Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

What You Can Do to Help Save Your Commissary Benefit

By

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the commissary. My family has been shopping there since I was a baby and I continue to shop there today! Ironically enough, when my parents were visiting this past week, what did we do? We ran into the commissary for the typical bread, milk and eggs run.

The convenience and cost-effectiveness are the primary reasons military families visit the commissary. But, as the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is being discussed in Congress, our commissary budget is on the chopping block, yet again. That could mean more commissary closures, reduced hours and days, among other things.

The House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2017 NDAA, H.R. 4909, on May 20, which authorizes $610 billion in funding for national defense. Now it’s the Senate’s turn to debate it.

While negotiations are in the works, this is our time to speak up! Although it may seem like military families are alone on this one, there are organizations out there lobbying and fighting for our cause.

Join forces with these organizations and they can help amplify your voice.

Blue Star Families (BSF) is a wonderful organization that provides resources, programs and partnerships for military families. Each year, they release a descriptive military lifestyle survey that indicates the concerns of military families. The best part of the survey is that the right people are reading it and it’s making a difference in influencing decisions.

The 2015 survey results showed that military benefits and pay were top issues for military families. Our commissary is looped into the mix there. To make sure our benefits continue to be in the forefront of budgetary decisions, fill out their 2016 survey. Time is running out, so hurry because the closeout date is May 30!

In addition to Blue Star Families, the National Military Family Association (NMFA) is another fantastic organization that strongly lobbies for military families. They provide scholarships and kids’ camps (i.e. Operation Purple Camps) as well as resources for military family and health care issues.

They are also monitoring the defense budget saga and provide detailed explanations to better understand the situation because let’s be honest, it can get really confusing. NMFA recently broke down the defense budget concerns, including the commissary issue here.

With the backing of BSF and NMFA, military families can have a stronger voice. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities and ways to contribute to these organizations.

You can also connect with The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits. This coalition is “working to protect service members and their families EARNED commissary and exchange benefits, and the critical savings they provide our military community,” according to its website.

You can also contact your state senator  to encourage their vote in the proceedings. This is when you, as an American voter, can and should get your issues heard. Here is how you can contact their offices (be sure to select the U.S. Senate).

That reminds me, have you registered to vote?

Lastly, I want to encourage you to patronize your local commissary because that will also influence the decision-making process.

Every time you shop at your commissary, it’s counted and every dollar you spend is calculated. If the numbers are there, it’s undeniable proof that the commissary system is beneficial.

Are you concerned about proposed changes to the commissary? What are you doing to voice your concerns?

How to Make Money with a Personal Procured Move

By

I have a confession.

Although I didn’t enjoy my last PPM (personal procured move, formerly called a do-it-yourself or DITY military move), my husband and I banked a lot of money by during it, which made every roadblock (sometimes literally), headache and painful mile worth it.

How to Make Money on a Personal Procured Move

Have you made money with your personal procured move?

When you’re doing a personal procured move, you need to first understand your PCS entitlements. They differ from move to move and branch to branch, so take a close look at your orders to figure out what you need in your military move.

Before you go forward with finalizing your personal procured move, contact your local Travel Management Office (TMO). They are essential in guiding you through the process and giving you everything you need for a successful PCS.

No matter what you end up deciding to do for your military move, you will most likely receive a travel per diem, dislocation allowance and Monetary Allowance in Lieu of Transportation (MALT), if you choose to travel with your privately-owned vehicle (POV).

You could make some money by being smart with your dislocation allowance and travel per diem. When we PCSed from New York to Arizona, we stayed with family members located at 2 different locations (Texas and Mississippi) and utilized hotel points on our other stays that added up to free future hotel visits.

That same military move, we did a partial PPM. We packed up our car with as many goods as it could fit and we were paid money based on the weight and mileage. If you opt for a partial PPM, be sure you fill out all the appropriate forms and file for it. You need to do the same if you choose to do a full personal procured move. Pay close attention to the rules and regulations regarding weighing your car. The rules may have changed since the last time you PCSed.

With a full PPM the government will pay you 95 percent of the total cost it would be for them to take you from point A to point B. Still interested in doing a PPM? Here’s what you need to know.

What’s needed to make money with a personal procured move or PPM?

  • Packing Supplies
  • Moving Truck
  • Labor

I’m going to talk about my last personal procured move and share with you what worked for us. I’ll start with the packing supplies.

