Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

5 Military-Themed Elf on the Shelf Ideas

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Children go crazy over Elf on the Shelf and many parents across the world love it and have fun creating magical moments with their children. I am very excited to join in the Elf on the Shelf craze with our 2-year-old this year. There are so many fun ideas to get the family into the holiday spirit.

5 Military-Themed Elf on the Shelf Ideas

What is Elf on the Shelf?

For those that haven’t heard of it yet, it is an exciting way to bring the holidays alive. You can purchase one of Santa’s scout elves at most retailers across America and online. These elves are magical helpers that enable Santa to manage his naughty and nice list. They watch children throughout the day and then report to Santa about their behavior nightly. Once a family gives the elf a name it becomes magical and can fly back to the North Pole each night. When it returns to the family’s home, it chooses a new place each day to watch the children.

The personality of your elf reflects the family. Your Elf on the Shelf may be crafty, mischievous, silly or simply fun. Children will have fun each morning hunting for the elf. Is it in the living room, the bathroom or kitchen? What has he been up to all night since flying back to the family?

Here are 5 military-themed Elf on the Shelf ideas to bring the fun to your home.

 

Military Elf on the Shelf

5 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Military Families

Military Elf on the Shelf idea by Veterans United Network.

Dress your magical Elf on the Shelf in his very own ACUs/BDUs and make dog tags out of aluminum foil to start the season off in real military style. You don’t need to break out the sewing machine for this cute outfit. You can find camouflage tape at craft stores.

Salute the Flag

I love this idea by Picklehead Soup blog. Set up your Elf on the Shelf under the tree so the light is shinning bright on your elf. Position him so that he is saluting the American flag. If you have a GI Joe or other uniformed toy have it hold the flag. Don’t have an action figure like this? Use the camouflage tape you dressed the elf in previously. Using this position on December 7 can give you the opportunity to talk to your children about Pearl Harbor.

5 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Military Families

Elf on the Shelf saluting the American flag by Picklehead Soup.

American Hero Elf on the Shelf Support

Is your service member deployed? This is a great way to have your Elf on the Shelf include them in the family holiday fun. You can purchase a small picture frame at the Exchange or make one yourself. Position the Elf on the Shelf tucked in bed holding a picture of the deployed parent. This will show that your elf is also thinking of mom or dad and make the children feel like this is a personal experience.

5 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Military Families

Phot by Rachel Affield via Pinterest.

Patriotic Elf

Is your military spouse about to deploy? Did you recently move? There’s likely to be a collection of military gear around the house. Gather a group of items and have your elf sit with it. This shows that your elf knows what’s going on and is there with the family.

5 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Military Families

Jennie Furlow’s Elf on the Shelf supporting Daddy via Blue Star Families.

The Crafty Elf on the Shelf

If you have an extra set of ACUs/BDUs have your elf get a little crafty. If you don’t have any extras, you’ll likely find some at thrift stores. Cut up a portion of them and position him with a pair of scissors sitting next to it as though he did it. This could be a good way to introduce your children into the fun craft of making military-themed ornaments.

5 Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Military Families

KB Crafting Solutions has an inspired Elf on the Shelf.

There are so many patriotic ways to bring military life into your home this holiday season. Have fun and be creative.

Share your Elf on the Shelf ideas in the comments section.

More and More Military Children Are Missing Their Vaccinations

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We all want to keep our children healthy and on track with immunizations, but it can be tricky when you constantly move. Switching doctors multiple times becomes frustrating when you have to repeatedly ask for your medical records to be sent to your new provider. You come to trust and rely on one doctor and then before you know it, it’s time to move again. Transitioning to a new health care provider can be stressful on both parents and military children.

Navigating the military health care system can be quite frustrating and keeping your military children on target for immunizations becomes difficult.

How can you as a parent of military children ensure they get the proper treatment on time?

According to a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics this year, 28% of military children between the ages of 19 and 35 months are not up to date on their immunizations compared with 21.1% of all other insured or uninsured U.S. children.

The conclusion of the study was that the most likely reason for this is that military children move so often.

Two other reasons for this include the lack of a universal military children immunization registry to collect and store all the records of immunizations as well as incomplete documentation of vaccinations.

