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Common Myths About Military Life: The People of the Military

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The known phrase is – “before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” This saying is said to be pulled from a poem published in 1895 and written by Mary T. Lathrap. While it may have been written in the 19th century, it has 21st century applications. To fully understand another person, you need to understand what that person goes through. With an all-volunteer military force that makes up one-half of 1 percent of the population of the United States [Council on Foreign Relations, Demographics of the Military], many people outside the military have beliefs about the military that are myths worthy of Sasquatch.

Let’s set the record straight on some of these myths about military life:

MYTH: If your spouse is deployed, they can come for a birth of a child or a death of a close parent.

REALITY: Military orders are just that – orders from the military branch, and by extension the federal government, to be somewhere. When a military service member receives orders to deploy, those orders stand for the amount of time they are listed for. The military service branch can change those orders at any time as they need to, but that doesn’t mean the service member can. If there is a birth or death in the family, the family back home can send a Red Cross Message to let the service member know. But, the service member does not jump on a plane to come back home when that message arrives – that message is just information. The orders are still active. Deployments are overseas and on ships, and the service member is ordered to be there for that time period fulfilling their job. Situationally dependent, the military spouse might get to come home but don’t bet the farm.

MYTH: Once you have done a deployment, it is easy because they are all the same.

REALITY: Buzzzz. Nope. Each deployment can be wildly different. Depending on the service branch, the active duty service member can be on ship or on land. Each unit deploying fulfills different goals. As service members promote and move jobs, their job type and responsibility increases meaning there will be different roles fulfilled on each deployment. If on one deployment the service member was on a ship and able to call home when in port, the deployment to another country may mean no contact except emails on occasion. There is no repeat in type of deployment. And therefore, you cannot compare what one person does to another, and the expectations must be ever evolving. Sorry Uncle Eddie, just because Buddy called home twice a month doesn’t mean Junior will be able to.

MYTH: Moving is easy because it is all done for you, and it happens often so you get used to it.

REALITY: Oh boy is this wrong. Each year, the Joint Travel Regulations are updated. This body of regulations dictates the rules and regulations for all things travel, including a permanent change of station, aka PCS, or move. With each update, there are new rules to adhere by. Then add in a pandemic, and moving each time can look very different. Like their non-military counterparts, military families have children and with the addition of family members comes extra items and furniture. To make a house feel like a home, new curtains and wall décor are purchased or made. The addition of things adds more boxes with each move. With each move, there is a different phase of life experienced, and new regulations like limiting movers, means that some families move themselves completely. Military families take things off the walls, box up their memories, pack up the truck and sometimes drive it themselves to the next duty station. That is not easy. That is a lot of work, on top of the military job and spousal employment and children’s school. So no, you don’t get used to it and it isn’t easy.

MYTH: Every position in the military is infantry.

REALITY: Like the civilian world, there are many jobs and positions within the military. Not every military service member is the infantryman you picture from the World War movies. Not every person is on the front lines, in fact most are not. Some military members work in cyber security, finance, administration, logistics, motor transportation, public relations, medicine, and many more. These positions require schooling specific to that job type, on-the-job training and experience over time. This means not every service member has the same experience or knowledge.

MYTH: That you can take vacation whenever you want.

REALITY: Like other jobs, in order to take a vacation, the service member has to request leave (the military phrase for vacation). If there are training exercises or deployments on the calendar, that leave request will be denied. Worse, if the situation changes that leave can be cancelled. A catchphrase in our house is “I do what I want. And I want to do what I am told.”

MYTH: There is a pay raise with each job.

REALITY: Each branch of military service is based on rank. After enlistment or commission, the military member enters the service at the lowest rank applicable to their time in service. An E1 in the Army and a E1 in the Marine Corps make the same amount. It does not matter what job they have or skills they have. If a billet (the term for a job in the military) is listed for an E5 and a E4 has to do that job while waiting for a E5 or waiting for a promotion, the pay received for that job is still the E4 pay. More responsibility comes with the rank, not necessarily with the job. As mentioned earlier, not every job is equal.

MYTH: Military members are in the military because they had to choose between military or jail.

REALITY: While Hollywood has demonstrated in drama filled shows and movies how judges had sentenced unruly teens to the military service, this is not the case anymore. The military service is an all-volunteer service. There is not a draft where numbers are pulled to fill the military ranks. Those who enter military service choose to do so. They feel ready to join their service branch for their own personal reasons. There are a variety of reasons to join, which this article cannot simply list due to lack of space, but one reason is not to avoid jail time. In fact, in many cases joining the military can be highly competitive!

MYTH: Military members and their spouses are uneducated.

REALITY: According to 2017 DMDC Active Duty Military Personnel Master File, the majority of Active Duty service members hold at least a high school diploma with 21.8% of them holding a higher degree. At the time of the census, 67.1% had a high school diploma/GED or some college. According to a study done by Deloitte, 45% of military spouses hold bachelors or advanced degrees.  In the same year, the U.S. Census showed that about 1/3 of adults in the U.S. held a bachelor’s degree or higher. This statistic is flawed as it counts military members in addition to non-military members. However, the point is that that the military force is similarly educated if not have more formal education as the non-military population. Their education varies just as much as their civilian counterparts. Among servicemembers, many have bachelor’s, master’s, or even doctorate degrees – even if they do not need it for their job.

