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6 Budget Friendly Items You Need for a Home Gym

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After the nation-wide shut down in March and onward, going to the gym hasn’t been as easy. With a lack of child care, no schools, and gym shutdowns to limitations, there has been a large movement to begin building a gym at home. Physical performance and fitness are operationally important (required!) for the military member and serves as a mental health exercise and a break as well. For those reasons and more, here are six recommendations to help you start your own home gym,

  1. Floor Mats – Can be utilized for comfort while doing stretches, yoga and body weight exercises. Don’t discount your kids old play mats – they can serve a second-life as your gym mats!
  2. Kettlebells – These small yet powerful items can be utilized for multiple exercises, stored in small places, and pack easily for exercise on the road.
  3. Jump Rope – Get cardio in no matter where you are, without moving far. Jump ropes can be shared among the adult members of family as part of a round robin exercise routine, and pack well.  Make sure you have a good clear space first.
  4. Resistance bands – These come in various thicknesses which provide light to heavy resistance which can challenge the muscles for building strength, but also for providing flexibility. These bands also travel well, and compact enough to fit in a suitcase or sea bag.
  5. Pull-Up Bar – With options of door frame mounted or wall-hung. Even if your service does not require Pull-Ups, they are a dynamic exercise that will serve to maintain your health, physique, and improve your push-ups.
  6. Dumbbells – For those wanting to invest a little more in their home gym, dumbbells are great. Like kettlebells, they can be utilized for various exercises. They come in weights as low as 1, 3, and 5 lbs. and up from there in 5 lbs. increments to develop strength and power.

The home gym is achievable with these affordable starters. With current restrictions, and the difficulty of lack of child care, home gyms are more popular now than ever before.  And in case you missed it – the beauty of most of these items is their transportability – perfect for the frequent moves of the military family with everchanging home sizes. Remember the Genie in Aladdin – “Phenomenal Cosmic Powers! Itty Bitty Living Space.”

The Exchange has been getting more of these items in stock recently, so check them out if you are looking to start or stock your home gym.

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

How Will You Celebrate Thanksgiving this Year?

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The CDC releases guidelines for fall celebrations

With pumpkin spice lattes back and a bit of chill in the air, thoughts turn to the largest family gathering of the year, Thanksgiving. Families travel from all over the country to gather for a large meal, football games and parades. For military families, the holidays often mean travel to your hometown or family coming to visit you. This year with the COVID-19 pandemic, is it safe to have a large group of 20-30 in a home with no hope of social distancing? Can you enforce mask wearing? So how do you celebrate safely? The CDC recently released a set of guidelines to help mitigate your risk.

Before you plan to host a holiday celebration or attend one, check local regulations at local and state levels. Assess the current COVID-19 levels of the community where the event will take place. This factor as well as the location and duration of the affair contribute to the risk of getting infected. The safest way to celebrate is virtually or with just members of your immediate household. Anybody sick with COVID-19, has symptoms of COVID-19, been exposed to a person who has COVID-19 or anybody at higher risk of the illness should not attend.

CDC Guidelines on how to mitigate risk:

  • Do not hold your event if there are higher levels of COVID-19 in your community or where you are traveling to. Do not allow people to attend who are coming from higher risk areas.
  • If possible hold your event outside. Many parks have large pavilions to rent which allow for distancing. If you hold indoors open windows to increase ventilation.
  • The longer the event the greater the risk. Plan a shorter one to be safer.
  • Check your local restrictions on the number of people who can attend the event. The more people the greater your risk. Evaluate the space to make sure everyone can social distance.
  • Enforce safe behavior by requiring masks, social distancing of at least six feet and frequent handwashing or the use of hand sanitizer. Plan to have extra masks, tissues, and hand sanitizer available.
  • Have all attendees avoid contact with people outside of their households for 14 days prior to the event. After the event if you have been exposed to a lot of people outside of your immediate household
  • Avoid close contact. No hugs, kisses, or handshakes. Waving is a good substitute.
  • Food Safety – For those in contact with the food wash hands often. Have one person serve the food so multiple people are not in contact with the serving utensils. Use single serving condiments. According to the CDC, currently there is no evidence that handling or eating food directly spreads COVID-19.
  • Throughout the event clean and sanitize high touch areas. After the event wash all linens such as tablecloths, napkins, and kitchen towels as well as hand towels.

