Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Julie is a 30-something Blogger, Army Wife and Mom to three boys. She lives in Clarksville, TN and just welcomed her husband home from his 4th deployment. She loves blogging, photography and reading a good book!

A Military Spouse’s Guide to Space-A

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Space-A is a great way for a military spouse to travel.

A Military Spouse's Guide to Space-A Travel

Pack your patience and flexibility when using Space-A to travel as a military spouse.

We used Space-A back in 2009 to get from Germany to California and back again. The whole thing was quite the experience which wasn’t always easy but I am glad that I had the chance to try flying this way. Traveling Space-A isn’t for the faint of heart and knowing how this type of travel works is very important for having a successful trip.

Space-A travel is when members of the military, retirees and their spouses can travel on aircraft under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Defense when there is room available for them to do so. There is no guarantee that you will get a flight and you need a lot of patience and flexibility if you are going to use this method to get to where you want to go.

For us it took about 3 days to get to California from Germany. We were lucky in that we got on the first flight we wanted to get on. However, after 4 hours and after we were seated on the flight, the plane broke down and everyone had to get off and start all over again. This is the type of thing that can happen which can get frustrating but you need to be prepared for delays when you travel using Space-A.

The first step in planning for your Space-A trip is figuring out where you are going to go.

Most Space-A flights leave from Air Force bases around the United States and overseas. You would want to see where you can fly and how often flights go out of that location. Some places might only have 1 or 2 flights a week so your chances of getting out of there would be slim. Sometimes it is best to drive to a better location to get a better chance of catching a flight.

You would then need to figure out what your Space-A ranking is. The Air Mobility Command has a list of what you would be classified as. As a military spouse traveling you would be classified as either:

  • Category III– If your spouse is deployed more than 365 consecutive days or if you are traveling with your active duty spouse.
  • Category IV– If your spouse is deployed for more than 30 consecutive days but less than 365 days.
  • Category V-If you are flying without your spouse and they are not deployed.
  • Category VI– Retired military and their spouses

The lower your category, the better your chances of catching a flight. For example Category III is a higher priority for seating than Category VI. Each flight has a limited number of seats. Sometimes the seats are more than a hundred, other times there are just 4 or 5 seats available. You will need to register at every location you plan to fly out of. Once you have, you still have to wait to see if you get on the flight and you will need to check in as “present” when you get there.

A Military Spouse's Guide to Space-A

Have you flown using Space-A? Where did you go? What was your experience with Space-A travel?

This is where patience and flexibility come into play when flying Space-A. If a flight only has a few seats and you are a lower category, unless a lot of people decide not to get on that flight, your name will probably never get called. You will need to have a plan for if this happens to you. If you don’t, you could get stuck somewhere and that can be really upsetting.

The best way to prepare for Space-A is to do your research.

Since I was flying to the United States from Germany, I figured out which locations in the U.S. could get me to California. Although they did have flights going all the way there from Germany, I knew that might not be possible. I figured out which of the U.S. bases did go there and was open to any of those locations. In the end we flew into Baltimore and then had to make our way to Andrews Air Force Base where we were able to get a flight to Travis Air Force Base in California.

With Space-A you also need to have all of the important travel documents with you for you and all of your children. These documents include:

  • Travel authorization
  • ID card
  • Unaccompanied dependent memorandum
  • Valid Passport
  • Birth Certificates and Social Security cards

Make sure you double-check everything as you will not be able to fly without the right paperwork.

If you do make a flight, you must be there in person to check-in. You must be ready to fly. If you are not, they will go to the next person on the list.

Keep in mind that with Space-A you could be doing a lot of waiting. Plan for a lot of waiting. Bring something for you and your kids to do. Make sure you have the means to stay in a hotel because if a flight gets canceled you might have to wait until the next day to try again.

In the end, you have to decide if Space-A travel is for you. It will not work for everyone. Sometimes buying a commercial airline ticket will be best.

