinder operation, provide direct connections to services and resources in
the following focus areas: employment, education, financial readiness, veteran’s
benefits, housing, legal, family strength and wellness, and volunteerism. Through
the creation of an individualized Action Plan, Scouts collaborate with individuals
to identify their personal and professional goals and build a roadmap to
achieving those goals. The individual’s Scout then populates their Action Plan
with the services and resources that are the best fit for their needs and
geographic location.
Pathfinder Scouts maintain communication with individuals throughout their transition to confirm the quality of service being provided by the resources they are connected to and collaborate with them to update their Action Plan if their goals or destination change. With Pathfinder Sites located across the country and Scouts mastering the landscape of resources available in those areas, the USO Pathfinder program connects people to resources and opportunities at their point of destination, and before they separate.
Individuals can access and update their Action Plan anywhere through the USO’s mobile app, where they can update their Action Plan tasks, add new tasks, and communicate directly with their Scout. The program’s Pathfinder Scouts are a trusted resource to develop a personalized Action Plan that best suits the needs of each individual spouse, whether moving to a new location or preparing for life after the military. Pathfinder Scouts can connect military spouses with services and resources that are the best fit for their individual needs. USO Pathfinder focus areas include: employment, financial readiness, education, VA benefits, volunteerism, housing, health and wellness, and legal assistance.
Military spouses play an important role in supporting military readiness and boosting morale among their service member spouses and their families. The USO has always placed an emphasis on not just the service member but the military family as a whole. Military spouses are just as strong as their service member partners, and backing military spouses strengthens our service members, their families, and communities, and is proven to have a positive impact on the communities in which they live. Although their fight is not on the front lines, military spouses work hard to support our nation’s service members and their families, often taking on burdens alone in tough times. However, through it all, they continue to push through and serve as the backbone of our military.
3. What about spouses who are going to PCS in less than six months?
The USO
stands ready to assist spouses at any time. Whether your family is preparing to
PCS, transition from the military, or simply looking for someone to assist you
in getting connected we are prepared to assist with supporting you to the
finish line of your goals.
4. What
are some of the pilot programs for spouses and do you anticipate them becoming
available?
Internally within the organization we are always looking at something new or improved ways to serve our spouses. I would always recommend stay tuned on one of our social media channels @theUSO.
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
By Marguerite Cleveland
The U.S. Department of Affairs and Apple recently announced that new capabilities will soon be available for Veterans to access their VA medical records using the Health Records on iPhone feature from Apple. This is for Veterans receiving their care directly through the VA.
“We have great admiration for Veterans, and we’re proud to bring a solution like Health Records on iPhone to the veteran community,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “It’s truly an honor to contribute to the improved healthcare of America’s heroes.”
The Health app on an iPhone will allow Veterans to view everything from health conditions to lab results as well as other medical information. In addition to the VA, Apple has partnered with other hospitals and medical facilities that have electronic records and this information is available as well on the Health Records app. Veterans will be able to view their medical data from multiple providers on their iPhone. Once a Veteran has completed an appointment within 24 hours of the visit their health record will be updated and available on the app. “When patients have better access to their health information, they have more productive conversations with their physicians,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “By bringing Health Records on iPhone to VA patients, we hope veterans will experience improved healthcare that will enhance their lives.”
All this is possible due to the VA’s new Veterans Health Application Programming Interface which allows Veterans to access their health records on mobile devices or in their web browser. “Our Health API represents the next stage in the evolution of VA’s patient data access capability,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “By building upon the Veterans Health API, we’re raising the bar in collaborating with private sector organizations to create and deploy innovative digital products for Veterans. Veterans should be able to access their health data at any time, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come to accomplishing this.”
According to Apple, Veterans medical records and health data on the app is encrypted and protected with a user’s iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID. “Our goal is to empower people to better understand and improve their health, enabling them to view their medical information from multiple providers in one place easily and securely,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology. “We’re excited to bring this feature to veterans across the US.”
The Apple iPhone app will be the first record sharing platform available to the VA which looks forward to partnering with other companies to bring similar technology to other mobile platforms. The Veterans Health API is another example of the VA’s commitment to IT modernization which began in March 2018 with the launch of Lighthouse, the department’s Application Programming Interface Management Platform.
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com
Photo credit:
© witthaya /Adobe Stock
By Marguerite Cleveland
In honor of Women’s History Month here are some Military Spouses worth remembering.