Although travel poses its own risks it may be a good option for multi-family get togethers. Pick a central destination for extended family to meet. Ideally a place within driving distance for everyone so no one must fly. If you do fly look for airlines that don’t book all the seats on a flight. Check out a full-service resort or a rent a separate cabin for each family. A resort allows separate sanitized rooms and lots of space on the property to spread out. The event planner can help plan a meal served in an event room which will allow for social distancing while dining. Some cabin resorts have facilities for groups and if you keep your numbers down can be a safer option. Outdoor activities like hiking or walks on the beach are safer ways to spend time together than sitting door to dinner in a packed dining room.

Photo Credit: ©Svetlana /Shutterstock

What are your plans for Thanksgiving? How do you plan to keep your family safe? Share your tips in the comments.

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

8 Fall Pumpkin Recipes that Aren’t Your Basic Pumpkin Spice Latte

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It’s Fall Y’all. Which means it’s Pumpkin Time! If you are overseas, start hoarding those cans of pumpkin once they arrive at the commissary – you’ll want to try out all of these recipes! For those in the states- while canned pumpkin may be more readily available, you’ll still want to gather more than one can to enjoy these pumpkin recipes this fall!

BREAKFAST

  • Pumpkin Muffins: Who doesn’t love an easy grab and go breakfast or snack. These muffins are transportable, whole grain, low fat and full of flavor! Change up the cranberries for nuts, dark chocolate or other dried fruits and you could have a pumpkin muffin daily all season long. Make it a double batch and freeze some for later – that way you don’t eat them all in one week – they are that delicious.

LUNCH/DINNER

  • Pumpkin Soup: Cool fall days call for hearty warm soups and this creamy pumpkin soup delivers that with all the pumpkin-y goodness along with cream and spices. Top with roasted pepitas for a crunch.
  • Pumpkin Pasta Sauce: This one may surprise you, but pumpkin makes an amazing base for this delicious sauce for the heavenly bed of pasta.
  • Spicy Pumpkin Chili: Pumpkin and chili are two fall classics, so it makes sense that they are being combined for this robust chili. The addition of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the other spices are delicious and perfect for fall movie nights.

SNACKS

  • Pumpkin Bread: This bread is perfect for chill days at home, and this one has pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice in it! Where was this recipe when we were all on lock down this spring? Doesn’t matter, we will make this bread over and over again.

DESSERT

  • Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake: Cheesecake is a heavenly dessert, and when you add pumpkin to it, it just elevates it to fall-scented heaven. The gingersnap and pecan crust contrasts with the smooth pumpkin cheesecake filling. This recipe does take a bit more time as it needs to chill for at least 4 hours prior to serving so plan accordingly. This dessert may just lead to your eating a piece of it in a closet away from your spouse and/or children it’s so good.
  • Pumpkin Fluff Dip:  This is a personal favorite – it’s easy to make, only takes a few ingredients and is gosh darn delicious. It’s a fall dip that is sure to please! Dip graham crackers, animal crackers, apple slices or kohlrabi into the dip – there really isn’t a bad choice.
  • Pumpkin Twinkies: This classic favorite with a twist is perfect for fall indulgence. Who doesn’t love a Twinkie? Infuse it with pumpkin and it’s a win-win!

Orange you pumped for all these pumpkin recipes? (See what I did there?)

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

8 Ways to Celebrate Halloween During the Pandemic

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Halloween is eerie and amusing. In September and October, the weather cools, sweaters come out, crockpots are filled with chili and the weekends are filled with pumpkin picking and Halloween themed activities. Instead of visits to theme parks for their Halloween-themed parties or fall festivals with bobbing for apples, this year will be fueled by creative ways to celebrate the spirit of the holiday.  While the celebrations will be different this year, they are creative and safe ways to celebrate Halloween.