I raided local retail stores around my home for boxes from shipment days. (Don’t be afraid to ask the manager of your military commissary for shipping boxes!) Be sure you plan for time to collect your packing supplies far enough in advance and have an area in your home to put these boxes. I was able to acquire enough to pack all of our household goods. I saved money by not buying any moving boxes.

Another successful strategy would be putting a call-out for boxes on a military spouses Facebook page. I’ve seen lots of boxes get recycled that way as well. That strategy costs nothing, but time and effort!

Next, we priced out all possible moving vehicles. Luckily, most companies like U-Haul and Budget offer military move discounts! With all the labor accounted for (I’ll elaborate on that later), being able to lock in an amazing deal for a moving truck was key.

Of course, we took a little bit of a risk with this one, but we used our own clothing and other fabrics to pad and pack our breakables in the boxes. Once the boxes were sealed, we indicated what was inside them so that we could be gentler with that box over the other ones. It was my husband, myself and a friend moving boxes and furniture, so we only had ourselves to blame if anything broke. We rented the furniture pads to help with the bigger items.

Because labor was my husband, myself and a friend, it was absolutely free! Well, I did pay our friend in food, but that was it. Once we arrived at our new location, it was up to us to unpack the moving truck, but we took our time and unloaded it over the course of 2 days (we paid to have the rental truck for an extra day).

In addition, I’ve seen some military families successfully move with hiring help too. For example, they would hire the labor to pack the furniture and boxes properly in a truck that they rented. It was up to them to drive the truck to the new location and they hired another team to unload it.

Another family used a PODS-type moving system for their military move and I believe that company offers a military discount as well.

Have you made money with your personal procured move in the past? What tips do you have for making money on this type of DITY move?

13 Corporations that Give Back to Our Military

By

Charity is a wonderful thing. For those that give back, it offers a sense of involvement. For those that receive, it offers a sense of comfort.

You can ultimately choose who and what you donate to as well. If you find yourself with a few extra bucks or time to spend, it’s common for a lot of people to give back to a cause that is near and dear to them.

I am a strong advocate for helping the military community. I volunteer with local organizations that help families in and around my current duty station. I also do what I can for those that need it outside my area.

As a result, I usually patronize companies and brands that give back to our military and veteran community. There are so many different ones out there that it’s difficult to pinpoint them all!

Here are 13 brands and corporations that stand out to me:

Corporations and Brands that Give Back to Our Military and Veteran Community

Here are a few brands and corporations that give back to service members, military spouses and veterans.

Food, Beverage and Household Goods

  • Frito Lay
  • Purina
  • Kimberly Clark
  • Nestle Waters

In celebration of the grand opening of a new commissary in Jacksonville, Fla., these companies have joined forces to give back to the military community by planning to give away more than 300 prizes. If you’re in the Jacksonville area, be sure to stop by the grand opening scheduled for the last week in July!

When you purchase the military match set from Community Coffee Company they give back that same product to service members that are serving overseas. It’s called their Military Match Program and so far, they have donated 4.2 million cups of coffee.

Did you know that Coca-Cola was a founding partner with the USO? This year, the USO celebrates 75 years of unwavering commitment to the military community. I am continually amazed at the ongoing efforts and support via the USO and it’s great to know that a company as big as Coca-Cola gives back to the military community.

Retail

I discovered Macy’s corporate giving campaign for military veterans while shopping at a local store a couple years back. It was a great surprise to know of their partnership with Got Your 6, an organization that is aimed to empower veterans. Mark your calendars because from May 13-15 when you donate $3 while shopping in-store, you’ll receive 25% off your total purchase.

The company gives back to an amazing organization that helps expecting military mothers called Operation Shower. Since 2012, Babies “R” Us has donated must-have items for expecting mothers from all branches stationed around the country.

Brands

10% of all Sword & Plough sales go back to military service organizations. Sword & Plough is a veteran-owned company that has the mission to bring awareness to veteran employment and bridge the military-civilian divide.

According to their website, this apparel company “exists to support” the Oscar Mike Foundation. Every purchase gives back to the veteran community, particularly those that have been injured during military service.

