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Military Food Insecurity Worsens with Inflation

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Inflation is hitting military families in many ways – and the kitchen is one. In 2022, Blue Star Families released a statistic from their research that 14% of enlisted families in the military go hungry.  In 2023, the Rand Corp released research that more than 25% of active-duty service members lacked access to enough food.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines food insecurity as the “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” Low food security is defined as households with reduced quality, variety, and desirability of their diets and the quantity of food intake and normal eating patterns without substantial disruption. Very low food insecurity is defined as when one or more household members disrupts eating patterns or food intake due to a lack of money or other resources for food.

Food insecurity is not an unknown stressor to military families. In 2020, Rand Corp’s study showed that 15.4% of active-duty service members were classified as having low security per the USDA’s definition in 2018, with 10.4% being identified as having very low food security. At that study’s time, those living on a military installation were more likely to have food insecurity, with 32% of those with food insecurity living on installation and 23% living off installation. Thirty-two percent of service members living on base and receiving a basic allowance for housing (BAH) were more likely to be food insecure, while those living on base without BAH (25%).

What is most shocking about this is that those affected weren’t junior enlisted families with large families. Instead, the study listed that 67% of those affected were those ranked E4-E6, with more marking themselves as single with children versus married without children. This may be in part due to the effort of on-base food pantries and local organizations offering food assistance to only junior enlisted.  In fact, the study demonstrated that only 14% of those classified as food insecure had used assistance programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), food banks, SNAP, or Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA).  

The barriers to accessing food assistance programs may be a combination of many factors. It may be purely due to a lack of knowledge or eligibility. Although anecdotal reports of mid-ranking families stated, they were told they made $100- $200 more than allowed to qualify, and that couple hundred dollars didn’t go far in the grocery store. Another possible barrier to food assistance is the lack of asking – that there may be a social and career stigma to being an E5, or E6, and asking for assistance.

In years passed, the answer to the food insecurity issue included opening the free or reduced lunch program to military families. It was found that this worked better when schools were on a military base versus off. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year 2020 added a Basic Needs Allowance, which has been expanded in the following years to address the needs. This is obviously not enough as inflation increases and the number of military families reporting food insecurity increases.

The question of food insecurity among the military will need to be addressed continually. The civilian population with similar characteristics to their military counterparts reported food insecurity at a rate of 9% compared to 25% for military active-duty service members. Is it due to a pay gap for those positions? Is it due to a lack of resources for those ranking families? Is it due to any other myriad of factors? This needs to be answered. If it is due to a civilian pay gap, will the promise of potentially getting retirement for those enlisted be enough to continue in service as retirement pay and options continue to be chipped away? Will this lead to a recruitment concern? Inflation is not helping anyone shopping in the grocery store right now, and it certainly is not helping those already with concerns about food insecurity.

Justice Department Speaks Out on Licenses for Military Families

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One of the barriers to military spousal employment is the transferability of professional licensure. Teachers have to apply for a new license in a new state with different requirements – some requiring more education while they have been teaching in another state for 5+ years. Medical professionals applying for a license in a new state may also have new requirements of different continuing education classes or specific classes even after practicing for a period of time. Anyone with commercial certificates or licenses- HVAC, plumber, etc, would not have to prove anything other than their previous state license.

In 2018 and 2019, individual states began discussing and passing legislation allowing for the compatibility of military spouse professional licenses. Arizona passed HB 2569 in 2019, specifically naming license reciprocity for military spouses. This meant any person who established residence in the states or was married to an active duty member in the military who PCS’d to the state, currently licensed in another state for at least a year without revocation or suspension or other forms of discipline meant the person could apply for the license in Arizona, pay the fees, pass a criminal history and be given a license without having to meet Arizona specific state requirements due to already being a license holder in another state.

In 2023, a change in legislature allows out-of-state professional licenses and certificates to be recognized by the new state the military family moved to. The Justice Department has released a letter specifically addressing state licensing authorities about the federal protections extended to military families. The SCRA, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, was amended in 2023, adding verbiage specifically stating that military spouses and service members can have their out-of-state licenses recognized as valid in the new state while stationed there as long as they meet certain requirements. This federal law supersedes state laws.

The Justice Department released this letter in response to a lawsuit by a military spouse in Texas. Per the lawsuit, the military spouse held counseling licenses in Ohio and Missouri and moved to Texas with her spouse’s military orders, and Texas denied her request to have her out-of-state license recognized, stating that the SCRA law “would not apply to Texas.”