  1. Make costume making a contest at home. If everyone isn’t of an age to whip out the hot glue gun and sew sequins, make it a drawing contest! Make plans for fun costumes to make together by drawing ideas for family costumes. Challenge each other to be creative with what you have in the house. This will minimize going out for a shopping trip for costumes and utilize what you have on hand in a fun way. Get ideas for costumes using your solid color outfits on primary.com’s DIY costume section.
  2. Wear costumes once a week. Let’s be honest parents – we all love the costume activities throughout the month of October because we can get that unit cost down on that costume we bought. Keep that weekly spirit alive by designating a costume day a week. Maybe a Freaky Friday? Most of the country is virtual schooling anyway!
  3. Make fall treats at home. While large group gatherings aren’t recommended by the CDC currently, staying at home to make all the fall treats is still doable. Make popcorn balls, pumpkin cake, and apple cider at home. Check with local farms near you to see if they are offering curbside pickup of their treats to enjoy at home.
  4. Boo your neighbors and friends. Booing friends has become a tradition that we look forward to every year. So much so that we start prepping the next years basket in the current season! Booing can be done safely. Prepare baskets with store-bought items. If you want to provide extra precautions consider wrapping the basket in cellophane and “quarantine” it prior to delivery of said “Boo.” Given the different levels of comfort, text or call the person you are “boo”ing beforehand to make sure they are okay with it and let them know what precautions you took. If you are “Boo’d” and you don’t know who dropped it off, you can quarantine it for a few days before digging into it.
  5. Decorate your home outside. It is common for families to walk or drive around neighborhoods to take in holiday décor, why not decorate outside the home encouraging the neighborly spirit and take a walk enjoying the décor in your neighborhood?!
  6. Make it a Quarun-team Halloween. If you have a group of families or friends that have been socially distancing together, consider doing a round robin at just those homes or backyards for a Halloween themed activity or treat. It will keep up the Halloween holiday spirit without the large gathering.  
  7. Keep Trick or Treating Outside. While haunted houses (and garages) are awesome, closed spaces are not ideal this year. Don’t forget to wear cloth masks and avoid large crowds. Trick or treat with tongs to put candy into bags to minimize touching and once you are home from trick or treating, resist the urge to raid the bag for a few days allowing for your candy to “quarantine.” 
  8. Have one person hand out candy. To minimize multiple hands being in the bowl, have one person hand out the candy directly into the trick-or-treaters baskets. Other creative ways to trick or treat are to put candy on a laundry line for children or on straws in their yard to “pick” off the line or the ground.

If you or your child have been exposed to COVID-19 or may have COVID-19, it is recommended you do not participate in in-person Halloween activities like trick or treating or handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. Instead, stay home, rest, and cuddle up with The Great Pumpkin. Call your doctor or pediatrician as needed.

While this year has certainly required creativity for the everyday, it is in full effect for Halloween this year. Now as Shakespeare said in MacBeth, “double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.”

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

Army Moves to Change Shark Attack with First 100 Yards

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When you think of basic training in the military what do you think about? The typical movie scene of basic training showcases drill sergeants surrounding recruits in tipped hats, yelling and motivating the recruits. This movie scene is referred to as the “shark attack” within the Army.

The U.S. Army Infantry School has created a new program to use in lieu of the “shark attack.” Gone are the days when Drill Sergeants surround the new recruit and welcome them with in-your-face shouting. This generations old welcome to the Army is at its end and it’s a place a new program called “The First 100 Yards”.

The First 100 Yards was developed in early 2020 by the Infantry School and senior noncommissioned officers of the 198th Infantry Brigade, a unit that conducts Infantry One-Stations Unit Trainings. The First 100 Yards program uses training activities with the aim to instill the core warrior values, attitudes and pride of the Infantry community into the recruit. The ultimate goal with this exercise is to instill confidence in the recruits.

The reason for this change is a historical one. The “shark attack” was developed when the Army was a force made up of draftees. The “shark attack” exercise was used to determine who could stand up to the stresses the job as an infantryman would present. In response to training changes needed due to COVID-19, The First 100 Yards was developed for the all-volunteer military force.

The First 100 Yards program is a five-phase event that occurs the first day of the recruits’ 22-week infantry training. The phases include memorization of unit history and chains of command which will be used within the infantry training, conduction of a resupply mission, performing the new Army Combat Fitness Test and observing an infantry squad and weapons demonstration. The First 100 Yards ends when the drill sergeants march the new recruits to their platoon bays for two weeks of isolated training as part of the safety protocols that were developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Command Sgt. Major Robert Fortenberry, the Command Sergeant Major of the Infantry School at Fort Benning stated “this is not designed to be a hazing event but [to] promote attention to detail and urgency to execute a task in a timely manner.” Furthermore, he states that “this lays the foundation for the next 22 weeks of Infantry training.”

