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Why His Deployment Is the Right Time to Earn Your College Degree

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Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Your service member’s deployment may be right time for you to start taking college classes.

You’ve been thinking about going back to school for a while now and your spouse just deployed. What are you waiting for?

Deployment is a great time to earn a college degree.

We’re all busy with family, work, volunteering and just life in general, which can put higher education on the back burner. If getting a degree truly is important to you, don’t put it off any longer.

Ask yourself a few questions and follow these tips to start working toward a college degree while your service member is away.

What type of learning environment suits your needs best?

Start by deciding if you would benefit most by going to a traditional college, an online program or a school that offers both in person and online classes. Is it feasible to make the commute to campus? Are you disciplined enough to take classes online and study on your own? What kind of experience are you looking for? Some people thrive in the classroom interacting with the professor and other students while some prefer to do it all on their own.

Do you want to go to a two-year or four-year college?

Community colleges offer associate degrees through a two-year program. Many students start at these schools, because they cost less and then transition to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Research colleges thoroughly.

Don’t limit your options to the college closest to you or exclude one you think might be too expensive. You might miss a great school that way. Widen your search and see what each school has to offer then you can determine if it is a match for what you want. Make sure the college you choose offers the program you want in the timeline you are looking for.

Browse through the school’s alumni directory to see what graduates have done with their degrees. Are there many listed in the field you are interested in? Read the school’s testimonies and search social media to see students’ perceptions of the college.

Decide on a major.

While you don’t need to decide on a major before you begin classes, it is helpful to have an idea of the area in which you want to pursue. You can take a few classes without declaring a major or simply register for general studies and many students change their majors multiple times.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

College is expensive. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships for military spouses.

One thing to consider though, you may end up taking extra classes, which means your college degree could take longer to attain and you will be spending more money.

Look for scholarships.

College is expensive, but you don’t have to foot the whole bill. There are thousands of scholarships available; you just have to look for them.

I had 9 scholarships for my undergraduate years. Combined they covered everything. A friend received one scholarship that paid for everything.

Scholarships are offered in various amounts and every little bit helps. Spend some time researching college scholarships. Apply to the ones that require more work. Those with essays receive fewer entries because people don’t want to spend the time doing them.

Start volunteering with your community, if you aren’t doing so already. This is a very valuable quality to put on scholarship applications and some scholarships even require a certain number of volunteer hours. Look for scholarships that are specific to you as well. There are scholarships available strictly to military spouses.

Talk to friends, family and coworkers about their experiences.

It can be difficult to make such a big decision. Seek out help from friends by simply asking them what they liked best about their school, their college experience and how they made their decision on a school that lead them to a degree.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

Make a college plan.

Look at the necessary courses for the degree you have chosen. Review the class schedule ahead of time and make a plan with a timeline for completing your degree. Some classes are only offered in specific semesters. Most programs have a capstone class that must be taken in your last semester. Make sure you know when that is so you aren’t waiting an extra semester just to take that one class because you didn’t time your program correctly.

Delegate time.

Once you have decided on a college and a program, make sure you take it seriously and spend the necessary time studying. That means setting aside a specific time to study. Do your homework. Don’t waste your time and money avoiding it. Delegate your time wisely and don’t show up late for class.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Are you thinking about going to college while your service member is deployed? What questions do you have?

Enjoy your classes.

College is a wonderful thing and can be a great experience if you let it. Study hard and you will feel so rewarded when you receive your degree.

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

Keep Your Sanity During Solo Parenting

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Keeping your sanity during solo parenting can be difficult.

I’ve been part of the military life since birth, as an Army brat and later a Navy wife. I’ve witnessed years of my mom going through it with my brother and me and now as a mother myself, I’m seeing firsthand what it is like to take on solo parenting when my husband is away.

Sunday marked my second year as a parent. I’ve experienced my share of deployments, late nights when my husband is working and weeks where he’s gone for training. He was deployed for 7 months after our son was born.

Being a parent is tough work, emotionally and physically. Being a solo parent can be even harder.