Starbucks gives back to the military and veteran communities in more ways than one, but their commitment to employ veterans and military spouses is beyond amazing. I’m happy to say it’s becoming a trend in the corporate world and you could check out more companies in the line with Starbucks’ commitment to hiring veterans and military spouses by checking out the Hiring Our Heroes website.

They have donated $11 million to military charities since 1987, including the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Fisher House, USO and many more! When I was reading their long history of military support, it’s actually fascinating what support was like in the 1940s. I encourage you to read more about it here.

Institutions

CSU has a “Hero Behind the Hero Scholarship” that gives back to the military spouses and children of active duty service members.

There are so many other companies out there that give back to military-affiliated organizations. Next time you’re shopping, take a closer eye on the store walls or packaging.

Are you more likely to buy a product from a business that gives back to a military or veteran organization? Why or why not?

What You Need to Know About the VLER Health Information Exchange Initiative

By

The Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER) Health Information Exchange Initiative was formed following President Barack Obama’s remarks on April 9, 2009. The focus of his speech was to outline improvements to the health care system for veterans.

At the time, there wasn’t a system in place that connected a service member’s record from the Department of Defense (DoD) to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for treatment and care. However, during the President’s remarks, he called out the DoD and VA because they,

“have taken a first step towards creating one unified lifetime electronic health record for members of our armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information – from the day they first enlist to the day that they are laid to rest.”

Now, the VLER Health Information Exchange is currently in use for veterans.

Veterans can have their comprehensive medical record all in one place, so VA health facilities and participating health care providers are able to access applicable medical histories.

What Veterans Need to Know About the VLER Health Information Exchange Initative

Have you heard about the VLER Health Information Exchange? What questions or concerns do you have about it?

I was recently chatting with a nurse friend about the VLER Health Information Exchange. The concept is great and really does allow for a streamlined approach for both veterans and health care providers as long as health care providers are privy to the system. She was telling me there is a disconnect with Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) and the VA.

For example, if a veteran wants to seek treatment at a military hospital, he or she still may need to carry all of their documents to show their medical history from the VA to the MTF. Currently, the systems aren’t “connected” per se. The disconnect could lead to delays in treatment and lost messaging.

That will change on June 1, 2016, when the VLER Health Information Exchange will expand to the Tricare network.

The overall goal is to connect the health care providers that serve military members and their families to their medical record, including lab results, allergies, medications and illness. It would take away the need to carry paper records when you visit a health clinic.

After it was explained to me by my friend, I thought of it as a bridge system that carries accurate information to the appropriate health care provider. Whether you are being treated at a VA facility for one ailment or getting a general check-up at a MTF, your doctors are on the same page to make the smartest diagnosis and care.

Tricare released a handy video that also explains the VLER Health Information Exchange and what it means to military members. The key takeaways from the VLER Health Information Exchange video is that the system is secure, efficient and effective.

It’s secure because only authorized health care providers can access the information. Tricare lists the providers that can see your record as military hospitals and clinics, VA facilities and civilian groups that are part of the eHealth Exchange. From the site, “the eHealth Exchange is a network of exchange partners who securely share clinical information across the United States.”

Efficiency comes into play because the VLER Health Information Exchange would avoid any cross duplication of tests and/or procedures already done for a patient. Because it is a comprehensive health record of an individual, the health care team can assess your current situation to give you appropriate treatment, which highlights effectiveness.

Of course, veterans and family members could opt out of the system. It’s not required to participate, but that would mean none of your medical history will be on the VLER Health Information Exchange. Currently, active duty members must be a part of the program.

Take a look at Tricare’s VLER Health Information Exchange resource site to read more about the initiative to see if it’s something you would want to use or if you would rather opt out of it.

Do you have any questions about the VLER Health Information Exchange? Share them in the comments section.

Commissary Employees Remember to Wear Red

By

Military members are still deploying.

Despite the formal end of combat missions in the Middle East 2 years ago, it didn’t end deployments for service members. There is an ongoing American presence there. In addition, service members are receiving deployment orders to other locales.

Because deployments are something that military families face regularly, the commissary employees wanted to remember those service members. If you like the Defense Commissary Agency’s (DeCA) Facebook page, you might have noticed the pictures of commissary employees wearing red on your news feed.

The commissary started posting pictures of employees wearing red on Fridays in January this year.