To learn more about The First 100 Yards, Fort Benning has released a video where Sgt. Maj. Robert Fortenberry presents the program in more detail.

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

Don’t Spend that Extra Money Yet

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Social Security Payroll Tax Deferral Begins

On August 8, 2020, a Presidential Memorandum was issued to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic by temporarily deferring the withholding of Social Security taxes from September 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. The Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax (Social Security taxes) rate is 6.2%. So, service members and Department of Defense (DoD) civilians will see a temporary increase in their paychecks of that amount. At this time, based on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance all deferrals will be repaid between January 1, 2021 through April 30, 2021 in addition to the amount normally withheld from their monthly pay.

As an example, if the monthly basic pay is $3,306.30 the service member would see an increase of $204.99 in their monthly net take home pay through December 31, 2020. In January, their monthly net take home pay would decrease $204.99, the deferred tax amount through April 2021 until the full amount is recouped.

A military service member or civilian employee should think about whether they should spend this money or put it aside in savings for when it will be recouped next year. Things you should consider is your household income down due to COVID-19? Will it increase in January due to a military pay raise and is that increase enough to offset the money that will be recouped? Each situation is different so you must decide what makes the most sense for your household.

Application of the tax deferral process will be different for Active Duty, National Guard and Reserves as well as DoD Civilians. Service members and families can contact Financial Readiness staff at their installation Military and Family Support Center, or Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647, if they need assistance in reviewing their Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) or have questions in planning for changes to their net take home pay.

Service members may view the Defense Finance and Accounting Service page for more information, Https://www.dfas.mil/taxes/Social-Security-Deferral/ and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, here. As more information is determined, updates will be posted on the site.

For more information, civilian employees may view the Defense Finance and Accounting Service page, https://www.dfas.mil/taxes/Social-Security-Deferral/ and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, here. As more information is determined, updates will be posted on the site.  For civilian employees with concerns regarding withholding of the deferred OASDI tax, please consult with an Employee Assistance Program financial counselor.

President Trump has stated that if he is reelected, he will forgive the amounts owed but he only has the authority to defer collection of the tax in a national emergency. Congress has the authority to forgive the deferred amounts. The president has directed the Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to work with Congress to pass legislation that would forgive the deferred amounts and pay back the Social Security Trust Fund.

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

Expired Uniformed Services ID Cards Now Good Until June 30, 2021

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By Marguerite Cleveland

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently extended the use of expired Uniformed Services ID Cards (USID) until June 30, 2021. USIDs are the identification cards used by family members and retirees. This extension only applies to USIDs and not expired Common Access Cards (CAC) used by active duty and civilians working on an installation or Volunteer Logical Access Credentials (VoLAC) which will now expire on September 30, 2020.

The original extension was issued in April 2020 and designed to help maintain operations at DoD ID card offices and to minimize the number of non-essential required visits to an office. The process was changed to temporarily extend the expiration dates on the cards during the COVID-19 pandemic so that less people were visiting ID card offices. Those with an expired USID can continue to use it to access their military benefits including health care, access to the installation, and Commissary privileges.

Those with expired CAC or VoLAC cards will need to visit an ID card office to replace their expired cards. Check your local installation for hours, COVID-19 requirements and whether you will need to make an appointment.

The DoD can remotely issue first time USIDs for family members and retirees. Lost or stolen cards can also be issued remotely. These ID cards are issued with an expiration date not to exceed one year from the date it is issued. The minimum age for initial USIDs for family members changed in April 2020 from age 10 to age 14.

Mobilized reservists and their eligible dependents will continue to use the reserve-component USIDs to obtain authorized active duty benefits.

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

Flu Season is Upon Us

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Should You or Should You Not Get the Vaccine?

It is no secret that this year is a banner year for medical learning. A new respiratory illness has swept the world leaving medical providers and clinical researchers searching for answers.  With COVID-19 cases and precautions increased, preventing the flu will prevent flu cases and COVID cases from co-mingling in the Emergency Room.

Won’t Social Distancing Be Enough?