6 Tips for Keeping Your Sanity During Solo Parenting

How do you keep your sanity when you’re solo parenting?

Don’t let yourself get into a state of disarray during times of solo parenting. Your spouse may be away, but family life continues. I’ve made a point to tell many military wives and friends that you can’t let this stressful time bring you down and I’ve had to remind myself of my own advice multiple times.

Take a breath and follow these tips to stay out of or get out of a solo parenting slump.

6 Tips for Keeping Your Sanity During Solo Parenting

6 Tips for Keeping Your Sanity During Solo Parenting

Solo parenting can be hard, but hopefully these tips will help ease the tension and bring back a sense of peace and self-confidence.

Make friends. Do not isolate yourself during periods of solo parenting. Deployments, TDY/TDAs, unaccompanied orders and training cycles that keep our spouses working long hours can be tough. Talking to others can really help. Make friends with your neighbors so you have someone close by. Join your command’s spouse network. Find out about the PTA at your children’s school.

Make time for yourself. Send the kids out to a sleepover. Take turns with another mom watching each other’s kids and go get a massage, shop without your children or just enjoy a coffee and muffin on your back deck. Get a babysitter and go out with friends and fellow parents. You need to talk to grown-ups, particularly if you have a baby or toddler.

Get out of your house. Get out of your pajamas, put on clothes that empower you and leave your house. Go to a movie, try a new restaurant or go for a run. Nothing gets you down more than sitting at home. Get off the couch, turn off your computer and step out your front door. There’s a whole world out there full of possibilities.

Volunteer. There’s something about helping others that truly helps you grow as a person. As a solo parent, you have a lot on your plate, but making time for others really has its own rewards. Volunteer at your church for Sunday school, serve lunch at a local soup kitchen or read the mail to an elderly person.

I’ve done this and it is a wonderful feeling to see how happy they are to have company and to receive letters knowing someone is out there thinking of them. If you just can’t find the time, clean out your closet and make a donation to your local Salvation Army. You will have helped someone in need and cleared the clutter in your house at the same time.

Exercise. If you aren’t already participating in a regular exercise regimen, start one.

You can join a gym, hire a personal trainer or take a class at the YMCA. You can just put on your walking shoes and head out the door. Exercise increases your metabolism and raises serotonin. Serotonin affects your mood (read happiness), your appetite and digestion as well as sleep patterns, memory and sexual desire.

Now who wouldn’t want all that? Motivated to exercise now?

Make time for fun. The new school year has started and there will be stress from homework and juggling after-school activities. As a solo parent, you are responsible for all of this.

Make Friday night a pizza and movie night with the kids. Take the kids bowling, have fun at your local putt putt golf or dare I say it…take your kids to Chuck E. Cheese’s.

Children experience stress during times when a parent is away too. It is important that your kids have fun and enjoy time playing. It also keeps their minds busy and away from focusing too much on the fact that a parent isn’t there.

Related: Resiliency Starts with Resources: 4 Resources for Military Kids

Solo parenting can be hard, but hopefully some of this advice will help ease the tension and bring back a sense of peace and self-confidence. Remember, you can do this. You are not alone.

Seek out help if you become overwhelmed. You are not the only military spouse who is solo parenting out there.

How do you keep your sanity when you’re solo parenting?

The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

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The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

Did you know that officially, Tricare does not cover surrogacy?

Twenty percent of the 1,000 babies born each year via surrogate in America are carried by military wives, or some say. There is no official data, though you’ll see this number over and over again in so many sources, as surrogacy is highly unregulated. In fact, there is no federal law governing it.

State laws vary on surrogacy and in New York for example, it is illegal and any parties to a surrogacy arrangement can be fined up to $10,000. For a lawyer or agency, if they are caught a second time it is a felony. Other states, such as New Mexico don’t have a law at all. Tennessee, on the other hand, has a statute that expressly authorizes the surrogate birth process.

This makes surrogacy a bit complicated for some hopeful would-be parents. Finding the ideal surrogate in the right location can be a challenge. This is where military spouses come in. For some, they are seen as the ideal candidate. According to multiple agencies, military spouses make up 15 to 20 percent of their surrogates.