Some parents of military children are diligent about keeping track of their kids’ vaccination schedules and continue to make appointments on time no matter where they are stationed. There are an array of circumstances that could prevent military children from receiving regular medical care however that is beyond the parents’ control. There was an Hib (haemophilus influenza type b) shortage between 2007–2009, which prevented many military children from receiving this shot, for example.

Not all doctors recommend the same shots, nor do they all follow the same timeline for when each vaccination should take place. The American Academy of Pediatrics does provide a recommended schedule of vaccinations that is meant to introduce immunizations at a particular period in a child’s development, but it isn’t always followed. Some parents fear the potential risks that may be involved with different shots or getting multiple shots in one visit.

This can lead to some vaccinations being delayed or missed all together for military children.

Finding a new medical provider and getting an appointment each time the military sends a family and their military children to a new military installation can be difficult.

In small hospitals, such as the one on NSF Dahlgren which only has 2 doctors, it can be difficult to get an appointment. It can be just as hard to get an appointment at military treatment facilities on large military installations where there are many doctors because there are so many military children and other dependents trying to make appointments.

How can you as a parent of military children ensure they get the proper treatment on time?

Most importantly, you should keep track of their medical records and not rely on a hospital to do it for you. Ask for a copy of the documentation of each vaccine they receive at the time of that appointment. You can get an immunization tracker card from your health care provider. You will need a copy of your child’s immunizations for child care, school enrollment, camps and international travel and it is much easier to have this on hand than to wait for your clinic to provide one.

Take the time to become knowledgeable about vaccines. If a previous physician has recommended an immunization and your new one does not, or vise versa, you need to know why and be able to make an informed decision as to whose recommendation you want to follow. Some doctors suggest spreading out vaccines while others lump multiple shots into one office visit. You need to understand why and speak up if you want to separate them.

If you are able to, while you are at the doctor’s office, make the next appointment for your military children to have their next well visit. This will ensure that you keep them on time for getting the next round of vaccinations.

If the office does not make appointments that far in advance then put a reminder on your calendar to call closer to the date needed. It’s easy to tell yourself you’ll remember to do so, but life gets in the way and especially when the military sends you and your military children to a new location.

What has been your child’s experience with the military’s health care system? Are they getting their vaccinations on time?

Army Families Burdened by Backlogged Child Care

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Many Army families are facing huge debt from child care that they were expecting to be covered by the Army’s child care fee subsidy program.

Many Army families are facing huge debt from child care that they were expecting to be covered by the Army's child care fee subsidy program.

Have you been affected by the Army’s child care fee subsidy program backlog?

The Army fee assistance (AFA) is meant to cover the higher cost of off-post child care for eligible families. This program was designed to assist families when on-post child care is not available or when a family is too far away from the military daycare center. The coverage includes full-time or part-time care, before- or after-school care, respite care, as well as weekend and evening duty care. The AFA has not been doing this lately and families are struggling to pay for child care.

Many Army families are facing huge debt from child care that they were expecting to be covered by the Army's child care fee subsidy program.

A Fort Jackson Family Child Care provider plays with a 17-month-old boy. Source: Army.mil

The backlog started when the Army switched from the program being run by Child Care Aware, which continues to run the program for the Air Force, Navy and Marines successfully, to the General Services Administration (GSA). The reason for the transfer of services has not been made transparent at this time.

The information on how poorly GSA has managed the program however is clear.

The problem started as soon as GSA took over program management. GSA went from managing a case load of 200 families to a significant increase by 9,000 Army families. They weren’t prepared for the substantial change and failed to put into place a plan to carry the new load. So far each plan they have tried to gain control of the program has failed and the backlog continues to grow exponentially. Processing has become so slow that as of the end of July they are behind in paying 9,100 invoices.

Army families that depend on the subsidy have waited months to receive reimbursement or are still waiting.

There are many that report falling into debt so much that they have had to file bankruptcy or had a civilian spouse quit their job or stop going to school since they can’t afford child care. A huge frustration to the majority is the lack of communication.

Staff at GSA have admitted that they have deleted voice messages and purposefully not responded to emails because they didn’t have the “luxury” of time to devote to them as the backlog of other tasks is so high. This simply outrages many struggling military families searching for information.

GSA said that they have been tackling the long list of email queries and that the number of emails not receiving a reply has gone down from 4,000 to 621 since the end of July. That isn’t much comfort to the more than 600 people left in the dark and in debt.