Martha Washington – We most often think of her as a First Lady but before that she was the quintessential Army Spouse holding down the fort while her husband was deployed. In addition to running Mount Vernon, the family estate she also visited George at Valley Forge and entertained the officers and their spouses.
Mary Ludwig Hays – You will know her as Molly Pitcher, the nickname given to her after her service at the Battle of Monmouth. Mary spent the day bringing water to the soldiers as well as providing water to cool the artillery pieces one of which her husband, William was manning. When he collapsed she assumed his position and continued firing the cannon at great danger to herself. At one point it is said a enemy cannon shot passed between her legs taking off a piece of her petticoat. After the war, the state of Pennsylvania awarded her with a pension for her service at Monmouth.
Julie Compton Moore – You may recognize her from the movie “We Were Soldiers” where she was played by Madeline Stowe. In one of the most poignant scenes in the movie, Moore intercepts the taxi driver who is delivering the notices of those who had died in a battle in Vietnam. There is more to her story though. She was so appalled by the heartless way that family members received notification of the death of their loved ones that she lobbied for change. As the results of her efforts, we now have a more compassionate system in place where a service member and a chaplain make the notification in person.
Tanya Biank – Tanya is the woman who put Army Wives on the map. Her book, “Under the Sabers”, became the inspiration for the television show, “Army Wives” on the Lifetime network and was one of their most popular shows. It aired from 2007 to 2013 and introduced America to the military spouse experience. Biank who is also an Army Spouse served as a consultant for the show.
Ruth Bader Ginsberg – According to the Blue Star Family website, before she was a Supreme Court Justice Ginsberg was an Army Spouse and followed her husband Martin to Fort Sill. The first time she argued a case before the Supreme Court in 1973 it was on behalf of a female service member to obtain spouse benefits for her husband. At that time, husbands of service members were not considered dependents and were not eligible for benefits.
A special shout out to Michelle Obama who deserves to be an honorary spouse do to her efforts for military families during her time as the First Lady.
Photo credit:
© patrimonio designs/Adobe Stock
By Marguerite Cleveland
Deployments can be so tough on kids and it is often difficult for them to stay connected to their deployed loved ones. Back in the day my father would send us cassette tapes and we could listen to him. Then we would tape one and send it back to him. Technology has changed so much since then and the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program helps military kids stay connected with their deployed love ones.
Valerie Ortiz’s three year old was struggling with Dad being away. “Last Christmas, my husband was deployed and he sent a video and a book of him reading to our kids. Our 3 year old was having particular trouble with Dad being away and that video and book was everything. He must’ve watched it 30 times that one night and then watched it every day for a month. We were extremely grateful,” she said.
Ortiz had discovered the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program. The Bob Hope Legacy partnered with the USO to provide is a virtual, on-demand story time that helps military kids connect with their deployed parent. The program has three parts: story time, military kid reading program and supporting local reading programs around the world. It has reached an estimated 23,000 military families throughout the world this past year.
The Story time program allows military service members to read to their children wherever they are in the world. It can help them provide a special gift to mark important occasions like a birthday or newborn birth. You just need to go to a participating USO locations to record yourselves reading to your child and that recording gets shipped home.
Another aspect of the program works in reverse with the military child recording themselves reading and the ability to share it with someone they love. The USO helps bring families together by sending the recording to a child’s loved one.
The USO and the Bob Hope Legacy supports local reading programs specifically designed to meet the needs of a local military community. These programs may be geared towards military spouses to help them meet others in their situation or kids craft activities designed to pair with a story.
Bob Hope was a famous movie star who loved the military. At his prime he headlined USO shows and usually spent every Christmas performing for the troops. The USO continues to honor his legacy and you can read more about him at Bob Hope – The USO’s One Man Morale Machine.
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
| Photo Credit: © WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock |
Military Spouse friendships are a very special kind of relationship. With only a couple of years between each move, we get to know each other very fast and often take on the responsibility of closest family member or official emergency contact for each other. A good friend can make or break the constant turning and changing nature of this life. It can make you feel totally at home or totally foreign and alone. But forming your community is not as simple as it sounds, especially if you are an introvert like me. Over the past 5 years, here are some things I have learned that might help.