Military spouses are considered the ideal surrogates for many reasons.

Doctor examining a pregnant woman

What’s your opinion on military wives being surrogates?

Military spouses are generally independent and self-sufficient from years of being part of the military lifestyle. Their spouses are away a lot and so they must learn to overcome and do things on their own. They are mentally able to handle situations in a strong responsible way. Giving up a baby you’ve carried for 40 weeks is hugely emotional and some feel that military wives are more emotionally equipped.

The Ideal Surrogate, the Military Wife

How do you feel about military wives being surrogates?

Having a sense of duty and a desire to help is something strongly felt within the military community. Many surrogates state that their desire to help another couple have a family is their driving factor. Many people have the assumption that women become surrogates for the money, but looking at surveys and community boards, it is clear that most of them say the No. 1 reason they choose to do this is because they truly want to help another family.

The money however is also a driving factor. Service members do not, in general, make a lot of money. Surrogates are compensated between $25,000 and $50,000, with an average closer to $35,000. This is a substantial amount of money, especially for lower ranked enlisted who don’t earn much.

Health insurance, Tricare, is one reason agencies particularly like military spouses. Tricare pays for all of the doctor appointments, pre-natal care and deliveries. That is a huge savings for potential parents, as purchasing health insurance for the surrogate could cost them up to an additional $25,000 on top of the average $100,000 cost of having a baby though a surrogate via an agency. There is huge controversy in using Tricare however.

Officially, Tricare does not cover surrogacy. Doctors aren’t likely to specifically ask if you are having the baby for yourself. If Tricare becomes aware of this however, they have the right to recoup the cost, which they have done. The Chief of Public Affairs though has said,

We have 9.5 million beneficiaries and our beneficiaries will have roughly 2,100 birthday every week. We have to be focused on making sure everybody gets their care. We can’t be a big police force.

People have very strong opinions of those that take advantage of this loophole. Some don’t see a problem with it at all. Tricare is a benefit they are entitled to as part of a military family. It is their body and their right to do with it as they please.

Others say they are abusing the system. They are using taxpayers’ money to have babies for other people, possibly for would-be parents in other countries. I’m not quite sure how I feel yet even after all this time researching surrogacy in the military.

What’s your opinion on military wives being surrogates?

Deli, Bakery, Sushi Bar Back at Commissaries This Month

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Commissary bakeries, delis and sushi bars on U.S. installations that were closed over the last few months are finally reopening.

Nayyarsons Corporation held the contract for these, but DeCA (Defense Commissary Agency) canceled two contracts and did not renew one due to performance-related issues. Twenty-two commissaries were initially affected by this with another 22 shortly after that. Some bakeries, delis and sushi bars were temporarily closed while new contractors were sought.

Product shortages were one of the main issues DeCA repeatedly faced with Nayyarsons Corporation’s performance. The company was given a chance to rectify problems, but nothing it did resolved the shortcomings. DeCA operates a chain of commissaries around the world offering groceries to military service members, retirees and their families. The commissary is an important and valued benefit that many rely on. DeCA chose to end business with this company in order to find and maintain quality goods and services from a company it could rely on.

Military Deli and Bakery Services Inc. (MDBS) has been contracted to meet these needs. They already have contracts to manage the same sections in 72 commissaries. Most of those commissaries are on military installations out west, in North and South Carolina, Virginia, Texas and in Georgia. Military Deli and Bakery Services will now have contracts to cover 116 commissaries.

Since the end of February, most commissaries have only had limited deli-bakery functions. DeCA temporarily hired former employees of Nayyarsons Corporation as government employees in order to keep service going. Other patrons, such as those at Fort Carson, were surprised to find their deli closed.

After negotiations, a contract has been signed and families are once again seeing lights on behind the counters in commissaries across the country. DeCA expects sushi bars to be operating once again by the end of this month for those stores that previously had them.

Is your commissary on the list?