The key for social distancing measures to lower the spread of respiratory illnesses like the seasonal influenza is how strict the restrictions are kept. If a family wears masks when outside the family home for every outing, even if 6 feet of distance can be maintained outside the family members, this will truly lower the spread of respiratory illness. The key being wearing a mask around anyone except an immediate family member. For most families, this isn’t possible. If there are caregivers in the home, that is an extra person and you have to include the people that they do not wear masks around, like their family, as possible sources. Short answer: no social distancing won’t be enough.

Benefits of the Flu Vaccine

Per the CDC, the flu vaccine prevents illness with the flu, can reduce the risk of flu-associated complications like hospitalization, and protects those with chronic health conditions. While it is well-known that the flu shot does not always prevent getting influenza, a 2017 and 2018 study demonstrated that of those hospitalized with the flu, those who have the flu vaccine had a reduced severity of illness. Similar to social distancing measures, getting the flu vaccine protects the vulnerable populations who may have severe illnesses like babies, young children, the elderly and those with chronic health conditions like cancer, heart disease or underlying respiratory conditions.

When Not To Get the Flu Shot

  • If you had a previous allergic reaction to the shot – talk to your provider about this if you have a concern
  • If your medical provider has advised against getting the flu vaccine due to personal medical concerns
  • Under 6 months old – The flu shot is not approved for babies under 6 months

There are egg-free flu vaccines available for those who cannot have the traditional flu vaccine. Call your clinic or pharmacy to find out if they carry the egg-free flu vaccine. Per the CDC, people with egg allergies can receive any age-appropriate flu vaccination and recommends that those with severe egg allergies be vaccinated in a supervised medical setting who can manage severe allergic reactions.

Where to Go for the Flu Shot

All Tricare beneficiaries are eligible for a free flu vaccination at their local Military Treatment Facility (MTF) where available. Historically, MTFs and military clinics get the seasonal flu vaccine later in the season, around October or November.  MTFs prioritize care to active duty service members and may not have enough flu vaccines to provide family members with the vaccine. Pharmacies typically offer the flu vaccination earlier, starting in August and September. Most pharmacies participate with Tricare insurance, except CVS currently, and participating pharmacies will provide the vaccine for free. The age of the dependent depends on the pharmacy so always call prior to going to see what age of children they will vaccinate. A Tricare-authorized provider can also provide the vaccine. Co-pays may be required, depending on your Tricare plan (Prime, Select, Remote, Retired, etc.).

Should I Give my Child acetaminophen or ibuprofen prior to Vaccination?

In an effort to alleviate pain from a vaccination, parents often provide the age-appropriate pain reliever of acetaminophen or ibuprofen prior to their vaccination. This has proven to decrease the vaccine reactogenicity, meaning that the vaccine doesn’t work as well if these medications are given prior to vaccination. Unless your child’s healthcare provider has advised to do so, it is not recommended to give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen prior to vaccination.  

Given the many unknowns about the current pandemic, any effort to limit respiratory illness will allow for the medical resources to treat the sickest. If you are physically able to get a flu shot, consider it.

*This article is intended for informational purposes only. Please consult your physician or child’s pediatrician for you and/or your child’s individual healthcare needs. This article is not intended as medical advice to treat yourself or others.

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

Know Your Military Voting Info

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“There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters.” – President Barack Obama

A gentle reminder: The general election is November 3rd.

Military families, within the 48 contiguous states, Alaska and Hawaii and Overseas locations are faced with voting challenges in elections – voting absentee. It is a myth that absentee ballots are not counted. In fact, all ballots are counted for the final totals – so both absentee and in-person votes count. Even if you are no longer residing where you are registered to vote, Service members and their eligible family members voting rights are protected by The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to vote absentee. The Federal Voting Assistance Program, FVAP, is a valuable resource for military families to enter their information to request absentee ballots, dates to postmark requests and absentee ballots by for counting, find your election office and check the status of your voted ballot.

According to vote.org, absentee voting is conducted by mail in ballot before the day of Election Day.

As a Service member, you can vote absentee while living away from your voting residence.

How to request an absentee ballot?

If you haven’t requested your absentee ballot, check your specific state to see if you have time to send in the Federal Post Card Application, or FPCA. The FPCA is the request card requesting an absentee ballot. This requires printing and mailing it in, which can add more time to the request. Some states have gone digital, so check your specific election office.

Each state has different rules and may have varying deadlines for requesting and submitting absentee ballots. Make sure to check what your state’s requirements and deadlines are for absentee ballot voting.