You have to be flexible with Space-A, you have to plan ahead and you have to be willing to change your plans over and over again until you can get to your location.

Have you used Space-A travel? What tips do you have for using Space-A?

A Military Spouse’s Guide to the Military Ball

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It’s Navy Ball time. The Marine Corps Birthday Ball is right around the corner.

A Military Spouse's Guide to the Military Ball

Are you nervous about attending a military ball? Here are MilitaryShoppers’ tips on attire, planning and etiquette for military spouses.

A Military Spouse's Guide to the Military Ball

What Should I Wear?

When it comes to dressing for a military ball, you have a lot of options. There is going to be a dress code but after that the choice is up to you. You should keep in mind that you do want to coordinate with your service member as they will be wearing their dress blues.

Before my husband joined the military, I thought my ball gown-wearing days were over. I was excited to be able to go out and shop for one once I heard about going to a military ball. I went shopping with my mom and found a nice black dress at the local mall.

When you go shopping for a dress for the military ball, think about what you might wear to a fancy wedding. Long dresses are better than short ones. A military ball lasts a long time so you need to make sure you are comfortable.

If you don’t have a big budget, shop the sales. You don’t have to spend a lot on a dress if you can find a good deal.

How Do I Plan?

With planning for the ball, you should make sure you have your dress, shoes to match and a purse. You will want something to take with you to carry your cell phone, makeup and ID or wallet.

After your appearance, knowing what to expect can be helpful. You can break down the military ball into different stages. The first part is the cocktail hour. This is when people are arriving and you get to greet other people. You are also able to get drinks. No one has to be seated yet and you can stand around with your spouse and their friends.

After the cocktail period is over you will go through the receiving line before you sit down for dinner. You will also need to get your photos taken. We have usually done this first so we don’t have to worry about them anymore.

When it’s time to sit down for dinner you will notice that you have an assigned seat. You should be sitting with those in your spouse’s company and their dates. There will be spouses, girlfriends and good friends because the service member can invite who they want as their date. At all of the balls we have been to, the food has been a buffet. You stand in line and pick out what you want and then go sit down again.

At some point after you get your food, the program will start. This will included a few speeches, some toasts, a prayer, etc. You will get a schedule and be able to follow along.

After the program, they will open up the dance floor and you will be free to dance, get more food, get more drinks or just socialize until you want to go home.

What etiquette do I need to follow?

Remember that the military is filled with traditions. The military ball is one of them and certain etiquette needs to be followed. Some of what you need to do is common sense but some traditions you might not be used to.

You need to make sure that your dress does not show too much skin and that the dress is modest. In some cases you will not be allowed to wear a strapless dress unless you keep a wrap on at all times. You should get information from your command about what to expect at your particular military ball.

During the formal part of the military ball you need to be respectful and pay attention to what is going on. You don’t want to be talking when you shouldn’t be and you don’t want to be playing with your phone. There will be toasts and you need to be paying attention to those.

When you are going through the receiving line, make sure you follow your service member, smile and be professional. It might feel really intimidating when going through the line but the line is also a good way to meet the commanders and their spouses.

As long as you are respectful, dress appropriately and do what you should be doing at the right time, the military ball will go well for you and you should have a good time.

I personally have always loved the food, spending time with my husband and getting to see a part of the military I don’t normally get to see.

What advice and tips would you add to this list for military spouses attending  a military ball?

Are Military Discounts for Service Members or Spouses?

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I always get excited to be able to use a military discount. Most places that do them offer about 10% off but there are a few that offer more. Sometimes bigger places like amusement parks will have free days or 50% off of tickets for those in the military.

Sometimes all you need is a military ID, it doesn’t matter if you are a military spouse or not. Other times the military discount is only for the service member.

Are Military Discounts for Service Members, Military Spouses or Both?

We should thank businesses for having a military discount instead of getting upset at them for not offering the military discount to the military spouse too.