  • Alabama: Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base Annex, Maxwell Air Force Base*, Redstone Arsenal*, Fort Rucker*
  • Arkansas: Little Rock Air Force Base*
  • Colorado: Buckley Air Force Base*, Fort Carson*, Peterson Air Force Base*, U.S. Air Force Academy
  • Illinois: Scott Air Force Base*, Naval Station Great Lakes*
  • Indiana: Harrison Village
  • Kansas: McConnell Air Force Base*, Fort Leavenworth*, Fort Riley*
  • Kentucky: Fort Campbell*, Fort Knox*
  • Louisiana: Barksdale Air Force Base*, Naval AIr Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Fort Polk*
  • Michigan: Selfridge Air National Guard Base
  • Mississippi: Columbus Air Force Base*, Naval Construction Battalion Center Gulfport*, Keesler Air Force Base*
  • Missouri: Fort Leonard Wood*, Whiteman Air Force Base
  • Nebraska: Offutt Air Force Base*
  • New Mexico: Cannon Air Force Base, Holloman Air Force Base*, Kirtland Air Force Base*, White Sands Missile Range
  • North Dakota: Grand Forks Air Force Base*, Minot Air Force Base*
  • Ohio: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
  • Oklahoma: Altus Air Force Base, Fort Still*, Tinker Air Force Base*, Vance Air Force Base
  • Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Area
  • South Dakota: Ellsworth Air Force Base*
  • Tennessee: Naval Support Activity Mid-South (Memphis)*
  • Texas: Fort Bliss*, Sheppard Air Force Base*
  • Wyoming: FE Warren Air Force Base

* Locations with sushi bars

On July 1, 2015, American military commissaries celebrated their 148th anniversary. Shopping has changed dramatically in that time, but one thing has stayed the same, they still sell groceries at cost. DeCA wants to ensure the legacy continues and patrons will be able to purchase quality goods as one of the key benefits service members and families receive.

Hopefully, Military Deli and Bakery Services is the right company to help DeCA keep on track so that we can keep shopping.

Do you use the deli and bakery at your military commissary? How has your grocery shopping changed in recent months?

Senate to Vote on Cutting Dual-Military Couples BAH

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Dual-service couples, service members married to other service members, currently can both draw Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

In an attempt to cut spending, the Senate Armed Services Committee has recommended reducing BAH to only allow the higher ranked service member to receive BAH if both service members are stationed within reasonable commute of one another in the contiguous states.

This recommendation is part of the 2016 Defense Authorization bill (S. 1376) that will be voted on this month.

There are more than 40,000 dual-service couples in the military and that number continues to grow now that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. With the recent Supreme Court ruling that same sex partners can marry in America, the number may continue to climb. BAH costs have grown rapidly and in 2001 topped $1 billion annually. The committee aims to curb that cost with this bill.

As it stands, both service members can draw BAH even if they are stationed within the same area. If they do not have children, they both receive BAH at the without dependents rate. If they do have children the higher ranked service member receives the with dependents rate and the other receives BAH at the without dependents rate.

Senate to Vote on Cutting Dual-Military Couples BAH

What do you think of this proposal to reduce housing allowances for dual-military couples and roommates?

If this bill passes the Senate and later the House, dual-military couples could see their BAH rates change as early as October 1, 2015.

Under the new law,

(p) Single allowance for married members assigned for duty within normal commuting distance- In the event two members of the uniformed services entitled to receive a basic allowance for housing under this section are married to one another and are each assigned for duty within normal commuting distance, basic allowance for housing under this section shall be paid only to the member having the higher pay grade, or to the member having rank in grade if both members have the same pay grade, and at the rate payable for a member of such pay grade with dependents (regardless of whether or not such members have dependents).

This proposal would greatly impact a family’s income. An E-7 with children currently assigned to San Diego can draw BAH of $2,499 with dependents and their partner, an E-6 would draw the without dependents rate of $2,052. Their combined monthly BAH is $4,551.

Taking away the second BAH under the new law would lower their annual pay by $24,624. That is a significant amount of money for most military families.