Per the SCRA provision, the license would be considered valid in the new location if the servicemember and spouse must have moved to a location outside the jurisdiction of the licensing authority that issued the covered license or certificate due to military orders, provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction, have actively used the license or certificate during the two years immediately preceding the move, remain in good standing with the licensing authority(ies) of the out-of-state licenses and submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.

This saves military families time and money and removes the application period and fees as the out-of-state license is accepted. If legal assistance is needed, office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil

Have you utilized the new license reciprocity? How was the process?

Military Lawsuit Over IVF Discrimination

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In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of treatments to assist in pregnancy. The treatments, medications, and procedures are not cheap. Some healthcare insurance policies do not cover these treatments, stating they are elective. Care through the Veterans Affairs (VA) department makes receiving care for IVF treatment difficult to impossible, per lawsuits filed in early August in New York and Boston.

Per the lawsuits, it is reported that IVF coverage was not allowed for those who did not meet the VA’s definition of infertility. Per the Women Veteran’s Health Care website, infertility is when a couple does not become pregnant after 12 months of trying to conceive, while other couples should seek care earlier than 12 months. The VA site further noted that IVF may be covered if the couple is legally married, male spouses can produce sperm (or have cryopreserved sperm), and female spouses have an intact uterus and can produce eggs.

Per the lawsuits, the rejections for IVF coverage are only for those with a service-connected condition that causes infertility, and further criteria are met: being single, an unmarried couple, in a same-sex relationship, or a couple with the same reproductive organs or if they lack proof that infertility is related to service.

Per a statement by Air Force veteran Ashely Sheffield who is suing the VA in Boston, I’m shocked and disappointed that the VA is denying me and other veterans IVF benefits because we’re in same-sex marriages. We are entitled to equal treatment and should no longer be treated as second-class citizens.”

In 2021, a class-action lawsuit was filed against insurer Aetna for discriminating against same-sex couples who wanted IVF. Aetna specifically defines infertility as the inability to become pregnant after “frequent, unprotected heterosexual sexual intercourse” for at least six months to a year age dependent. Other insurance companies like Cigna and United Healthcare also cover fertility treatments for heterosexual couples but not same-sex couples.  The resolution of this lawsuit was not found in the research for this piece.

The lawsuit in New York noted that infertility is common in the military due to combat-related injuries, exposure to toxic chemicals and environmental hazards, sexual assault, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Members of the military community are exposed to toxic chemicals and environmental hazards in combat and stateside, and the VA has released questionnaires to follow those who were around burn pits in combat zones. It is not known what the burn pits will cause in the long term as the exposures began almost twenty years ago and have been seen with Vietnam’s Agent Orange, the effects can take years before noted, and then it is about tracing the route cause. The questionnaires are being used as research to understand the long-term health effects, but no known health effects are currently listed.

IVF is known to be an expensive process. Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) may cover some lab work but do not typically do infertility treatments. Bigger facilities like Naval Medical Center San Diego and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Maryland currently perform infertility treatments, but there is a waiting list.  Four other MTFs that may offer a wider range of fertility treatments include Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, Womack Army Medical Center in North Carolina, Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington, and San Antonio Military Medical Center in Texas. Even with treatments there, there is still a portion of payment required by the military member which, per the report to Congress of Efforts to Treat Infertility of Military Families, was around $5,000. With military members frequently moving in and out of these coverage areas, they may not be able to receive these treatments through the MTF.

Per the VA website, the VA will cover some treatments for infertility, including infertility assessments and counseling, laboratory testing, imaging service, hormone therapies, fertility medications, intrauterine insemination (also known as artificial insemination), tubal ligation reversal, vasectomy reversal, oocyte and sperm cryopreservation (egg and sperm freezing) and sperm retrieval techniques.  As noted above, IVF with the VA is only covered under certain circumstances, one of which being that a service-connected condition caused infertility.

While the litigation is ongoing, there are no results to report.

Promotions Held, No Commandant

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The Marine Corps has always been known as the smallest and fiercest force, and with the promotions being held, it is now without its leading Marine. Commandant General David Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps, retired from military service. For the next Commandant to be able to move into that position, his promotion would need to be confirmed by a full Senate. This has not been done. General Eric Smith has been nominated for the job, but until the Senate confirms him, General Smith will continue as assistant commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps.