I cannot stress this enough. You can only be a part of this community if you put yourself in it. We can be as warm and welcoming as hot chocolate to newcomers, but if they never leave the house they will feel isolated and alone. It can feel awkward and you might come across as sort of intrusive in a different context, but go ahead and invite people over for coffee from your neighborhood facebook page, or introduce yourself to other moms you see on the playground or at library story time. Make some cookies and share them with your neighbors. Invite a fellow pet mom to take the fur babies for a walk on a regular basis. Get out of your house and say hello to the people around you. I cannot tell you how many great friends I have made by my husband coming home and telling me about a new marine in his unit who has a wife, then I search for her on facebook and invite her out to my favorite coffee shop or over to my house. As a newcomer it is totally encouraging to make a friend your first week in a new place. It sort of feels like blind dating, and not everyone will be your best friend, but you have to be open to it. Which brings me to my next point.
Chances are, there will be at least somebody in each place you live that is compatible to you. But don’t feel depressed if you don’t always find your kindred spirit soul sister bestie who makes you laugh and cry and reach for the stars every time you see her. The truth is, that won’t always happen. And that is ok, it is just a different season of life. Sometimes you will have a few friends with kids who like your kids, or someone you can enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine with, someone who enjoys similar hobbies as you do, but doesn’t really knock your socks off. Keep that person close! Chances are, a friendly acquaintance will still bend over backward to help you out in an emergency, or bring you a meal after you have a baby. Be able to edit your cover letter for a job application, or tell you where to find the best tacos out in town. There is room for all levels of friendship in this life, and each one can teach us different things about ourselves.
If you aren’t already, it’s time to get on Facebook/Instagram. Social media gets a bad reputation for making communication less personal, but for the working mom whose husband is deployed, with friends spread out all over the world, social media becomes the most convenient way to stay up to date on everyone’s life events and drop a note or comment here and there to keep touch. Even if you were close friends, it becomes very difficult to maintain a relationship between Virginia Beach and Okinawa. But don’t write them off forever! The good news is that when your paths cross again, you will likely pick right back up where you left off. There have been several occasions where I see on Facebook that someone I know is traveling close to where I live and I reach out to plan a meet up! Another awesome thing about social media! We never would have realized we were so close in proximity otherwise.
Sometimes the compatibility is there, but the timing is just not right. Maybe her husband just got back from deployment and the only thing on her mind is family time. Or maybe you had an acquaintance at one duty station who becomes your best friend at the next. The person who used to be your favorite girl’s night out friend may not translate into your New-Mom best friend. Sometimes, I meet someone new to town just a few weeks before we pack up and move away. It can be so frustrating thinking what could have been. Circumstances often dictate how close we feel to people. So embrace the friendships you have now and let them evolve naturally.
Enjoy the freedom of befriending anyone and everyone without restriction. Your spouse may not be able to enjoy the same relationships, but these friends can offer you a many colored perspective on military life which is highly beneficial to a spouse. As long as you can keep your husband’s work stories out of it. Make it about you.
Being a military spouse requires hard work, dedication, as well as flexibility to change, and the spouse friendships are a big part of that. Let yourself feel sad when people move away, these emotions are a part of loving your friends. But at the same time let yourself be open to the new friendships and what they can offer your life.
by Catherine Hershey
Catherine Hershey is a military spouse, mom of three boys, musician, and runner. She loves the challenges of military life and the deep emotions experienced with each change. She loves to share her story and listen to the stories of those around her. Follow her on Instagram @the_wayfaring_homebodies or on her blog: https://thewayfaringhomebodies.wordpress.com
Hiring Our Heroes recently announced a collaboration with Starbucks to launch “Hiring 100,000 Military Spouses. The three year program is a campaign to encourage businesses and companies across the country to make a commitment to hire military spouses. Did you know that the military spouse unemployment rate is 16%, four times the rate of civilian counterparts?
Hiring Our Heroes is a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. In addition for programs to help those who served in the military find employment, the group also has extensive resources for military spouses. The group in partner ship with La Quinta Inn & Suites conducted a study on military spouses and employment and it had some interesting findings.
Did you know that according to the Hiring our Heroes study military spouses are more highly educated than most working Americans? Over 88% of military spouses have some post-high school education. So what can Hiring Our Heroes do for You? One of the most useful programs is the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network (MSPN). The group has more than 55 locations which have local events to help spouses connect with their peers and local networks to help them meet local leaders and mentors in their career field. In addition MSPN has an online network.
Hiring Our Heroes also offers employment events around the country with a networking event the night before and a job fair the next day. To get ready for the job hunt, attend a two day Amplify event which covers everything from personal branding to interview techniques. Amplify is usually 45 military spouses so you will have plenty of opportunities for one-on-one time with the cadre and you will be assigned a mentor in your career field.