Related: The Ins and Outs of the Tricare Choice Proposal

Dual-service couples are not the only ones that will see a change if this bill is approved. There is a second part to the bill that covers a reduction of BAH for service members that live together but are not partners.

(q) Reduced allowance for members living together- (1) In the event two or more members of the uniformed services who are entitled to receive a basic allowance for housing under this section live together, basic allowance for housing under this section shall be paid to each such member at the rate as follows:

(a) In the case of such a member in a pay grade below pay grade E-4, the rate otherwise payable to such member under this section.

(b) In the case of such a member in a pay grade above pay grade E-3, the rate equal to the greater of–

(i) 75 percent of the rate otherwise payable to such member under this section; or

(ii) the rate payable for a member in pay grade E-4 without dependents.

Many service members choose to have other service members as roommates to save on the cost of rent and utilities. This section of the bill would lower their combined BAH and curb that to a degree.

There is currently no plan to cut individual BAH, but there is talk of a reduction over time that service members will pay 5 percent of rent and utility costs. In the meantime, many eyes will be on the Senate this summer to see if service members’ bank accounts will significantly change this fall.

What do you think of this proposal to reduce housing allowances for dual-military couples and roommates?

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

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You’re having a baby. Congratulations! What a wonderful, exciting and terrifying time. Let’s add a PCS in there to help those already fluctuating hormones. If this is you, take a deep breath and find comfort that you are not the first milspouse to be expecting, moving and seeing your spouse off all at the same time. You are not alone.

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

Knowing the signs of postpartum depression and recognizing it in yourself is the first step.

There is a great network of support out there for you; you just need to know how to find it and we’re here to help.

I am a planner. Things don’t always work out the way you want it to though, especially when you’re married to the military.

We planned and conceived our child while on shore duty and when I was 6 months into the pregnancy we PCSed from Florida to Virginia. I went from a small town I knew well where I had a job, friends and family to a big city where I had to find new doctors on my own while my husband went through chief’s initiation (read never home). He came home one day and told me he would be deploying shortly after our son would be born. That is a lot for a pregnant woman to handle.

Pregnancy hormones are often talked about and every woman’s experience is different. This was my first pregnancy. I was pretty optimistic, a happy person that took things in stride. I was very excited about our new life adventure. Basically, I was on a happy stride during my pregnancy. Then the baby came. What goes up must come down, or so the saying goes. I was so happy to be a new mother, to hold our precious 5.7 pound peanut and to have my husband here for the delivery. When I went home though, my hormones changed as my body adjusted to motherhood.

People don’t really talk about postpartum depression as a personal experience. It wasn’t until I had my baby that so many friends told me how depressed they were after giving birth.

How could anyone be depressed at having a wonderful child of their own? It isn’t something you can control, that’s how.

I consider myself a very strong person and didn’t want to admit to myself, let alone anyone else, that this could be something that I would face personally. But how do you deal with it?

Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

People don’t really talk about postpartum depression as a personal experience. Source: Photosavvy via flickr

Knowing the signs of postpartum depression and recognizing it in yourself is the first step; being brave enough to get help is the next. Postpartum Progress puts it in simple terms with a list of questions you should ask yourself. Does this sound like you?

  • You feel completely overwhelmed and helpless.
  • You feel guilty for feeling this way and that you are a terrible person for not being happy as you think you should be.
  • You want to hurt your baby or yourself or to run away from your family.
  • You feel angry, annoyed, irritated, sad or nothing at all.
  • You just know you are not yourself.

If this sounds like you, then reach out and get help. It might be terrifying, you might feel ashamed to admit it to friends or family, but you will feel so much better when you do. There are many resources for milspouses:

  • Utilize Tricare and talk to your doctor. She can give you a referral to a specialist.
  • Military OneSource is a free resource specifically for military families. They offer online support, live calls and links to find in-person help. I also like their guide to having a baby while your spouse is deployed.
  • Postpartum Support International offers live phone sessions where you can speak with a certified specialist. There are local support groups you can join and online resources as well.