They have shared images from DeCA’s headquarters in Fort Lee to Fort Hood and even OCONUS in Kadena Air Base to name a few. The first commissary DeCA featured on the Facebook page was Camp Zama. Using the hashtag “#supportourtroops,” the commissary regularly shows employees standing in solidarity for our men and women in uniform (and sometimes posing with some in uniform!).

Why do the commissary employees wear red on Fridays?

Well, red is actually an acronym. It spells out Remember Everyone Deployed (R.E.D.) and the connection to the color red was a natural fit. The two messages join together and is easy to digest when you’re sharing its message with those around you.

In the midst of rigorous deployment cycles about 10 years ago, that’s when R.E.D. Fridays came about.

The reasoning to wear red on Fridays is fuzzy though. As I was researching, I found several different stories of the origin.

According to the Soldier’s Angels website, the R.E.D. Friday movement began as an email chain letter in 2005. It asked Americans that supported our troops to rally together and wear red on Fridays. It would serve as a statement to the American public and service members showing that they are supported.

The Soldier’s Angels website continues to say that there is a connection to R.E.D. Friday in Canada as well. When I realized I had a run for my money with the origin, I enlisted the help of my husband to see if we can pinpoint conception together.

Alas, we couldn’t nail down specifics, just lots of stories.

He found some notes stating that Family Readiness Groups (FRGs) might have started the trend. Also, there is an organization called Red Shirt Fridays that took the idea of wearing red shirts on Fridays into a bigger initiative.

What it comes down to is that despite being able to be specific about the start of the movement the idea itself stuck and stood the test of time. Service members are the focus of the initiative and that very important message never got lost.

R.E.D. Friday is a way for military families and supporters (like the commissary employees) to stand with those that are away due to service on a specific day. Whatever the actual reason was to pick Friday, it doesn’t matter as much as the message that it conveys (remember everyone deployed).

Now, not only does the commissary participate in the R.E.D. Friday initiative, I hear about it getting passed along at my current duty station and beyond. Also, schools and other communities are reporting that they are wearing red on Fridays.

I like that there is a message out there that calls out the sacrifice of deployment and shows service members our support.

Do the employees at your military commissary wear red on Fridays? Share a photo of them showing their support for the troops on the MilitaryShoppers’ Facebook page.

Is Common Core Good for Military Kids?

By

Military families move a lot. A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) becomes a rite of passage for us and is an inevitable occurrence for military members. The statistics are out there. We move on average every 2 and a half years, which can add up to about 7 moves for a military child in grade school.

In the course of 5 years, I attended 4 different schools growing up as a military child in 2 different countries and 3 different locations.

I remember the struggle with figuring out where I belonged, especially with my mid-school year move. The things I worried about, however, were more like, “how do I fit in with everyone else?” instead of, “how is the school curriculum?”

I did realize I had either some catching up or lull time with learning. Who knows if that was actually the best for me?

Is Common Core Good for Military Kids?

Since military children attend many different schools in different states, will the national Common Core Standard benefit their education?

My last school was off-base in a civilian neighborhood, where I didn’t know any military kids. Luckily, I was able to finish out my grade school in one location from then on – with sacrifice though. My dad would get stationed elsewhere, but my mom and I stayed. That’s a long story for another day.

One of the main reasons for my father being a geographic bachelor or geo-bachelor was the fact I was thriving at school and my parents didn’t want to disrupt the process. By the time a big move came up, I was approaching high school and my father was at the end of his military career, so it made sense. My dad wanted to retire in Texas and we made the 2 years apart work.

Not every military family shares our story and moving occurs at so many different points for us all, which is why Common Core is interesting to military families with school-age children as well as military educators.

The Common Core Standard is an initiative created by multiple state education chiefs and governors. The adopters of Common Core recognized the importance of establishing a precedent for young learners to gain knowledge to help them with college and career.

In addition, there are several states already in agreement with the benefits of the program, which provides uniformity that could strongly benefit military children in particular. Common Core acts as a bridge to keep curriculum similar, so no matter where a military child moves, they would be at the same point in their educational journey.

So far, 42 states in addition to the District of Columbia have or will be incorporating Common Core standards in their schools. According to the Military Times,

DoDEA is in the process of transitioning to Common Core, which it calls ‘College and Career Ready Standards,’ over the next 5 years.