Most of the time I only ask for a military discount if I have heard that there is one at the location that I am in. Every once in a while I might just ask on a whim. Sometimes I feel a little odd about asking even though I know there is really no harm in asking for a military discount. Some people think asking is being greedy but I see it as a way to save money.

When I turn 55 I will start asking about a senior discount and I don’t see anything wrong with that either.

You would never demand a discount but asking for one politely shouldn’t be an issue.

The service member is benefiting from the money that is saved, whether they are using the discount themselves or not. And isn’t that the point of the discount? To give back to those who serve?

By giving the discount to the spouse too, the business is helping the service member save their money. Offering a military discount is a way to support military families and can make a spouse choose one restaurant over another because they offer the discount.

When I hear that a business only gives a discount to the person who has signed up to join the military, I don’t get mad at that policy, but in some cases it can be frustrating.

For example, if a company is giving out the discount and your spouse is deployed. There is no way for them to use the discount.

In those cases a military discount would be great if the spouse got the discount since the service member could not, especially if the reason is that they are deployed or away for any type of military training. A discount is a great way for a business to say thank you for your service and what better way to do that then to help save them money during a deployment.

I also can understand that offering a military discount can be hard to do if you have a business and having the military discount be only for the service member could be the only way they can even offer the discount in the first place. Since not every business offers them, complaining to the business about the details of their discount would be rude.

We should be thanking them for having one in the first place instead of getting upset at them for not giving the military discount to the spouse too.

I think asking for a discount is perfectly OK for a military spouse to do. Claiming a discount is a way to save a little money and we all know that military paychecks could be higher. The company might say no or they might have limitations on the discount so that it can not be used by the spouse.

Either way asking does not hurt and once you find out about a discount you will know to use it every time you go to that location.

Do you feel uncomfortable asking for a military discount? Why or why not?

When I Remember 9/11

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I was in my last semester of college when 9/11 happened. I remember that morning well, all these years later. I was sleeping because I was on the West Coast. I remember waking up and wondering why President George W. Bush was talking about a plane crash on the radio. Doing so seemed like an odd thing to do. I got up, turned on the TV and was in shock.

How I Remember Sept. 11, 2001

How do you choose to remember 9/11?

9/11 was when the world changed although we didn’t really know how at that moment.

I didn’t know how that morning would change the rest of my life. I had no idea.

At the time I was dating my husband. We were not engaged yet but knew we would get married. He was in the IRR (Individual Ready Reserve) at the time. That meant that he could be called up if something big happened. I think 9/11 would count as “something big.”

That was the first time I ever thought of myself as being a military spouse. A war bride. Someone who waited at home while her spouse was off at war. I thought he could get called up. That was in the back of my mind the whole day.

In the end he did not get called up but in 2005 he did join the Army and I became a military spouse. He has been deployed 4 times, to either Iraq or Afghanistan. The wars that started on that day in September.

The day that changed everything. 9/11/01, a day we will never forget.

As a military spouse I have deep and emotional feelings about 9/11. We found out that people could hurt Americans on that day. That we were not safe just because we were on the other side of the world from people who wanted to do us harm. The terrorists spent a lot of time, money and manpower to pull what happened on 9/11 off. They surprised us. They shocked us in a way we never could have imagined.

Because of what happened that day, our country fought back. We went to Afghanistan and Iraq and my husband was apart of that. It is weird to think about an event like this changing your own life in a personal way. When the tragedy first happened, I knew life would change things but I didn’t know how.

On that morning, I went to my classes at my college and that is all we talked about. Because it was so early and social media was not around back then, some students didn’t know about what had happened until they got to class. That morning was very strange. I don’t remember the words that were said in my classes but I do know we needed to talk about what happened.

That early we didn’t even know who was responsible or what the U.S. was going to do because of what happened. All we knew was that terrorists had come over to our country and killed a lot of people.

On that day in September, everything changed. From the way we get on an airplane to the way our U.S. military is handed. You hear people talk about the “Pre- 9/11” years in the Army and they are very different then what we experience now.

New York was never going to be the same. America was never going to be the same and military families were never going to be the same.