Can I check to see if I already requested an absentee ballot?

If you want to see if you have already requested your absentee ballot, check the election office  for where you are registered to vote. If you aren’t sure where you are registered to vote – check your Leave and Earning Statement – your voting residence is where you pay taxes. Military dependents voting residence typically coincides with where you claim residence. For dependents who turn 18 overseas, voting residence can be established by the last U.S. address held before moving overseas.  Once you know your voting residence, click your state on the guide map on FVAP to check on the status of your request for absentee.

The date to request an absentee ballot depends on the state and are typically in early October, so check now.

What to do after I request my absentee ballot?

Absentee Ballots should arrive by early October. If they do not arrive check the FVAP for what options you may have.  You can also check with your election office. Some states may have digital information available which can check the status of your request, and if your ballot has mailed.

Worst-case scenario, if you requested your absentee ballot but it will not arrive in time to send the ballot back by your state’s deadline, there is an emergency ballot called a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, or FWAB. FVAP has a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot that can be completed on a computer, printed, signed and mailed here. Remember to use this as a last resort.

As the Nov. 4 midterm election nears, the Defense Department is assisting service members, their families and overseas citizens via FVAP.gov.

While waiting for your absentee ballot to arrive, read and research the platforms of the candidates on the ballot. Learn and discern so you are prepared when you ballot arrives.

I received my ballot, now what?

Vote!

Follow the directions on the ballot in regards to how to fill-in the ballot, and where to sign as proof that it is you and completed by you.

Send it back in!

Each state has varying deadlines for sending an absentee ballot back, so make sure to know what your state’s deadlines are. These deadlines are to there to ensure your ballot makes it back in time to be counted for the election.

The general deadlines are:

October 5, 2020 if you are on a ship out at sea

October 13, 2020 if you are living OCONUS

October 27, 2020 if living within the U.S.

Have more questions?

A general guide for absentee ballot voting is available on the FVAP website. Each state varies on election board names

Heather Walsh is a mom, Marine wife, Navy child, blogger, and lover of all things crafty and Disney. Professionally, she is a Physician Assistant and writer and has a passion for helping others to stay positive and supported. She has been writing since KidPix was on a floppy disk! She is one of three women who founded MilMomAdventures, sharing travel and lifestyle tips for the military family at www.milmomadventures.com . When she isn’t crafting with her kiddos, going on the next adventure, or writing for MilMomAdventures, she has contributed to NextGen MilSpouse, Daily Mom Military and Military Disney Tips while reheating her first cup of coffee for the tenth time.

Shoppers Can Win $25,000 in Cash Prizes with MILITARY STAR Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes

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DALLAS – With the swipe of a card, military shoppers worldwide will get a chance to win their share of $25,000 in cash during the MILITARY STAR® card’s Home for the Holidays sweepstakes.

Through Oct. 15, all shoppers who use a MILITARY STAR card to make two purchases from any military exchange (including ShopMyExchange.com, myNavyExchange.com, ShopCGX.com and exchange concessionaires) or participating Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) facility plus two purchases at any commissary operated by the Defense Commissary Agency will be automatically entered into the sweepstakes.

Five lucky winners—one each from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard—will each be awarded $5,000.

“This has been a stressful, unprecedented year, and Warfighters and their families could use some holiday cheer,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Osby, Army & Air Force Exchange Service senior enlisted advisor. “This sweepstakes will make it easier for our lucky winners to spread some much-needed joy to their friends and family this holiday season.”

The MILITARY STAR card is administered by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service. Winners will be announced on or about Nov. 13. For official rules and alternate method of entry, visit https://MyECP.com/CustomerAds/Page/Exchange.

Facebook-friendly version: Through Oct. 15, military exchange and commissary shoppers will get a chance to win $25,000 in cash prizes in the MILITARY STAR® card’s Home for the Holidays sweepstakes—and entering is as simple as swiping a card. Read more: https://wp.me/p9Q7PG-1uw.

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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 61st-largest retailer in the United States. Its earnings provided $2.2 billion in dividends to support military morale, welfare and recreation programs over the last 10 years. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ExchangePAO.

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Media Notes:

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Conner Hammett, 214-312-2714 or hammettc@aafes.com.

Follow the Exchange:

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange

Instagram: @shopmyexchange