GSA said its goal is to pay off all invoices by the end of this year by hiring more staff. Getting fingerprints and having background checks completed as well as being unable to find enough qualified candidates to apply for the positions has delayed the acquisition of more processors. As the days on the calendar quickly tick by, few people believe they will obtain this goal. GSA is meeting with Army officials to discuss the matter and if and how the program may be transferred to another management company.

In the meantime, Army families around the country will be waiting anxiously to find out if they will be receiving financial relief anytime soon.

The holidays are quickly approaching and this hardship that many families are enduring could put a damper on travel and gift giving. Hopefully, a solution will come soon and the season will be bright for all.

Have you been affected by the Army’s child care fee subsidy program backlog? What has your experience been like?

10 Changes We’d Love to See at the Commissary

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We love shopping at the commissary, but there are still a few things that each of us would like to see improved upon.

Here are the top 10 changes we would love to see the commissary make.

Extended Shopping Hours. Commissary business hours are not consistent across the board. Some are open 7 days a week while others are closed on Mondays for restocking. The small commissary on NSF Dahlgren is closed on Sundays and Mondays  and only open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the week, with an extra hour on Tuesdays.

Bigger bases have longer hours though. Little Creek commissary in Virginia Beach is open 7 days a week. They have early bird entry at 8:30 a.m. and regular hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (on Sundays they close at 7 p.m. though). We all like shopping at the commissary, but when you need a last-minute item, the commissary may already be closed.

Wider Aisles. If you go to the commissary early in the morning, you’re going to run into retirees and parents shopping with their young children. If you’ve ever tried to pass either of these customers down an aisle in the commissary, you know it’s a hard thing to do. Most aisles are too narrow. There ends up being a line of people waiting to go around someone that is looking at a product or attending to their children.

More Free Samples. Adults and children love free samples. Giving kids something to snack on makes shopping easier as they are busy with their treats. Consumers are more likely to purchase a product once they have tried it as well, which increases sales.

Continually Stocked Shelves. Due to shipping complications, some commissary shoppers overseas have had issues with product availability.  This past year, overseas commissaries were faced with food shortages that led to disappointment among those commissary patrons that rely heavily on the commissary for their groceries.

More Made in America Products. We have an International aisle, so why don’t we have an American aisle? It is really hard to find things made in America. You have to search labels for the country of origin. Some companies proudly advertise it on the front, which makes more of us inclined to purchase it. If, for example, you wanted to buy apple juice made with apples grown only in the United States you won’t be able to do that. They all contain apples from multiple countries.

Bigger Organic Selection. We are all trying to feed our families healthy meals by being better informed on product quality. More and more customers are purchasing organic items and the demand is increasing. Many markets offer large organic sections, having both an organic produce area and an entire aisle dedicated to organic products. You don’t see nearly as much of this in the commissaries.

Coffee Shop Inside the Commissary. It doesn’t have to be Starbucks necessarily, well maybe for some picky consumers it does. Some commissaries have a free cup of coffee station at the entrance, but that is just a tease.  Many military installations have contracts with Starbucks, Einstein Bagels, Dunkin Donuts and more for coffee shops in the food courts, but we’re talking about getting a deliciously brewed beverage right there in the commissary. It isn’t as far fetch either as lucky commissary patrons in California already have this perk.

More Fun Kid Friendly Shopping Carts. Some of the commissaries have spaceship shopping carts or other designs with pretend steering wheels for children to ride in while their parents shop. The problem is that there are only a few of these.

Once your child has spotted one they’ll ask to ride in one each time you venture to the commissary and finding one can be difficult.

Adding a few more to each commissary would be great. Many grocery stores also have child size shopping carts so they can have their own cart to push and feel like they are truly helping shop.

No More Plastic Bag. Plastic bags are already banned in multiple states. It’s time that the commissary joins the crusade to help the environment. Paper bags are a better option and reusable bags are also available for purchase the commissary.

Order Online and Curbside Pickup. There are grocery stores that already offer this perk. It would be great if the commissary did too. It would be especially helpful to people that find it hard to get inside to shop, particularly elderly, disabled and parents with babies and small children. There is a program being tested. Hopefully it is successful and becomes a commissary benefit.

What changes would you like to see at the commissary?

Is DoD’s PCS System Wasteful, Inefficient?