Every year we think about 9/11.

We think about the people who didn’t make it. The heroes. We think about the babies born around that time who are now teenagers and have only heard stories about what happened in their birth year.

We think about the soldiers, the airmen, the Marines and the other military members who fought for us after 9/11 who were lost in battle. We think about all of them because now, in 2015, what happened that day is something we can’t ever forget. It is something that will always be with us.

How do you choose to remember 9/11?

Parents Should Be Ashamed of Facebook Parenting Shaming

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Recently I have heard about some military spouses posting photos of other people’s children on their base’s military spouse Facebook pages. They are doing this because these children are misbehaving.

The children are doing things such as throwing trash in the park, picking on other kids or doing something else the poster feels isn’t right. I am not saying that what the kids are doing is OK, behaving that way clearly isn’t, but posting what they are doing on Facebook isn’t a good thing to do either.

Posting photos of other people’s kids on Facebook when your intent is to shame them is not OK.

Facebook Parenting Shaming Is Not OK

What are we teaching our kids and teens when we take part in Facebook shaming too?

Doing so is judgmental and you never really know the story behind why a kid is doing what they are doing. The better thing to do would be to notify the kid’s parent and leave things at that.

I know my kids do not behave 100 percent of the time at 100 percent of the places we go. No one has kids that do. I have carried a screaming child out of the PX more times than I would like to admit. Those moments happen.

We as parents do the best we can do to train our children. Sometimes they act out anyway. We can take those experiences to teach our children that we do not act that way.

If my son was throwing trash on the ground, it would be a good chance to teach him about why we don’t do such a thing. His photo does not need to appear on Facebook in order to get that message across to him.

I am glad that there was not Facebook when I was growing up. As an adult I can step away from the drama but our kids are growing up in a time where anything can be captured on camera and shared with others.

What are we teaching our kids and teens when we take part  in Facebook shaming too?

Doing so teaches them that posting like that is OK. Posting those photos is telling them that it is fine to single someone out on a bad day and make that bad day last forever.

We need to step away from posting shameful photos on Facebook. Whether a kid is doing something they shouldn’t or an adult isn’t dressed the way we think they should be, posting about it on Facebook is being a bully. We want to be the people who our kids look up to and learn from. We as adults should know better and do better.

How do you handle kids who aren’t behaving in base housing? Do you talk to them? Do you talk to their parents? Or do you post your complaint about their behavior on a Facebook military spouse page?

Years ago, public shaming might have meant standing on a street corner holding a sign. The kid who stole a candy bar might be made to stand in front of the store. Yes, people saw the child and he learned his lesson, but then the whole thing was over.

His face was not shared all over Facebook. He was not turned into a meme about good parenting. He was not shamed like that for years and years by strangers.

We really need to think about what social media can do to kids. We don’t want to make things worse than they are by taking part in the Facebook shaming.

When we see parenting shaming being done, we need to speak up so that the posting will stop. That makes for a better world both on Facebook and off.

What do you think of parenting shaming on Facebook?

Enter to Win with Our Summer Vacation Photo Contest

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Summer is almost over! Did you get a chance to go on a fun summer vacation? Did you spend time with family or take your kids to a fun place like Disney World? There are so many great places you could have gone this summer and I am sure you took a lot of photos while you were there.

Here at Military Shoppers we are going to have a Summer Vacation Photo Contest!

We want to see where you went and how you spent your summer. We want to see families having fun together. We want you to submit your favorite snapshots for our Summer Vacation Photo Contest.

With military families, taking a vacation together is a very special type of thing. Summer vacations can’t always happen because some summers, a family member is deployed, away at training or just unable to take that time off of work to go anywhere. Sometimes our service members have to skip the summer fun.

The summer vacations we have been able to go on throughout the years have been so special to us. Going to see new places, our family back home or just relaxing somewhere together. To be able to get away together from the everyday is so nice. We love having a lot of photos that we can look back on in the years to come. I also enjoy scrapbooking our adventures so I have a fun way to look back at the places we went.