Despite praise from some military families, the Common Core standard is also met with controversy from vocal opponents. Several critics say that implementing Common Core doesn’t necessarily improve overall testing. A big drawback from Common Core is that states would get less control over the curriculum since it would be something they agree to incorporate. As a result, some states have edited their take on Common Core or even rescind their claim.

The big question military families have about Common Core is will this curriculum be good for my child.

I encourage you to take a deeper look at the Common Core website to form your own opinion. Of course, if you’ve seen it in action, I’m curious to hear your thoughts too.

Now it’s your turn: Do you think Common Core is beneficial to military kids? Why or why not?

Military Lodging Options for Your Beach Getaway

By

I love the beach! There is something about the smell of salt in the air and the warm sun beating down on your skin that relaxes me. With that said, I’ve always been drawn to warm tropical areas to vacation. Who doesn’t love a great beach getaway?

Now that the weather is finally warming up, it’s time to think about summer plans. I know my family is already there.

Did you know that there are several military lodging options that are dream vacation worthy?

Planning your next beach getaway can’t get any easier than utilizing military lodging facilities. It is convenient, accommodating and reasonably priced. It’s a little secret among the military community that we should all try and use at some point.

Some military lodging facilities are right on the beach and others are steps away. Depending on your family’s preference, I’m sure you would find a destination that fits your needs.

Military Lodging Options for Your Next Beach Getaway

What are your favorite military lodging options located near beaches?

Here’s a list of the best of the best of military lodging located near beaches.

Fort Story. I have to give the Navy credit for helping us Air Force and Army families with beach front accommodations. The cottages and cabins in Fort Story, Va., are walking distance to the beach and beautiful lighthouse. If you want to experience the energy of Virginia Beach, it’s a short drive away. They have great picnic and grilling areas, not to mention they are also pet-friendly. My spouse and I plan to make our way down there this summer for a mellow weekend.

Navy Lodge Oceana/Dam Neck. If your family opts to stay at this military lodging facility in the Virginia Beach area instead of Fort Story, you’ll still have beach access. This option would be great for families looking to sightsee more in town and not spend a lot of time near your accommodation. Virginia Beach is near Historic Williamsburg and Busch Gardens.

Navy Lodge Pensacola. Located on Naval Air Station Pensacola, the Navy Lodge is close to Barrancas Beach and other installation activities, which makes this military lodging convenient. If you’re looking for more of a cottage feel, your family can stay at Oak Grove Park, where they have cottages that line a Florida beach as well.

Navy Lodge North Island. This military lodging facility is located on Naval Base Coronado and is right next door to gorgeous beaches. Naval Base Coronado is close to San Diego and all its attractions. If your family gets bored lounging on the beach, you can head to the San Diego Zoo or visit the Gaslamp District. I had a wonderful time taking in the sites of San Diego during my visit. We also watched a San Diego Padres game too.

Hale Koa Hotel. One of the most popular Hawaii military lodging destinations for military families, Hale Koa Hotel on O’ahu is more like a luxury resort offering delicious dining and entertainment options for guests. They also have an on-site fitness center and spa facility. I can’t forget to mention that it’s touching beautiful Kahanamoku Beach and neighbors other well-known resort chains. The hotel isn’t affiliated with a particular installation, but has a long history in serving the military community.

Kilauea Military Camp. Boasted as a hidden gem on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kilauea Military Camp is located inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. It’s a park full of history and amazing sights that borders the ocean at the south end of the island. The military lodging accommodations include cottages and apartment style living. Although the beach vibe is different than Hale Koa, military families would have a great time trail hiking and visiting museums.

Did we miss any of your favorite military lodging options? Tell us in the comments section.

How to Military-Proof Your Vacation Plans

By

As my bio mentions, I come from a military family. One of the best pieces of advice that was given to me from my parents was to never lose out on vacation time. When I graduated from college, I took that advice to heart and made an effort to travel someplace new every year.

It didn’t change when I met my spouse. Although he was a little skeptical at first, we’ve been able to successfully vacation at least once a year since we started dating. My parents shared valuable tricks that have allowed us to vacation despite the military influence.

I know it’s hard to believe because we’ve heard so many different horror stories. In fact, my own vacation plans have been thwarted due to a short-notice TDY and unexpected field exercise. But, the important thing to note is that it’s always worth a try and don’t get discouraged.

With the right planning and flexibility, you can create unforgettable vacations, despite military annoyances!