The position of Commandant of the Marine Corps is a long-standing position since the birth of the Marine Corps. The first Commandant was Samuel Nicholas, who was officially appointed “Captain of Marines” in November of 1775 – his final rank as Commandant was a Major. Today, Commandants are Generals. To date, there have been 38 Commandants of the Marine Corps. As the highest ranking position within the Marine Corps, the commandant is nominated for appointment by the president and confirmed by Senate. The tenure of the position has been four years since 1944, unless there is a national emergency declared by Congress or during times of war. The longest-serving Commandant was General Archibald Henderson, who served for 38 years, and his name graces many halls and street names on Marine Corps bases.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps is not the only position that is awaiting Senate confirmation. Senate confirmation is required for senior-level officers, also called flag officers. These positions are Generals and Admirals among the military service branches and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – the military leaders advising the President, Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and Homeland Security Council on all things Defense department related.

Within military unit history, many units have service members working in acting positions. This means they do not have the title of commander but are working in those positions. The reality is that the military service branch will continue to work, and the military mission will continue. However, an acting Commandant will have to form decision-making based on current policies, unable to change or shape what is needed based on the geopolitical need at the present time.

Approving military nominations and promotions has long been a bipartisan act within the Senate. At the time of this writing, Senator Tuberville states he will not move forward on nominations and promotions until the majority of Democrats allow a vote on the Pentagon policy allowing service members to travel to another state for an abortion if the state they are in does not provide it. Tuberville has asked that the Democrats introduce their own bill on the Pentagon policy, and put it up for a vote. The Democrats have stated that it is up to the Republicans to change Senator Tuberville’s mind on the continued hold.

But why is one person holding up nominations and promotions? In the Senate, the rules are that unanimous consent must be present to move forward with the nominations and promotions – it is not just a majority rule or vote. Before the August Recess, when the nominations have been called up, Senator Tuberville objected. Due to these rules, one who does not want to move forward can hold the vote for as long as they want. To get around the hold, roll call votes for each individual would have to be held – which has not been done, and with August recess in full session cannot be done until after everyone returns from recess. Per the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Jack Reed, doing a roll call vote with the regular procedure would take over 80 days if the Senate worked 8-hour workdays.

This historical move will certainly go down in history books, and has led to conversation on how things operate in the Senate. Will it lead to change? Can it lead to change?

Ten Crock Pot Meals for Back To School Meal Prep

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Back-to-school time means a change in routines from summertime. Finding ways to save time, energy, and money are great sanity savers. One way to save time and money is by planning crock pot meals. The crock pot can be filled, set, and left. Some crockpots even have features where they will turn to warm after the set times. This guarantees a tasty, filling meal at the end of a busy day when people are more apt to go through fast food just to get something to eat. Check out these ten crockpot meals for back-to-school time.