    Resources for New Mothers Struggling with Postpartum Depression

    What resources would you recommend for new moms?

  • MOPS, Mothers of Preschoolers, is a wonderful group. It’s actually for moms of children from birth through kindergarten. It isn’t a postpartum depression group; it’s a group of mothers that laugh, cry, eat and talk about motherhood. If you are struggling in any way, go meet some other moms. You’ll learn you aren’t alone. I did.
  • Milspouses are great resources too. Talk to your best friend, your neighbor, your FRG leader or ombudsman. Just talking to another grownup can make a difference. Getting out of your pajamas and out of the house often can as well. Go to a spouse brunch or say yes to an invitation to coffee.
  • Talk to your spouse. This should be the first step, but for some it’s the hardest.

No matter which route you take, there is help out there for you. Reading this article was your first step, which one will you take next? Remember you are not alone.

What resources would you recommend for new moms?

10 Things You Can Make Using Boxes

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It’s PCS season. Who just moved? I did and if your house looks anything like mine, it’s covered in boxes.

I had this great idea of having the movers do a full unpack so that they would take away the empty boxes and I wouldn’t have to pay to recycle them here. The movers arrived before 9 a.m. and left at 6 p.m. During that time, the only boxes that got unpacked were the ones my husband, my friend and I did. I was exhausted, they were exhausted and the movers were ready to be done.

Needless to say, all the boxes didn’t get unpacked and I have a house full of empty moving boxes. Now what?

10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

How have you reused moving boxes? Share your pictures with MilitaryShoppers.

While I saw it as a giant mess of boxes and packing paper, my 21-month-old son thought it was fantastic. He ran around the boxes, hid in them and jumped out shouting “peek-a-boo!” all day. It was nice to get a laugh and it made me think, there has to be something I can do with all these boxes. Did someone say Pinterest?

I thought I was a creative person; these people took it up a notch.

Here are 10 kid-friendly items you can make using moving boxes.

  1. Give your child a box of crayons and let their inner artist come out.

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Berry Sweet Baby

  2. Cut a box open and draw roads for your child’s cars to drive on.

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Jennifer Perkins

  3. What little kid hasn’t dreamed of having their own race car?

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Our Life

  4. What’s the one thing you will have set up the night you move in your new home? Your TV. Drive-in movie anyone?

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Our Life

  5. Simple games like this will entertain your toddler while you unpack.

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: HireAHelper

  6. How about an awesome elevator?

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Repeat Crafter Me

  7. This family actually had a cardboard box-themed birthday party. I love the train.

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: Sean Walker Photography

  8. A girl after my own heart. Hello coffee shop!

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: 45wall design

  9. How about your own town?

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: A Beautiful Mess

  10. You just moved and the kids left their friends and family. Why not make mailboxes and they can get excited about sending mail to them.

    10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

    Source: iKat bag

Do you have bubble wrap left over too? Make bubble wrap hopscotch. Who could resist the sound of the popping?

10 Kid-Friendly Things You Can Make Using Moving Boxes

Source: Sean Walker Photography

Some of these projects will only take a few minutes, whereas others will take a bit more effort. Be as creative as you want or just send your kid off with some crayons and let them use their imagination. You never know what they will come up with.

10 Fun Ways Kids Can Reuse and Play with Moving Boxes

Do your children like to play in empty moving boxes?

How have you reused moving boxes? Share your pictures with us.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

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Father’s Day is less than 2 weeks away. Have you bought a special gift to show your husband how much he means to you and your family? Whether you choose to make something or to buy a gift, we have a gift idea for you.

Here’s the 2015 MilitaryShoppers’ Father’s Day gift guide.

2015 MilitaryShoppers Father's Day gift guide for military dads

Here’s the 2015 MilitaryShoppers’ Father’s Day gift guide.