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Arizona Republican Senator John McCain released a statement criticizing the government for wasting money by not budgeting for PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves.

Is DoD's PCS System Wasteful, Inefficient?

With all the government monitoring out there, it is hard to believe that there is no government oversight with PCS moves.

More than 600,000 service members and their families PCS each year. As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain received the Government Accountability Office’s report which criticized the government for not tracking the money spent on PCS moves and did the math. This lack of oversight is costing the government a lot of money.

In a statement Sen. McCain said

Despite the crippling effects that sequestration is having on our military services, the Defense Department continues to throw millions of dollars out the door as it fails to adequately manage the costs and budget for service member relocations.

The government has been spending more on PCS moves lately, with a remarkable increase over the last 14 years. That is an increase from $3.8 billion annually to $4.3 billion last year according to the Government Accountability Office’s report.

Interestingly enough, these costs are rising while the number of PCS moves continue to go down. Annual moves are actually down 12 percent. In 2001 for example 731,000 troops had PCS moves while only 646,000 moved in 2014.

Why are PCS costs so high?

PCS moves incur fees for shipping household goods, storing them and issuing travel allowances, temporary lodging expenses and other costs. Officers are allocated more money for PCS moves than enlisted service members and the Air Force has more officers than any other branch. Having troops PCS more frequently then they are suppose to is also causing an increase in cost.

There are time frames set by the government for how long a service member is suppose to be stationed in one location. The time actually allocated between PCS moves is not being followed or tracked. While commands are suppose to report how long service members are in a location, they are not doing so. They are also allowing troops to PCS before they are scheduled to.

The entire PCS system is not being monitored at all. With all the government monitoring out there, it is hard to believe that there is no government oversight here. Because DoD does not evaluate whether the PCS system is efficient, it cannot identify changes that need to be made to lower costs or to determine how to control it.

The Government Accountability Office’s report recommends that DoD initiates a system to report all PCS budget data, evaluate the PCS program often and make a point to seek out data on why service members are moved before their minimum station length is reached. It would also recommend required waivers for early PCS moves.

DoD agrees with Government Accountability Office’s recommendations. What will actually happen now or how long it will take is undetermined. One thing for sure is that military families will be keeping an eye out for changes to PCS moves.

What do you think? Do you agree with Sen. McCain? Do you have any suggestions on how DoD can save money when military families PCS?

 

6 Pumpkin Treats for Care Package

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Are you putting together an autumn-themed care package this year? It is really difficult to find the commonly available fall goodies outside of America that we all stateside have come to know and love. Take some time this season to pack up a few pumpkin treats for your loved one in an autumn-themed care package. A little reminder of home can go a long way to make the day of a service member missing this great season.

Here are 6 delicious pumpkin-flavored treats available for a limited time at your military commissary. Stop by and stock up, not only for your service member’s care package, but also for yourself.

1. Pumpkin Spice Oreos

Yes, these absolutely delicious cookies do exist. I might of already eaten more than my fair share of them. The overpowering aroma of cinnamon and spice will have your loved one instantly in a state of fall euphoria.

The packaging for Pumpkin Spice Oreos is small enough that you can fit a couple of them into an autumn care package. You will want to send more than one, because they will be requesting more. Pumpkin Spice Oreos are only around for a limited time, so stock up today.

2. Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts

Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts are a great way to start a morning. Your service member will be thanking you for sending them in the care package. Delicious right out of the package, but even more so hot out of the toaster, these treats are sure to have anyone on their way to a good day.

Pumpkin Pie Pop-Tarts are only available in the large box that contains 12 toaster pastries, so fitting more than 2 boxes into a care package my be difficult. But it’s worth it.

3. Quaker Pumpkin Spice Instant Oatmeal

This is another pumpkin-inspired breakfast item to add to your autumn care package. While it isn’t quite cold here, your service member may be experiencing chillier weather where they are. Help them start their day off with a delicious fall breakfast with Quaker Pumpkin Spice Instant Oatmeal. It will surely bring back memories of autumn days in America.

4. Starbucks VIA Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte

You don’t need to make a special trip to Starbucks to pick up their VIA Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte for this care package. Instead, simply venture down the coffee isle in your commissary. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much less they cost at the commissary as well. The packaging is very small so you will be able to put multiple Starbucks VIA Instant Pumpkin Spice Latte packets into an autumn care package.

5. Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Spice Ground Coffee

Does your service member love pumpkin spice coffee? No need to add calorie loaded pumpkin syrup to their morning brew. Dunkin’ Donuts has released their Pumpkin Spice Ground Coffee again this year and you’ll find it in the commissary. Add a bag to your autumn care package and delight your service member with this delicious coffee.

6. Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pepperidge Farm actually has 2 different pumpkin spice cookies. You can choose between their Pumpkin Spice Milano Cookies or the Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies. Both are very sweet so if you have a service member with a sweet tooth, this is for them.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies are actually made with real cream cheese and are amazingly soft. Your autumn care package will be stuffed with greatness with either of these 2 cookies.

Don’t forget to add other personal touches to your autumn care package. Take the children to a local pumpkin patch and take their photos. You can have the kids color a frame for it or draw a picture. Make a few fall themed greeting cards and add some popular fall movies. Hocus Pocus is a good non-scary movie that may bring back memories of family movie nights.

Looking for pumpkin recipes? Search MilitaryShoppers’ recipe contest page.

Make your service member’s day by surprising them with an autumn care package full of delicious pumpkin-inspired treats.

What are your favorite items to send in care packages this time of year?

Tricare’s Long-Term Prescription Policy Changes

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It seems as if every time you turn around there’s talk of Tricare changes. It isn’t just talk any more. As of October 1, 2015, there is a big policy change by the Defense Department. It issued a major change to how beneficiaries receive long-term medication that is brand name.

Tricare will no longer allow these maintenance medications to be filled at retail pharmacies.

All reoccurring medications must now be either ordered through the Tricare mail order pharmacy system, Express Scripts, or picked up at a military treatment facility (MTF).

Why is Tricare changing their policy on maintenance medication refills at retail pharmacies?

The reason why is abundantly clear, to save money. The government is always looking for ways to save money and this is yet another avenue they are choosing to go down. 61 million prescriptions, last year alone, were filled at retail pharmacies using Tricare. That cost the government $5.1 billion.

Using military treatment facilities or Express Scripts will save the government 32% on brand-name maintenance medications over retail store purchases. Government officials estimate moving to this new policy will save $88 million annually.

It isn’t just the Department of Defense that will save money. Beneficiaries are forecasted to save around $176 per prescription over the course of a year by no longer paying co-pays at retail pharmacies and instead having them filled at an MTF or through Express Scripts.

How Tricare's Long-Term Prescription Policy Changes Affect Military Families

What will happen if you don’t switch to Tricare mail order pharmacy and instead try to fill your brand name drug at a retail pharmacy? You will pay 100% of the cost.

For immediate needs, new prescriptions for brand-name long-term care medications can be filled at retail pharmacies, but only for a 30-day supply or less. If more than 30 days is needed, the beneficiary is required to get further medication from a MTF or through the Tricare mail order pharmacy.

What happens if you run out or there is an emergency and you can’t get to a military treatment facility?

Tricare will continue to grant case-by-case exceptions for beneficiaries to include personal hardships, emergency and other circumstances. Those requests will need to be made through Express Scripts.

What will happen if you don’t switch to Tricare mail order pharmacy and instead try to fill your brand name drug at a retail pharmacy? You will pay 100% of the cost.

Because it doesn’t cost the government nearly as much, beneficiaries can still fill generic drugs using Tricare at retail pharmacies. Medications that treat acute illnesses and prescriptions that are covered by other insurance can also continue to be filled at retail pharmacies.

What are maintenance drugs?

Maintenance drugs are medications taken on a regular basis for chronic, long-term conditions. These include drugs that control blood pressure, antidepressant medications and painkillers, for example.

Related: Military Families May Need to Pay for ER Visits in the Future

They do not include short-term prescriptions such as drugs prescribed for short term uses, such as antibiotics.

How can you be sure if you need to fill your prescription through Express Scripts?

The Defense Health Agency has a list of drugs it categorizes as maintenance medications. This list will be available to beneficiaries on the Tricare Pharmacy Program website and will be available through Tricare Pharmacy Program Service Center phone system. You can also review the list of brand name maintenance drugs here.

If you are unsure if your prescription should be switched over to Tricare mail order pharmacy system, call Express Scripts at 1-877-882-3335.

What questions do you have about Tricare’s change to long-term prescriptions?