  1. BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowl: A surprising recipe from the CrockPot website, this recipe is a mix on barbeque without the time needed to marinate and grill. To the slow cooker, add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup chopped bell pepper (color based on availability and choice), 2 TBL minced garlic, ½ TBL cumin, ½ TBL chili powder, ½ TBL smoked paprika, 1 cup of BBQ sauce, ½ tsp hickory liquid smoke and 1 cup of chicken broth over ½-1 pound of chicken breast. Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-6 hours. Once the chicken is cooked through, pull out the chicken and shred it and return it back to the crock pot. Stir all the ingredients together.  
  2. Vegetable Minestrone Soup: A hearty and nutritious soup loaded with various vegetables, beans, pasta, and Italian herbs, this is a great one for cool evenings or when a comfort dish is needed. Add together 6 cups of vegetable broth, 1-28 ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes, 1-15 ounce can of kidney beans, 1 large onion chopped, 3 large carrots diced, 3-4 celery stalks of celery diced, 1 cup of green beans (or add in a cup of mixed veggies or whatever frozen veg you have), 2 cloves of garlic minced, 1 TBL minced fresh parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ¾ tsp dried thyme together and mix. Consider adding in any fresh veg you have on hand – zucchini, squash, spinach – whatever is on hand, in season, or perhaps you need to use. About twenty minutes before serving, boil water to make the elbow macaroni, and once cooked, add it to the soup base in the crockpot and cook for 15 more minutes. Serve in bowls with freshly grated parmesan as desired.
  3. Honey Garlic Meatballs: This one is a great way to use frozen meatballs as an extra time saver. This delicious sauce will add great flavor to the meal. The honey garlic sauce mixes ¾ cup ketchup, ½ cup honey, 3 TBL soy sauce or mirin, 1 TBL brown sugar, and 3-4 garlic cloves chopped together – mix these all together in a separate bowl. Add two pounds of meatballs to the slow cooker, pour over the honey garlic sauce, and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Garnish with green onions and serve over rice or noodles for a delightful meal.
  4. Beef and Broccoli: Tender beef and broccoli cooked in a flavorful Asian-inspired sauce is a favorite dish ordered for take-out. The ingredients include 4 pounds of sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin (4 pounds if you want leftovers), 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup low sodium soy sauce, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 TBL sesame oil, 8 cloves of garlic minced, 8 TBL cornstarch, 8 TBL water, 2-3 heads of broccoli cut into florets. If you don’t want leftovers, halve the recipe. Put everything together with the meat except the cornstarch and water and broccoli. Cook on low for 4 hours. Once the meat is cooked and tender, in a separate bowl create a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water together. Add the slurry and chopped broccoli to the crockpot, mix and cook for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve over steamed rice for a satisfying dinner.
  5. Taco Soup: A spicy and comforting soup that can be made with and without meat, and with just about anyone’s favorite veggies or meat. Add in chicken breasts and shred them once cooked for a chicken taco soup. Or add beef cubes for a beefy taco soup. Or if you have time, brown some ground beef and add that to the base of the soup. Add in black beans, corn, canned chilies, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, onion and spices. You can add in a packet of taco seasoning or make your own taco seasoning and add that the crockpot. Top with shredded cheese, sour cream (or plain yogurt – trust me!), sliced green onions or even tortilla strips or chips.
  6. Lemon Garlic Chicken: This one does require an extra step, but yields great results. This can be done with chicken breasts, or chicken thighs – 2 pounds of meat in total.  Mix together 1 tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper and rub on the chicken. Put a small tab of butter in a saucepan and brown each piece of chicken on each side once melted. Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot, and in the saucepan, add ¼ cup of water and 2 TBL lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and one tsp chicken bouillon granules to the pan and heat until just boiling. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Just before serving, sprinkle on chopped parsley. For a delicious and healthy meal, serve with roasted vegetables or a fresh salad.
  7. Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup: Creamy tomato soup with cheese-filled tortellini and a hint of Italian herbs. Perfect for a quick and delicious dinner. To a crockpot, add in two-28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes, 1 and ½ cups of chicken broth, ½ cup of minced white onion, 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped, 1 TBL sugar, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, and ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Add in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream at the end of the cooking time, if at the low setting, change to the high setting before adding the cream. Add 1 package of premade tortellini to the sauce and cook for 15-20 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese, or basil pesto as desired.
  8. Beef and Vegetable Stew: A hearty filling stew with tender beef, root vegetables, and a rich tomato-based broth. Toss together beef stew meat, chopped carrots, chopped potatoes, chopped onions, and any other veggie your family enjoys with broth, crushed or diced tomatoes, and tomato paste and cook for 6-8 hours. Add spices per your liking. Ideas for seasoning include the onion or beefy onion packets or make your own.
  9. Lentil Curry: A comforting and protein-packed vegetarian curry made with lentils, coconut milk, and a blend of aromatic spices for a delicious, comforting meal. Mix 4 cups of lentils (red or brown – whatever you have on hand), 2 diced onions, 4 cloves of garlic minced, 1 TBL minced ginger, 5 TBL curry paste, 1 TBL garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric, and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper to a crockpot. Add 1 29-oz can of tomato to the lentils. Fill the can with water and add that to the crockpot – keep adding water to the crockpot this way until the lentils are covered with water. Stir and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Make sure to add water or tomato puree if the lentils absorb the liquid. Once the lentils are soft, stir in ½ cup of coconut cream or milk and serve. Serve over rice or with naan bread.
  10. Hawaiian Pineapple Chicken: Sweet and tangy chicken cooked with pineapple, bell peppers in a sweet and sour sauce. Add 2 cups of pineapple chunks and 1 yellow onion chopped and mix them together. Mix 2 TBL honey, 2 TBL soy sauce, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, 1 TBL grated ginger and 1-2 garlic cloves minced to the slow cooker and mix together. Add 4 chicken breasts, in 1 inch cubes, to the crockpot on top of this. Cook on low for 5 hours or on high for 3 hours. In a separate small bowl or custard cup, mix together equal parts cornstarch and water and add to the crock pot. Mix together. Add in 2 red bell peppers chopped and stir again. Cook for 30 minutes to ensure sauce thickening. Serve over rice.