For the Sentimental Father: Photos

Consider hiring a photographer and having your children dress in daddy’s uniform or parts of it. If you’re on a budget,  you could always take the photos yourself. You can photograph the kids in your own backyard or go somewhere that is memorable to your family. The location of the photo could be just as special as the photo itself.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Britni Killeen Photography

Don’t have time for a photo shoot? Gather pictures you already have and present them in a fun way.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Order a personalized photo reel

Feeling crafty? I love this idea. Take photos from the states you have traveled to together or where you have lived and cut them in the shape of that state to fill in a map.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Cut Craft Create

Homemade Gifts from the Kids

The best gifts are the ones from the heart. Let your children show how much they care for their father by letting their creativity run free. If you have a toddler, simply have them color in this downloadable daddy page and add photos of your little one.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Smart Bottom Enterprises

You can capture the cuteness of your baby or toddler’s hand and footprints. Let Dad be part of the fun and make a memory together with this father and child handprint art.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Imgfav

Ask your children what they love most about their dad and have them write it on a chalkboard or write it for them if they are too young to do it themselves. You can photograph them with it and frame it for him.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Positively Splendid

For the Deployed Dad

2015 MilitaryShoppers Father's Day Gift Guide for Military Dads

Don’t forget to include some homemade cookies in your Father’s Day care package.

Send a care package full of family memories. Include letters from the children and yourself, photos of the family, snacks Dad loves and personal mementos. Add a touch of fun with punny Post-its as well.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Feeling a little silly? Send a giant hug his way. Who could resist such an adorable thing?

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Send a hug to a deployed dad this Father’s Day.

It can be lonely curling up in bed at night without having your husband next to you. This is a very unique gift. Send your spouse a special pillow. When he falls asleep, wherever he is in the world, your pillow will glow and you can hear his heartbeat when you rest your head on the pillow. Finding comfort in knowing your spouse is safely in bed can help you rest easy.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Sheknows.com

Military-themed Gifts

Service members collect and take pride in trading and receiving coins. Give them a beautiful way to display their military coins with a display case.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: United States Flag Store

Create a keepsake of your husband’s time in the military. Frame his picture, medals, awards and letters.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Bradley’s Art And Frame

Have a little fun with some gifts as well. What military man wouldn’t love this? 50 caliber bottle opener, money clip and cufflinks are great gifts.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Bullets 2 Bandages

Useful gifts are great, but skip the traditional tools. Try a Made In America smart key. It takes the bulk key mess your husband carries and turns it into a compact key holder. Now there will be more room in his pocket for family pictures.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: The Grommet

Is your husband a beer enthusiast? Order a man crate with personalized beer glasses and more.

Father's Day Gift Ideas for Military Dads

Source: Man Crates

There are so many ways to say “you are a great father and I love you” to your husband. Whether you choose to make something or to buy a gift, he is sure to love it.

What will you be giving your husband for Father’s Day this year?

Carter Says Women in Combat Could Be More Vulnerable to Sexual Predators

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Nothing gets a woman more determined than to tell her she can’t do something, especially when she has already set her mind to it.

Defense Secretary Carter Says Women in Ground Combat Positions More Vulnerable to Sexual Assault

Whether ground combat positions are available to women or not in the future, the door to discussion is open.

The U.S. military has maintained that women cannot hold ground combat positions and for some women that just makes them want it that much more. This has driven so many women to fight for the chance to prove they can, that they measure up and have what it takes to do the job.

In 2013, for the first time women were able to enter into roles that were previously only held by men. Just as doors have opened to women in new areas throughout the military though, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has made a few comments that might set that back. “Allowing women to serve in ground combat positions could make them more vulnerable to sexual predators,” Carter remarked to Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets at Georgetown University.

Obviously, as we get women into more unaccustomed positions, maybe dangerous isolated positions, maybe positions where they are fewer in relation to the number of men, it opens up opportunities for predators.

He then spun it and said there could be a positive effect of bringing more women into areas that have only been open to men.

“I can’t help but believe for many people; they’ll learn better how to conduct themselves, how to interact across gender lines and so forth. And that will contribute to prevention and eventually eradication of sexual assaults,” he added.

Social media exploded with comments in all directions replying to Carter’s statements.