Does the Commissary Raise Prices on Payday?

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It’s a common misconception that the commissary raises prices on payday. For those that shop at the commissary regularly and purchase specific items on a continuous basis, we’ve all come to know the item’s price. When the price jumps up one day, the rumors start among military spouses.

Did the commissary raise the price because it’s payday?

Let’s put that rumor to rest. No, they do not raise prices on payday.

The commissary changes its prices twice a month, which happens to fall on the 1st and 16th of each month. It doesn’t mean they raise their prices on those days. That’s the cycle of sales. Those price changes last for 30 to 45 days, so while it may appear that the price went up, it really could be that you have enjoyed the sale price all month and that sale has now come to an end.

Many grocery stores out in town change their prices weekly or more often. This 30- to 45-day window is simply a longer business model.

At the same time prices are going up, they are also going down; it is usually a 50/50 mix.

Don’t forget that DeCA is required by law to sell all items at cost plus surcharge. They do not make a profit.

The commissary truly can be “worth the drive” as they say. By selling products at cost DeCA is passing on a huge savings to military families. Shopping at the commissary regularly can save you 30% overall on your grocery bill. Some people question this savings saying that they can find a particular item for less at a civilian grocery store. There are many reasons for this.

Their store model is most likely different so their prices might change more often than the commissary. Commercial stores can also buy into deals that manufacturers offer them in order to pass that savings on to consumers. Those types of deals are not necessarily available to the commissary.

These stores may also offer items at a loss to entice patrons into their store in hopes that they will spend more on higher profit earning items. Since the commissary can only sell goods at cost and does not make a profit, they do not engage in this sort of marketing.

There are many wonderful reasons to shop at the commissary and saving money is at the top of the list for many people. DeCA knows this, and that’s why they work so hard to bring the products we all love to commissaries around the world. Now that you know they do not raise their process on payday, shop easy the next time you’re at the commissary knowing you’re getting great products at good prices.

If you want to save even more, pick up a commissary rewards card at the checkout next time you shop. You can also find out when sales start by signing up for the MilitaryShoppers newsletter and by visiting MilitaryShoppers anytime.

What questions do you have about shopping at the commissary? Share them with us in the comments section.

Commissary Food Bank Donations Top 4 Million

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Yes, you read that correctly; commissary food bank donations have reached 4 million pounds. This is an amazing, and almost unfathomable number, but did you even know that the commissary made donations to food banks?

The program actually started back in 1985, but the hassle of registering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services kept many food banks from registering. Eventually, the program fizzled out.

It wasn’t until the government shut down of 2013 that the program came back to life.

With doors closed, food was simply wasting away on the shelves. DoD quickly gave the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) approval to donate those goods before they could lose too much shelf life. Unsellable, but edible items were quickly donated to local food banks.

Once those food banks saw how much they could benefit from commissary donations and with a little push, many started filling out the paperwork to register for ongoing designations. That year alone, the commissary was able to donate just over 636,000 pounds of goods to 72 food banks. That sounds amazing.

What’s more so, is that the program has grown so much that 1.8 million pounds of unsellable goods have been donated already this year, combined from 172 stores. 107 food banks have been able to accept donations this year.

At this rate, the commissary expects donations to easily top 2 million pounds by the end of the year.

This giant number is great, but at the same time it sounds like there is an enormous amount of excess being created by the commissary. There are 241 stores, so this actually makes up less than 1% of commissary goods. Now that doesn’t sound quite as wasteful.

The items that the commissary donates are all unsellable yet edible goods. That means that the package might have been damaged or that it somehow otherwise does not meet the visual requirement by the commissary to be sold on their shelves.

Luckily, something good came from the 2013 government shut down and people all over the country are now benefiting from the revival of this program. The press release from the Defense Commissary Agency comes at a great time. September has been designated as Hunger Action Month, when food banks across America urge people to stand up and fight hunger in their town. While it’s amazing that agencies such as the commissary are able to make huge impacts in the communities, you can make a difference too.

Food banks are always looking for donations. 1 in 6 Americans suffer with food insecurity, meaning they often go hungry or worry about having enough to eat. If 1 in 6 doesn’t catch your eye, that’s roughly 50 million Americans wondering if they’ll be able to put dinner on the table.