These ten crockpot meals offer a diverse range of flavors and ingredients to keep your back-to-school meal planning exciting and convenient. With minimal preparation and hands-off cooking, you’ll have more time to focus on getting back in the school routine and to spend quality time with your family. Happy meal planning!

Military Families Left Without Homes After PCS

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The summer military moving shuffle is a common sight. Moving trucks line streets in on post-housing, and among neighborhoods where military families frequent. While many military families leave their previous duty stations, are they moving directly into homes? Is housing affordable?

While the basic allowance for housing (BAH) did increase in some areas in the 22-23 fiscal year, it was not enough for many areas. The housing crisis is nationwide. Home prices spiked during the pandemic and interest rates continue to increase. The housing inventory is low as many homeowners do not want to give up their low-interest rate mortgage. This means that there are fewer homes available for purchase.  Unfortunately, the rental market boomed to prices sometimes double what the rental price was three years ago, far beyond the BAH. Why the huge change in the housing market? Atop of stagnant sellers, another factor is investment groups like Blackstone who purchased many homes during COVID as they lost revenue on their commercial properties. These homes were then turned into a large property management company, Invitation, and rented out at top market prices. These homes, however, have led to lawsuits in some areas due to poor maintenance. When affordable housing is out of reach, what do military families do? And will they ever again have a chance to build home equity like their non-military peers?

A post on a local military spouse group showcases what families are dealing with this summer and have been for the last couple of years in areas where the BAH has not kept up with the local housing market:

“I think we’ve come to a standstill point in our life and literally don’t know the next move. We are paying $2750 [BAH for this member is $2,745] a month for our house, an hour from base. We have survived as long as we can. With gas, tolls, utilities, and food for our giant family, we just can’t do it anymore….We are at our end. Savings is gone, income isn’t enough to cover these expenses we did not expect….We’ve looked into food stamps and they’re telling us we make too much…How are our enlisted friends doing it?”

These kinds of posts are common in areas of high cost of living. Families are turning to programs like WIC and food stamps, but some families do not qualify as the post mentioned. Installations may offer food pantries, but these may be designated only for certain ranks and don’t serve all the families that need it. These programs are just band-aids to a larger problem.

On-installation military housing would be a reasonable answer, but oftentimes in high-cost-of-living areas, base housing lists have a long waitlist. On-base housing affords people with a home managed by a privatized housing agency, on-call maintenance and included utilities all for the cost of the entire BAH. There is not housing for every military member and their family.

Per the BAH primer for the DOD, “Per U.S. Code Title 37 § 403, BAH rates must be based on the housing costs of ‘civilians with comparable income levels [to Service members] in the same area.’” Anchors are set for different ranks for those with dependents and those without. The example used within the primer here, discusses a E6 with dependents with a housing allowance for a 3-bedroom townhouse and a WO3 with dependents rating a 3-bedroom single-family home, and what those costs would be in formula to determine the dollar difference. Certain ranks with and without dependents are used as “anchor” points, and then the formula is used to determine the rate.

The DOD uses several resources to analyze the market area annually for accurate reflections of housing costs. The analysis is done in the spring and summer months when most military families are PCSing, and when the rental market is most active.  Per the DOD, they collect current residential vacancy data from local Military Housing Office representatives, commercial subscription-based rental databases and Robert D. Niehaus, Inc. to determine an accurate BAH rate. Niehaus, Inc reviews rental data and the military housing office reviews that data for safety. Homes like mobile homes, one-room units and homes in poor repair (although it doesn’t say how these are determined) are removed from the data. This data collection is completed in August, and the DOD and Service Housing perform a quality review through October. The DOD determines the total housing costs of median rent and average utilities for each military housing area. The DOD then calculates the rates through November, and DOD typically approves the final rates sometime in December before announcing it. BAH is supposed to cover 95% of housing costs, with the service member to cover 5%.