Pictures are the best way to remember your memories.

If you didn’t go anywhere this summer but did have a fun day trip, use those photos too. Staycations can be just as fun and you get to spend the night in your own bed. Explore your own part of the world to learn more about where you live and what you have nearby.

Do you have any fun summer vacation photos that you want to use for our summer vacation photo contest?

Enter to Win with MilitaryShoppers' Summer Vacation Photo Contest

Do you have a favorite summer vacation photo? Enter your snapshot in MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest today.

Here is everything you need to know about MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest.

Summer Vacation Photo Contest submissions need to include:

  • Name of person submitting photo
  • Installation
  • Branch of service

Summer Vacation Photo Contest Rules:

  • Pictures must be received by August 31, 2015.
  • Winner will be selected at random.
  • Entrants must be registered with MilitaryShoppers.com and have checked the box in their profile saying “yes, I would like to receive emails of offers, savings and contests for the military community.”
  • Winner will be posted to MilitaryShoppers Facebook page, MilitaryShoppers blog and MilitaryShoppers.com.
  • One photo per entrant for the Summer Vacation Photo Contest.
  • Multiple entrants will not be accepted.
  • Photo must be submitted by entrant who possesses a valid military ID card (Active Duty, Veteran, Retiree, Reserve, Guard or family member of the aforementioned categories).
  • Entrant (not those within the photo) must be 18 years of age or older.
  • The Summer Vacation Photo Contest winner will be notified by e-mail.
  • No purchase necessary to win.

Enter to win MilitaryShoppers’ Summer Vacation Photo Contest today.

Back to School Commissary Specials on Sale in August

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August is here. School is starting back for a lot of people and summer is wrapping up. Might be time to host a back-to-school barbecue or get started on your kid’s lunches.

When we think about going back to school, we need to think about breakfast. Luckily the commissary has a few foods we can stock up on to eat in the morning.

If your house is like our house, school mornings can be quite busy and having quick meal choices before they go off to school is a plus.

Fiber One cereals are on sale for just $2.49. If your kids are older, they can even pour their own bowl making life a little easier for you in the mornings. This is a great item to stock up on.

You can also find the Pillsbury Toaster Scrambles and Toaster Strudel are on sale for $1.50 for a 4 or 6 pack. Click here a $0.50 coupon for Pillsbury Toaster Scrambles and Toaster Strudel. These can be something you can make and even take in the car with you. I am not a big fan of breakfast but foods I can stick in the toaster and then grab and good work best for me.

You can also find Nature’s Valley granola bars on sale which are good in the mornings but also a nice choice for lunches. You can download a $0.75 coupon for Nature Valley’s granola bars for extra savings.

Our house is really into yogurt, at any time of the day. Yoplait happens to be on sale, $0.50 for a 6-oz container. Don’t forget to combine this savings with a $1-off-of-10 coupon. Stock up on these to have a snack available for after school or something to eat in the morning with your coffee.

Speaking of coffee, you can also find International Delight Iced Coffee drinks on sale for $2.89. Pick up a few of these to have on hand for your early mornings or even afternoon pick-me-ups.

Moving on to lunch and dinner, some nights you don’t want to cook a huge meal. Especially with fall sports starting up. You also don’t want to depend on your local fast food restaurants. You can find a good deal on Wishbone dressings in August. They are on sale 2 for $3. You can stock up for the next few months. Buy a few different types of dressings and each member of your family can customise their salad their way. You could also plan to make salad in a jar to take to work with you.

You can also find Horizon Organic Classic Mac for just $0.99. I know my youngest son is a huge fan of that meal so I will probably go and stock up on a few of those for him. You can add the food to your list of easy meals to make when you have a busy evening with helping the kids with homework and getting used to the new school year.