Consider these travel tips that have been tested by my parents and myself:

How to Military-Proof Your Vacation Plans

How has military life interrupted your vacation plans? Don’t be discouraged. Try these 5 travel tips to create unforgettable vacations.

1. Don’t be afraid of planning ahead.

As a rule of thumb, my spouse and I like to map out a year in advance. It sounds crazy, right? But, it’s worked out great for us in the last 5 years.

We booked our Alaska cruise a year ahead of time. Military families can benefit from early bird deals in addition to military discounts. Yes, it’s a little scary, especially when you know things can change at a moment’s notice. That leads me to my next important point.

2. Always buy the travel insurance!

My spouse and I never book without it. Remember that Alaska cruise I mentioned? Well, we had to change the date two times before we actually left for our vacation.

Travel insurance gives you the flexibility to change dates without a hitch. Be sure you read the terms carefully to make sure you have the right type of protection for your vacation. We always make sure that if it gets to the point of not knowing when we could use it, the credit could still be there for us to use at any time.

During our Alaska vacation, we only had to pay the difference of our original sail date to our new one. Because of all the discounts we landed early on, the slight increase didn’t put a dent in our budget.

3. Make the most of block leave.

Depending on your assignment or location, military members can get a sense of when some breathing room comes their way. My spouse seems to get breathing room during the summer and winter months. He typically likes to take at least a week off at those times, so we aim to schedule vacations at that time.

In the last 2 years, we’ve got to go explore a new location along with spending the holidays with family. This past year, we celebrated the New Year and quickly jetset to Vegas to spend the next 5 days with my parents.

4. Plan a PCS vacation.

So far, my spouse and I are 2-2. We’ve PCSed two times together and have taken two vacations. Our first one was a PCS road trip from New York to Arizona. We mapped out a special route for ourselves that included visits through Texas.

Our last PCS is when we went on our honeymoon.

Yes, it can be done and it really doesn’t matter when you do it. My spouse was coming from an overseas tour and took a full month of leave. We moved all of my household goods and then flew out of our new duty station to cruise out of Puerto Rico.

5. Don’t be afraid of short-term planning either.

My spouse had use it or lose it vacation time a couple years ago, so we were encouraged to take time off. I came across an email with last-minute vacation deals and passed it along to my spouse.

If he had time to use, why not use it on a beach? We quickly booked another getaway as we were waiting for our Alaska cruise as a matter of fact. We couldn’t resist because the price was right and it was for the right amount of days off.

How do you military-proof your vacation plans?

4 Military Discounts You Need to Know About When Buying a New Car

By

When my husband left for an unaccompanied overseas tour, he left his old car with my family. At the time, he thought he had a couple more years left until he needed to buy a new one. Our ideal plan was to milk whatever years his two-door convertible had left because we wanted to buy a new vehicle for ourselves later.

However, things happened a little bit differently.

During his year away, his car started going downhill (that’s saying it nicely). There were lots of little mechanical issues that added up to a lot of money (i.e. the convertible top wouldn’t seal all the way, the window wouldn’t open and close, among other things). Plus, the engine was acting funky. I took it in to get assessed and found out that it would cost more to fix the car than what it was worth.

That’s when we decided that if we can wiggle it, we should both get new cars. The next step was working out a budget and car choices that fit our needs.

In our research, we found that there are a lot of military discounts and savings out there!

Ultimately, we utilized 2 different programs to purchase our brand-new cars that helped us save thousands. Are you shopping for a new car? Here are the military discounts and savings you need to know about.

4 Military Discounts You Need to Know About When Buying a New Car

Before you buy a new car, take time to research which car dealerships and manufacturers offer military discounts.

Buying Overseas

Military AutoSource. My dad was the one that brought this military discount program to my attention. It turns out that my own family utilized an overseas car buying program in the ‘90s to buy our tried-and-true Ford Aerostar. Purchasing your car overseas has lots of great benefits if you’re interested in a Ford or Chrysler vehicle.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is typically lower and the dealerships are accommodating to match other stateside deals. These military discounts are only offered to military members overseas, so it’s something to consider when the time lines up for you. We were lucky to have the time work for us to use the military discount!

Buying Stateside

You don’t have to be overseas to bank on an amazing military discount. There are a lot of different stateside opportunities that you should explore! I’ve split up the 3 main groups that offer unique ways to save.