If the DOD wants its personnel to be content and productive in their roles, then maintaining clean, affordable housing and reasonable commutes would assist with the long-term goal of maintaining attrition.  Nothing is listed in the DOD document about the radius around a military base where housing data is collected. Areas like Washington DC and its suburbs have a much higher cost of living, but the BAH doesn’t necessarily equate to 95% of housing costs in those areas so the data may include 30-60 miles as the crow flies for housing options.

No individual service member information is solicited for BAH calculations. If there is a concern over BAH, the DOD directs service members and their family members to reach out through their Chain of Command per page 16 of the 2022 BAH Primer.  Few service members are going to take that step, and few chains of command will know what to do if their servicemembers bring up this concern.  The reality is that inflation is hitting servicemembers more than just in the grocery cart, it is shrinking the roof over their heads and lengthening their commute.  Base pay and BAH are supposed to keep up, but they haven’t.

Helping Your Military Children Adjust to a New School

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Given the fact that military families move every 2.5 years on average, and some more frequently than that, chances are in the next couple of years your military family may be moving. Military children move from school to school, starting in new schools at milestones different from their civilian peers. Being proactive in helping your military children adjust to a new school is key to helping them continue their school success in a new location.

Contact the School Liaison Officer

Each military base has a School Liaison Officer or SLO. They are there to provide information on the local schools, school registration requirements, and any special programming specifically to military children. Looking for a school with an excellent sport for your child to continue? They should know what the options are for your area. This helps you narrow down your home search. Or if school choice is open in the new area, the SLO can help navigate to make sure your child is plugged into the school as soon as you arrive.

Get Your Child Involved

If your child is old enough, get them involved in learning about the new school. Check out the school’s website, which often has a list of clubs and photos of events in the past. This allows your child to learn about the new school and perhaps find things they want to explore once the school year starts.

Take the Tour

When you have your orders, have a new home, and know where your children will go to school, call the school and ask for a school tour. This familiarizes your children with the school before the first day. It allows them to meet teachers, see classrooms, and perhaps see the school’s playground or gym equipment. There may be something familiar from their previous school which excites them. This also is an opportunity for everyone in the family to ask questions about the school, classroom, and curriculum.

Get Involved in Extracurriculars

If you can move ahead of the school year start, plug your kids into an activity that feeds into their school. This gives them a chance to meet people that may be in their classroom. Vacation Bible School, summer youth sports or even local summer camps at the school are good options. Aren’t sure where to start? Ask on the local military base pages and contact the base SLO.

Ask for Open Communication

When meeting the teacher for the first time, share that you are new to the area and you want to ensure a successful school year, so you want to be apprised of any concerns. Addressing academic, emotional, or social concerns early will help your child feel plugged into the school faster. Share your child’s strengths and desires, as the teacher doesn’t have the benefit of talking to another teacher in the school or reading previous school files to learn more about them.

Familiarize Everyone with the School Routine Early

If able to, begin running over the daily routine the week or so before school starts. What time will wake up be? What will need to be prepared the day before? What time is pick up? This is especially key if your family has moved or changed time zones, especially just before school. It also helps parents to be aware of what needs to happen so it isn’t as stressful on that first week of school. Stressed out parents can lead to stressed-out kids, which isn’t a fun way to start the school year.

Celebrate the Small Things

Celebrate what may feel like a small achievement – getting up and ready on time, a great day at school, a report that came back with a fantastic grade. These things will get everyone in the swing of things and encourage continued success.

Use Your Resources

Each school has a school counselor if needs need to be addressed outside of what the teacher can provide. Reach out to the SLO as well, and most bases have Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC) who can help address concerns and changes that are unique to military life.

Home Study Environment

As soon as possible, set up a study environment. Create a space that will be the study space for your students. Ensure it is well-lit and comfortable so they are more willing to sit and study there. Even a spot at the dining room table will work if there is a cubby or place to put school items when it is time for dinner.

By proactively planning and researching schools and being proactive before school starts, you can help your military children adjust to a new school. As with any change, there will be ups and downs, and everyone adjusts at different paces, so be patient with everyone in the family. With patience, planning, and engagement, military children will be ready to embrace and grow in their new school environment.

Defense Department Expands Child Care in Your Home Program

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According to annual research collected, performed, and analyzed by Blue Star Families, one of the top three stressors for active-duty families is military spouse employment. One of the biggest challenges to military spouse employment is adequate childcare. Military bases are usually located in remote areas or areas that are highly populated, like San Diego and Washington D.C., which adds an extra challenge to finding safe, affordable childcare.