There are many digital resources on the Hiring Our Heroes website that military spouses will find helpful like the Career Spark resume builder which is skills based and can help when volunteer work takes the place of employment. It was developed by military spouses for military spouses and is a super helpful tool. There is also an employment roadmap which can help you research companies and careers. Also take a look at which companies have signed a pledge under the Hiring 100K military spouses and reach out to them for job opportunities.
Hiring Our Heroes understand the unique challenges that face military spouses and they have developed a suite of tools and events which can help you when you are seeking employment. What challenges have you faced as a military spouse seeking employment?
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com
By Marguerite Cleveland
As of August 18, 2018, 100% Disabled Veterans are now authorized to Fly Space-A under H.R. 5515 – the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act. The Veteran must have a permanent service-connected disability and have a DD Form 2765, Department of Defense/Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card (TAN). Veterans are only authorized to fly within the continental United States (CONUS), Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Territories. This new benefit comes with a catch. It will be extremely difficult to use for a veteran with severe mobility issues.
Space-A travel is like a lottery ticket, you sign up and hope your number gets called. Veterans will be in the last Space Available Travel Priority of Category VI. Being in the last category means you are the last to be called for a flight. With the uncertainty of whether you will get a flight or not, many veterans may find this challenging.
For those Veterans requiring the assistance of another person to help them when traveling will find Space – A travel is not an option. Dependent family members of Veterans are not eligible to use Space-A travel. Crewman and staff at the passenger terminal can provide limited assistance but a veteran should plan to not have assistance. They can travel with those that have the status and documents to fly Space-A
The Air Mobility Command (AMC) published AMC Boarding Requirements – August 2018 which details the requirements to board and disembark AMC aircraft. There are many physical challenges to fly on a military plane. You must be able to climb ladders and move within the aircraft as well as be able to exit in the event of an emergency. If slides are used you must be able to physically stop yourself before reaching the ground without assistance. You must also be able to climb from 14 to 36 steps to board the aircraft.
So while 100% Disabled Veterans can now use Space-A travel it may be challenging for them to actually use this new “Benefit”. Do you think Veterans should be able to travel with a caregiver?
For more information contact your local Passenger Terminal for further details. Many now have Facebook pages. You can also review travel information found on the AMC Travel Website for specific details on the Space Available Travel at www.amc.af.mil/Home/AMC-Travel-Site/ .
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com
Photo Credit: © Natalie Schorr/Adobe Stock |
By Marguerite Cleveland
I love tax time. We always have enough withheld so I know we will get a refund. There is something so satisfying about answering the questions on my e-filing software and seeing my refund tick upwards. Filing your own taxes is surprisingly easy especially with software offered by H & R Block and Turbo Tax. Simply answer a series of questions based on your situation and the software fills out all the required tax forms and you submit everything online. Even having my own freelance business and rental property, the software can handle it.
This is the first year that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will affect your taxes. There are lots of changes but the most beneficial to military families is the increase to the Child Tax Credit from $1000 to $2000 for children younger than 17. With the married filing jointly modified adjusted gross income cap at $400,000 just about every military family will benefit. Even if you don’t owe any tax you will still receive up to $1400 for each qualifying child. Also new this year parents supporting children 17 and over will receive a $500 credit. For more information visit www.irs.gov and look for Publication 972 Child Tax Credit.
If you’re looking for the most affordable option for filing your taxes, most military installations offer a tax center which provides free tax services to service members, their families and retirees. Typically they are open from January through April. You can have someone help you with your taxes or use the kiosks with tax software provided by H & R Block if you prefer to do your own. Filing is free.
Another option is www.militaryonesource.com. Their website offers free tax preparation and e-filing software. In addition there are tax consultants that have knowledge of the unique tax circumstances military members face such as PCS moves and tax free income during deployments. There are plenty of helpful articles and other online resources.
If you really find taxes difficult and are not close to a military base, your most expensive option will be to visit the many commercial companies like Jackson Hewitt, H & R Block, and Liberty Tax Service. If you have a complex tax situation such as a divorce or inheritance or selling rental property you may wish to hire an accountant who will have more knowledge on complex tax situations.
The sooner you complete your tax return the sooner your refund will be on the way. To prepare your taxes get all your documents organized to make filing easier. Have all your W-2s, banking tax forms and any self-employment documentation such as 1099s available. Whichever method you choose, being organized will make everything run smoother.
How are you completing your taxes this year? Any helpful tips?
Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse. Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com
Photo Credit:
©devrim_pinar/Adobe Stock