If you are planning on one last neighborhood barbecue before Labor Day, pick up some discounted chips. Family-sized Lay’s chips for just $2 and Party size Ruffles and Tostitos for $2.98. You can also add some of the Dunkin Hines Perfect Size Chocolate Cake and Frosting mix. Make a yummy dessert for your guests to enjoy.

We can’t forget about our furry friends. Some Purina items (cat litter, dog and cat food and treats) are on sale until August 15. I know my Hound Dog will love the doggy treats they have.

When you go to the commissary, don’t forget your digital coupons. You will be able to save even more when you use them on products at the store.

Want to know the weekly manager’s specials? Sign up for MilitaryShoppers’ newsletter.

For ALL of the items found in our Commissary Specials Flyer, click here.

Your Guide to Digital Coupons

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We all know that coupons can save us money at the commissary. However, sometimes finding those coupons can be quite the challenge, from having to get the Sunday newspaper to finding the coupons you want to use. You also have to buy the paper and that might not be in the budget.

That is why digital coupons can be a lot easier. You can find sites that work best for you, only clip the coupons you will use, print and take to the store. They are a lot easier to manage.

Your Guide to Digital Coupons

Are you looking for printable coupons?

Coupons.com is the first place I like to go to get digital coupons. They have an easy to navigate website and you can find the coupons you want to use. You will need to go through their list of coupons and digitally “clip” them and print out the ones that you want. They update with new coupons on the 1st of every month so it’s a good idea to get in the habit of going to the site on the 1st and getting your coupons for the month.

There are a few other sites you will want to go to on a regular basis to find coupons to use at the commissary:

SmartSource Online Coupons

CoolSavings

Coupon Cabin 

Coupon Mom

You should be going to your favorite products pages too, a lot of times you can get digital coupons that way. Sometimes they have them on their website and other times they might want you to sign up for their newsletter or like their Facebook page.

Make sure to do your research on the sales going on at the commissary and matching them up to your coupons. You will save more money if you use your coupons on sale items. I like to get into the weekly habit of doing this based on what is on sale and what coupons I have. If you take the time to do this, you can really increase your savings.

I like to go to Southern Savers to get my commissary match-ups done each week. This blogger makes finding the match-ups easy because all you have to do is click on the link to the commissary and find out what is on sale that you can match with your digital coupons. You can also find some printable coupons on her site.

You will want to have a good way of keeping your coupons organized. If you don’t do this you will be more likely to forget your coupons and not find the ones you need for the products you plan to get. Once I started organizing my coupons I was able to always remember to bring them and no longer left them at home when I would head to the store.

One option is to buy a binder, some baseball card holders and make categories for the types of items you buy. You can break the sections down to be specific or keep things more general such as “breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.” I like to have them more specific than that because I find it is much easier to look through my coupons before my shopping trip. If you don’t want to use a big binder, you can find or make a small coupon wallet that will fit into your purse.

Are you looking for printable coupons? Check out the coupons.com for valuable coupons to help your family save money on your grocery bill.

5 Things You Should Always Label with a ‘Do Not Pack’ Sign

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You are getting ready to PCS! You are trying to get everything ready for the movers to come and pack up your home.

The only thing is, you don’t want the movers to pack everything. There are certain items you will need to label with a “Do Not Pack” sign.

What type of items should you place a “Do Not Pack” sign on? Items that you will either need to carry with you as you travel or that you really don’t want to find a week or even sometimes months later at your new duty station.

5 Things You Should Always Label With A "Do Not Pack" Sign During a PCS

What items do you label as “Do Not Pack” during a PCS?

5 Things You Should Always Label with a “Do Not Pack” Sign During a PCS

1. Stuff for the Kids. You want to make sure you save enough for them to do when the house is empty or you are in a hotel. For us, that was a backpack full of their favorite toys, a laptop and some DVDs.

When we moved from Germany back to the United States we had to stay in our house in Germany for a few days after they packed up all of our things. Life was easier when we had a few items for my boys to do while we waited.