While there are Child Development Centers (CDC) at each military post, most are small, understaffed, and unable to accommodate the true need for childcare. In addition, CDCs prioritize who gets a coveted spot, with dual military first and two working parents second. Those new to a military base looking for work are left waiting. Families often put their name on a CDC list months prior to a baby being born, to be called when the child is two, and now the spouse has been unable to have consistent work for those two years or longer.

The In-Home Child Care pilot has been expanded and is now called the Child Care in Your Home program. The program provides fee assistance for full-time, in-home childcare providers. The program once covered five areas but now includes 11 locations.

These locations include:

-Colorado Springs, CO

-Seattle/Tacoma, WA

-Jacksonville/Mayport, FL

-Fort Walton Beach, FL

-Fayetteville, NC

-Las Vegas, NV

-National Capital Region

-Hawaii

-San Diego, CA

-Norfolk, VA

-San Antonio, TX

The program covers a minimum of 30 hours to a maximum of 60 hours in a week.

The Child Care Aware program is a separate program that provides fee assistance for service members to use community-based care facilities. Families apply for the assistance program per their military branch on the website above. The amount of assistance is based on the military branch and service member’s rank.

The MilitaryChildCare.com resource is a DOD website providing information on military-operated and military-approved childcare programs worldwide. This may provide insight into programs available before a move or a child’s birth.

Military One Source has a free online database to find hourly, flexible, and on-demand childcare. To utilize this resource, sign into your Military One Source account, and you will be given a unique member code to use on the child care service page.

What have been your findings if you have used any of the child care programs to find child care in your area?

Major Recruiting Source Waning: Military Families Discourage Children from Service

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The family legacy of military service was common. With the drafts of World War I and II, children of these draftees in the 1980s were joining with several generations of service behind them. Perhaps some of that desire to serve was passed down. According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of veterans under 40 have an immediate family member who served, compared to 39% of civilians. Among new recruits, 21% have a parent in the military, whereas civilians reported that 9% of them had a child in the armed forces. Given that just 0.5% of the American population has served in the military in the last decade, this is quite the statistic. But will the military service legacy continue?

A separate poll was conducted among military families outside of the Pew Research Center. Among 50 military families polled, only two would encourage their children to join the service. None of the Marine Corps families polled would encourage their children to serve or would nudge them toward the Air Force. 

This directly reflects what two or more decades of service have done to Marine Corps families. Many surveyed stated toxic leaders, repeated deployments, and lack of consistent mental and physical health care led to the breakdown of their Marine Corps service members, leading to their lack of wanting their children to serve in that service branch. As one spouse put it, the Marine Corps gives lip service to family needs and tells the service member that she/he and their family should ‘buck up.’

A Gold Star spouse responded and stated that her children had seen the political fallout from military life after the loss of their father. The sacrifice and loss of their father seem to have been for nothing after the end of the Afghanistan war. She stated, “So many people in this country do not live a life worthy of their dad dying for them, and nor do they care [about the loss].” Further, the military seemed to abandon them after their required notification. She did say that the people they met through his military career were amazing, and it is not a reflection of the people. However, the bureaucracy and the government does not care about the individual, and she doesn’t want her children going into that.

Will there be a difference in career military families and those who have served less than ten years? All but one who responded had over 15 years of service and planned for a career in military service or had retired from military service. The person who responded with less than ten years of service chose to resign their commission to pursue other interests but shared that they would not recommend military service to their children for longer than a short period. Why? “It’s not worth it.” 

The Department of Defense’s pursuit is of the higher mission, and service members are either cogs in the wheel or an integral capability to accomplish this mission. The more cog-like the service, the less rewarding it is for the whole family. Each service branch differs in support opportunities for military service members and their families. The housing crisis and lack of affordable housing within a reasonable commute for many families is wearing down the service member and the family. There isn’t enough housing on military bases to account for the number of service members assigned to bases. The move to privatized housing for the military has not been without its troubles, as evidenced by lawsuits against Lincoln Military Housing (now Liberty Military Housing). Another high cost to military families is the drastic changes in car and rental insurance based on the area the military member is serving – sometimes leading to a jump in insurance of three times the previous cost – but this higher insurance cost isn’t reflected in pay for the service member. The lack of accessible medical care for service members and families is a big issue. Consolidating the Defense Health Agency (DHA) has led to less care for military families on military bases pushing even those with Tricare Prime out into already oversubscribed civilian healthcare. As healthcare recovers from the pandemic, civilian providers often have 6+ month long wait lists, and that’s just for primary care, as specialists can be longer based on the area. The support opportunities for military families with a working on-base pool, open and working movie theaters with cheap or free movies, art studios, and youth centers have waned in funding and, on some bases, have shut down. Add these civilian providers’ wait times to frequent moves and families are increasingly forced to forego care or pay out of pocket.