Car Dealerships. I was actually led to a dealership that offered deductions off my dream car’s MSRP via USAA’s car buying program. Not all dealerships participate, so start your search on USAA’s member platform to figure out which ones are included. Once I found a dealership that was within my needs, I went ahead and worked with them to buy my car.

If you don’t have USAA, dealerships may separately offer deductions for service members. It doesn’t hurt to call around and ask about military discounts. Whether you are looking for a new or used car, dealerships can work with you to get the most out of your budget.

Car Manufacturers. If you’re buying a new car, most car manufacturers offer a military appreciation bonus or military discount. The best way to research a military discount for your dream car is to go directly to their website.

Since a lot of dealerships are single car manufacturer focused, check to see if you could apply a military discount or military appreciation bonus with any other dealership discounts they offer too. Think of it this way, they want to sell you a car and use it to their advantage!

Bank Financing. Lastly, I was able to score a rebate with financing with my car manufacturer. It wasn’t actually a military discount, but it did add onto our military deals. It wasn’t my intent to finance with them, but when I sat down with the advisor, we broke down the numbers and if I planned it right I would be able to save thousands more. They offered a zero percent introductory APR and I would be able to refinance after a year.

That’s ultimately what I did, so I could use the additional discount. I was able to go with my ideal car loan with a lower APR. It would also allow me to pay off my car in a shorter amount of time.  Of course, you could utilize military friendly banks to finance from the beginning if there aren’t any particular deals to utilize at the time of purchase.

Did you get a military discount when buying your car?

Military Commissary Food Stamps Use Drops

By

The military community can utilize lots of wonderful programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is no different. It’s a food stamps program offering groceries to families in need, including any military families that are financially burdened.

It was reported that the commissaries saw a 6 percent drop of food stamps usage in 2015’s fiscal year!

Breaking it down per fiscal year from 2014 to 2015 in numbers, it went from $84.5 million to $79.5 million.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) shared more information in a SpouseBuzz report that evaluates the figures dating back to 2010. It shows increases in SNAP dollars used from 2010 to 2013, but then there has been a steady decline from 2013 on. SpouseBuzz indicates that a reduction in the food stamps benefit could be the culprit in the drop from 2013 to 2014. But, what is the reason for the continued decline?

It was also posed in the article that a number of factors could play a part of the food stamps decline and that the topic is open for discussion. The question I ask you is: what can we do about it?

My suggestion is that we could share the food stamps program to the military families around us. One of the factors mentioned is that perhaps, not a lot of new families knows about the food stamps benefit.

The United States Department of Agriculture even has a special military and veteran families webpage that evaluates the different food stamps programs. They also have a great quote on there that I wanted to share.

You served our country proudly and honorably, and we want to inform you that through our nutrition programs, you may be eligible for assistance to ensure you, your family and fellow veterans have the assistance to ensure you have nutritious meals.

So, check it out to see if it fits you or pass it along to other families in your community. Referring back to above, the SNAP food stamps program is what can be utilized at local commissaries. It’s easy to see if you qualify. All you need to do is follow the prompts on their Pre-Screening Eligibility Tool here.

Before you start the online tool, gather as many appropriate documents and information as you can like your earnings amount, rent/mortgage payments, outside expenses (daycare), applicable bills (utility, medial, etc.) and VA payments.

Keep in mind that the tool online isn’t an application and families must apply in person at a local SNAP office location. Each state operates a bit differently and with the tool, you might get directed to another page.

For example, I’m located in Virginia. When I said where I’m from, I get passed along to Virginia’s website. With that said, each state has their own application. Once you are pre-screened, find your state using this link to get started with the actual application process. There you can also find the nearest office to you to drop off all your appropriate paperwork within your state’s web page.

The SNAP page has another separate resource that finds local retailers that has the food stamps program. Using SNAP is easy and is operated the same way as a debit card. The card is used at authorized retailers. We know the commissary is one great retailer! One speculation of mine about why the commissary food stamps usage dropped is maybe military families are using different retailers.

Whatever the reason, we can’t forget about the SNAP food stamps program for military families. Together, we can pass along the resource and share with our military friends. We never know when a family is in need, so the best way to spread awareness is to talk about it.

Are you interested in SNAP? Has your family used the program before?