You can make a difference this month, and always, by donating the food in your pantry that isn’t going to get eaten. We all have a jar of this and a can of that that we question why we ever bought it in the first place. No one in the house is going to eat it, but there is someone out there that would be grateful to have it.

Make some time to clean out your kitchen of unwanted, unused items and take them down to your local food pantry. If you don’t have any food to give, you can still help by volunteering your time.

Hopefully the commissary, and this article, have helped to open your eyes to the growing need for donations in food pantries across the country and you will take action to help alleviate hunger in your town.

Want to know about the commissary food bank donations? Click here.

Making Jam Is a Simple Way to Preserve Summer’s Flavors

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Making Your Own Jam, Jelly & Relish

August is rich with fresh fruits perfect for turning into delicious jams and jellies. Homemade jam by Whitney via Flickr

August is here and that means it’s officially jam, jelly and relish-making season.

Are you Suzy Homemaker who whips up a great jam each year or will this be the year you make your first batch?

Either way, MilitaryShoppers has everything you need to know about making your own jam, jelly and relish.

First of all, what’s in season? Make sure you know which fruits and vegetables are in season before you start looking at recipes and head to the commissary.

August is rich with fresh fruits perfect for turning into delicious jams and jellies.

Blackberries, blueberries, apples, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries and strawberries are all ripe and ready for you. While apple season is just kicking off, blueberries are on their way out. If you plan on canning blueberries, this might be your last chance this year.

The two most popular fruits, strawberries and raspberries, will be around until November so there is plenty of time left for them. Blackberries will be in season through October, but the big juicy ones that grow in the south are already gone. Don’t worry; you can still find great ones from Oregon (the leading blackberry producer in America).

Making Your Own Jam, Jelly & Relish

Instead of picking the berries yourself, you can pick up a pint at your military commissary. Photo by Jared Smith via Flickr

My parents own Blackberry Hill Alpacas farm in Alabama and while it is an alpaca farm, there are numerous wild blackberry bushes growing (hence the name). My mom dons jeans, long sleeves, gloves and lots of sunscreen to venture into those prickly bushes each June to collect blackberries for her jam.

I recommend skipping the torment of sweating in the heat, being bitten by who knows what, poked with thorns and sunburned and just go to the commissary and buy a few pints to make your jam.

Everyone has their own story to tell about their jam, which makes it that much more special. Whether it’s how you handpicked the berries, the mischief the kids got into while you were mashing them or the mess you made while doing it, there’s always a story behind the jam. That’s probably one of the reasons why it has become so popular to make your own these days.

You can venture out with your own recipes, try one passed down from grandma or go with a new one from your fellow MilitaryShoppers readers.

Making Your Own Jam, Jelly & Relish

Do you like to make your own jam, jelly or relish?

Interested in freezing jam? Brandi Thomas submitted her recipe for freezer jam. Strawberry jam is by far the most popular; there’s nothing quite like the aroma of strawberries in the kitchen. Try this strawberry jam recipe for something new.

Making Your Own Jam, Jelly & Relish

My challenge to you is to submit your canning creation’s recipe to MilitaryShoppers recipe contest.

Looking for something to do with the jam you make, besides spreading it on toast? Put a smile on your family’s face with a jam cake topped with brown sugar icing. They will thank you for making such a treat. All jams and jellies aren’t sweet though. Nicole Cloutier has a great recipe for raspberry jalapeno jelly that will get you going in the morning.

This season isn’t entirely about the fruit though. Once you’ve made jam or jelly, try relish. Did you plant a vegetable garden this year? If you’re tired of making salads, use your abundance of cucumbers for relish. Patti Osteen has a recipe that uses 24 cucumbers. That will take care of most of your harvest or at least a good bit. If you want to get a head start on holiday planning, test out some fall recipes now. Spicy cranberry relish is a great starter.

Wondering how these readers got their recipes on MilitaryShoppers? Did you know you can submit your own recipe? You can post them and one winner is chosen each month to receive a $50 commissary shopping spree. How sweet is that? My challenge to you is not only to make your own jam, jelly or relish this year, but to post your creation to the site and share with others tips for making it.

If you’re looking for visual help and step-by-step instructions on how to make jam, Allrecipes has a great tutorial.

Are you a DIY guru? Share your favorite canning recipes with MilitaryShoppers. Don’t forget, there’s one winner every month.