Carl Woog, a spokesman for Carter, quickly came to his defense saying Carter opened the door to 20,000 new jobs for women in the military since taking office and that he is committed to ending sexual assault within the ranks.

Defense Secretary Carter Says Women in Ground Combat Positions More Vulnerable to Sexual Assault

How do you feel about Carter’s statements?

Some people on social media have honed in on “allowing” women to have these positions as anti-feminist. Others have fixated on “make them more vulnerable,” as if women were completely defenseless. I particularly liked one comment:

“How about we bar predators from combat roles instead of women doing their jobs?”

If Carter really wants to open military positions to women, are these comments helping or hurting that goal? Many people are mad and in this digital age, they aren’t afraid to sound-off about it.

This uproar could actually be a good thing though. It has people talking about sexual assault in the military. While some are afraid jobs will be closed off to women because of the potential risk of predators, I’m more inclined toward opening those doors. I want to see women fill those roles and lead our great country. I want them to succeed.

Whether ground combat positions are available to women or not in the future, the door to discussion is open. It is apparent at least with these few comments Defense Secretary Carter has a spotlight now shining on him. Will more jobs become available or will they be closed off to women because of him? Hopefully, the military will see changes for the good, no matter what those changes may be.

What do you think about Carter’s comments?

Cost-Saving Proposal Would Make Commissary Employees NAF Instead of GS

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Just when we’ve gotten used to something in our military life being stable, the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission (MCRMC) throws us another curve ball. As military families, we have come to accept change, but there are things we just don’t like having messed with. The commissary is one of those things.

Congress charges the MCRMC to review military benefits and make suggestions on how the government can modernize the military compensation and retirement system. Recommendation 9 in their report is to combine the commissaries and exchanges, theorizing that it will ensure better access and savings for military families. That in itself is a huge topic of debate.

A particular component of that recommendation is that DeCA, Defense Commissary Agency, employees be converted from GS (General Schedule) federal employees to NAF (non-appropriated fund) in order to reduce staffing costs by an estimated $110 million.

commissary

What does that really mean? An estimated 16,000 DeCA employees will be biting their nails waiting to find out how their salary will be affected. Currently, DeCA receives government funding and their pay scales are different, and usually higher, than NAF counterparts such as the Exchange. According to Beth Moten, the legislative and political director for the employee union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), every DeCA employee will see a pay cut of at least 10% based on the scale differences. She gives an eye opener of an example:

The starting salary for a NAF employee commissary cashier in Charleston, South Carolina, for example, would be 47 percent below that of the current starting salary of a DeCA cashier in the GS system.

Need actual numbers to shake things up for you? Entry-level cashiers in Nevada commissaries are GS-3 employees earning at least $25,000. If their jobs are changed to NAF, their pay would line up with minimum wage, which I Nevada is $8.25 an hour making their salary now only $17,160 a year. They would be doing the exact same job for almost $8,000 less a year.

How would your job satisfaction and job performance change with an $8,000 pay cut?

To make things worse, NAF employees also have a different health care package that has fewer options, the employee retirement contribution is lower and the retirement age is higher than GS workers. Changing their status to NAF will also make their jobs less dependable as they would now be vulnerable to formal reduction in work forces and the possibility of their job being outsourced.

This all sounds terrible, right? You bet. The strain of this change won’t just make an impact on DeCA workers; it will also make a difference in your shopping and savings. If the commissary no longer receives appropriated funds, they will have to increase the price of goods to cover salaries.

In a recent government survey, 92% of respondents say they have shopped in the commissary. What percentage do you think will still be shopping at the commissary if prices are up and savings are down?

This change only looks good in the eye of the government. They would be saving a huge amount of money, but DeCA employees and commissary patrons would be feeling the brunt of it.

This is just a recommendation by MCRMC and hopefully Congress has not been taken in by shiny numbers but will see that military benefits like the commissary are something families deserve to have left alone. We need something stable in this crazy, ever changing life we all lead.

Keep the commissary the way it is and let families focus on more important things.

What do you think of this proposal? What would you say to the MCRMC or Congress?