The Pew Research Center has yet to study if this shift is seen in a larger population. Wall Street Journal is reporting on this shift, stating specifically that veterans do not want their children to join, creating a military recruiting crisis. This is reflected in the lowered recruiting numbers. The services are expected to fall short of their recruitment goals, the Army by 15,000, the Navy by 10,000, and the Air Force by 3,000. The Marine Corps reported they met their recruiting goal in 2022 and expect to meet it in 2023.

What this will mean for the military will not be seen for several more years. Active duty and veteran children may not be of age for several more years. However, if the families remain adamant about not serving, this could mean a significant impact in the long term for the military service branches.

Saving Money with Back-to-School Shopping

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Back-to-School season is here. Well, if you have been in any big box stores, it’s been back-to-school time since June. But alas, it is actually upon us. Whether armed with your school supply list or not, you can prep for school and save a little money with these tips.

Tax-Free Holidays

Some states offer tax-free holiday periods just before school starts. This means no sales tax is charged on certain items, differing per state, during that period. There are usually caps on the cost per item. Some states include items like clothing, footwear, and diapers. There is no need to apply; if you shop for those items during that time period, no sales tax will be charged. Here is a list of states with upcoming dates and what is included.

If the time period for your state has passed, check to see if you are driving through a state that hasn’t passed yet while on a PCS. You can utilize it! Even without a school supply list for your next school,  you can still gather basic supplies and clothing for the kids and save that tax money!

Connecticut: August 20 – 26, 2023

  • Clothing and footwear (up to $100 per item)

Maryland: August 13 – 19, 2023

  • Clothing, diapers, & footwear (up to $100 per item), backpacks & book bags (up to $40)

Mississippi: July 28 – 29, 2023

  • Clothing, footwear, and school supplies (up to $100 per item)

New Jersey: August 26 – September 4, 2023

  • Certain computers (up to $3,000), school art supplies, school computer supplies (up to $1,000), school instructional materials, school supplies, sport or recreational equipment

Texas: August 11 – 13, 2022

  • Clothing, backpacks, & school supplies (up to $100 per item)

States that offer tax-free time periods this year that have passed are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. States can opt in or out at any time; check your state’s tax page for more information on upcoming dates or if participation is set for the upcoming year. Some states also do more than one tax-free period throughout the year, so maybe more dates are coming!

Teacher Discount at Target

This year, Target is offering a teacher discount to not just teachers at brick and mortar schools, but also homeschool teachers. The Target Circle Teacher Appreciation Event is running from July 16 to August 26, and verified teachers can get a one-time discount of 20% on an entire shopping trip. Verification of ID is done through SheerID, just like military verification. If there is an issue with the verification, contact Customer Service at Sheer ID.

Local Giveaways

Sometimes in preparation for the new school year, organizations like Blue Star Families, the USO, or even churches local to military bases will organize backpack giveaways. These giveaways often come with basic school supplies and may in fact come with information about the area. Getting information on local resources is key for military families who just PCS’d to a new area and may benefit from information on the local tutoring, clubs or events in the area. Check out local base pages, and social media pages for the local chapters of Blue Star Families or USO.

Use Coupon Applications

Applications like Ibotta may offer discounts or deals on school supplies. In years past, Ibotta and Wal-Mart offered free school supplies but there is not an ad for participation in 2023. A coupon is still savings though!

Store Ads

Big box stores like Costco often add coupons to their school supply items – sometimes even printer paper. Check out the ads for Staples and Office Depot for buy-one-get-one-free items that may help offset the school supply budget.

Buying school supplies, especially if occurring after an expensive PCS, can be another large expense for military families. Utilizing tax-free holidays, coupons, discounts and giveaways saves some, and every little bit helps with the budget!