2. Important Paperwork. You will want to carry your most important paperwork with you, especially what you might need for the move. We bought a folder to keep everything with us at all times. I have heard stories of passports being packed as well as other important papers and sometimes it’s close to impossible to get the paperwork back in time if you need it to move.

3. Trash. Before we ever went through a PCS, I was warned to make sure you put a “Do Not Pack” sign on the trash. Otherwise, the movers might pack the trash and we would find it later.

In our case, that would have been months later since we were going overseas. I don’t even want to think about what a banana peel would smell like after weeks in a box heading over to Germany to join us.

Make sure they can’t pack the trash. You will be glad you did.

4. Cleaning Supplies. You will need to clean your house or apartment after your items leave and before you turn in your key. You don’t want to have to rebuy a broom or other supplies you might need. You want to make sure you go through everything ahead of time. If you have a cheap vacuum you don’t mind donating after you are done, keep that out too. Otherwise you will want them to pack the vacuum and you will need to borrow one if you need to clean your carpet after the movers have left.

5. Important Items. This one applies if you can take your important items with you in your own car.

For me, it would be my scrapbooks and my journals. I would feel a lot more comfortable with them in the car with us instead of with the movers. When we went overseas I did not have that option and luckily nothing happened to them but if I was going to move within the United States, I would want them with me.

Your important items might be something you just can’t ever replace or something that is very special to you. Make sure they don’t pack them if you can take them with you another way and want to keep them a little safer.

What items do you label as “Do Not Pack” during a PCS? What’s the worst thing that has been packed by mistake?

 

End of the Deployment? 5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

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Even though you never thought the day would come, the end of the deployment is almost here. Your spouse is coming home and it is time to prepare for his or her homecoming.

You know there is a lot you need to do, but how do you get started? What if you miss something? Everything is going to be OK, I promise.

5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

What advice would you give to military spouses preparing for a homecoming?   Photo credit: Michaela Stuart Photography

Here are 5 things to think about when getting ready for a military homecoming.

1. Find an Welcome Home Outfit. You want to look good when your spouse sees you for the first time after months apart. Picking an outfit has always been one of my favorite things to do. Depending on the season, I have worn anything from a summer dress to a nice sweater and jeans. You want to be comfortable but it can be a lot of fun to pick out something new and a little more fancy than you would be used to. If you have friends who are also getting ready for homecoming, you can all shop together.

2. The Kids. If you have children you need to decide if you are going to have them at the homecoming with you. Keep in mind that you will be waiting for a few hours and if the flight gets in at 2 a.m. having someone come over to your house to watch the kids while they sleep might be a good idea. You could also have a night with your spouse before he or she sees your kids if you have a good babysitter to watch them. Every homecoming we have been to has had an area for the kids to play, which is nice and can keep them occupied during the wait.

5 Tips for a Military Homecoming

How do you prepare your kids for a military homecoming? Photo credit: Michaela Stuart Photography

3. Make Signs. Holding a sign when you see your spouse coming off the plane or into the building is a lot of fun. The FRGs I have been in usually have a day to get together and make signs. You can also make them at home with your kids or even have one made.

4. Clean the House and Car. You will want to spend some time getting the house and car cleaned. If it’s in your budget you can hire someone to clean the carpets too. Try not to stress about how clean the house is. Your spouse will be fine if your house does not pass the white glove test. However, coming home to a clean house when you have been away for a while is a great feeling so I always try to do a deep clean before my husband gets home.

5. Relax and Remember. It can be easy to lose your cool during this time. The weeks before homecoming can be very stressful. Remember that times and dates can change. They can do so by the hour, the day or even the week. I have heard of soldiers being delayed by 2 weeks or even longer. Try to stay calm and take everything day by day. Remember to relax when you can and still stay busy until the end. The last week will drag by and you might go crazy if you don’t have anything to do while you wait.

Homecoming can be one of the best days of your life. Try to remember that the details will all work out, no matter how crazy it gets. Prepare yourself for changes and look forward to good times together again.

What advice would you give to military spouses preparing for a homecoming?