ONE MORE – not every military member is a soldier. Nope. The U.S. Army has Soldiers. The U.S. Air Force has Airmen. The U.S. Navy has Sailors. The U.S. Marine Corps has Marines. The Space Force has Guardians. (yes, look it up). The U.S. Coast Guard has Coast Guardsman. They are not all soldiers.

There are many more myths out there. The main feature is that military members are not all the same. We are not stick figures with cookie cutter personalities.

How do you share the reality of military life with those who may have no experience with the military?

What’s For Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake

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Strawberry shortcake is a classic summer dessert. There’s no better time to take advantage of fresh and beautiful ripe strawberries than late Spring and early Summer. Here’s an easy shortcake recipe, topped with homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries to escort you into the delight of Summer time sweetness. Bring along to a BBQ or enjoy on your patio or deck at home. Either way you’ll be relishing in the delight of a sweet strawberry shortcake.

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/3 cups Bisquick Mix
  • 1/4 cup + 3 Tbs sugar (separated)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 Tbs butter melted
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tsp powdered sugar
  • 1 quart strawberries sliced

Step 1: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In large bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; set aside.

Step 2: In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 3 tablespoons sugar and the butter until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 6 spoonfuls.

Step 3: Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat whipping cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.

Step 4: Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream.

Step 5: Enjoy!

7 Perks of Living Overseas

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You just got orders overseas.

Congratulations!

The to-do list is overwhelming.

You can’t bring all your belongings with you, and moving overseas has so many more steps involved than a traditional permanent change of station.

I get it.

I’ve been there.

BUT.

There are so many perks to living overseas. While amongst the packing, arranging of unaccompanied baggage, and medical screening, take a break to reflect on the positive sides of moving overseas, and keep on keeping on!

  1. You can’t worry about housing until you get there. This is seriously one of the biggest stress reliefs of an overseas move. Why? Okay, yes, so you can’t plan ahead for your house or show your kids pictures of your new yard. But no one else can either. Everyone is in the same boat as far as housing goes. You have to wait until you check-in. Once you check in the options are on or off base/post. If the quota for on-base is full, you get to look off base, and then the choice is yours for location, housing size, cost, etc. If you are moving off the post, your housing allowance is called Overseas Housing Allowance and is a bit different than traditional BAH. Don’t forget to calculate in exchange rates into your housing budget.
  2. Embrace a new culture. While most families move frequently enough to explore new locations, they are usually within the United States. Living overseas allows for exploration in a totally new place. The culture, the language, and the food are different. You can try authentic cuisine to that country that typically cannot be replicated in an American restaurant. Learn a few phrases of the local language and show the cashier at the local grocery store that you are trying and learning.
  3. You’re all in this together. Americans living overseas are often referred to as ex-pats, or ex-patriots. It isn’t that you are giving up your American heritage, but the ex-pat community is a close-knit group. Because of the common thread of being Americans that are living in a foreign community, the village mentality is strong. Holidays are celebrated with your ‘framily’ (friends who become family) because you aren’t traveling back to your home.
  4. Get involved. The military and government service community overseas have many clubs and organizations to get involved in. Oftentimes each branch of service has a Gift Shop sharing local and international items for sale that the profits benefit the local community. There are jobs and volunteer opportunities here. There are clubs of special interest to bring people together.  Through the Armed Forces and USO community overseas, many groups form with the opportunity to build their own.   Like a certain video game and don’t see it represented, start a club! The community is great.
  5. Travel.  Maybe not all the time, but when living overseas the ability to travel to new places at more affordable prices opens up. Living in Germany? Take a train to explore France – this is much cheaper than an airplane ride from California. Now a resident of Okinawa? Head to Thailand, the Philippines, or mainland Japan for flight prices that compare to flying from Virginia to Florida. This is the time to learn more about the world beyond where you live and see the world.
  6. Less pressure to travel to see family. Because travel isn’t always easily done for military families due to budget, work schedule, and just travel constraints, it is common that the holiday time is when families travel home to see one or multiple families and that “vacation” isn’t a vacation at all. When living overseas, the financial burden of travel to the states coupled with the busy operation tempo means that time off is short-lived, and a couple of weeks off to the states to visit family often doesn’t happen. The pressure is off to make the sojourn home, and that allows for the nuclear family and “framily” you build to grow closer together.
  7. The food. While this was mentioned in the culture category, it deserves its own category. Authentic schnitzel in Germany. Fresh and amazing sushi in Japan. Genuine fish and chips in Britain. All for affordable prices because it didn’t require special storage or a long boat ride to get there. Check out the local grocery stores to get a real taste of the local food and products, you might just find a favorite. And plan to barter sending Chik-Fil-A sauce for your new favorite treat from said country with a friend who is now there.

Don’t get me wrong, moving overseas is stressful. And there were more than one night of worry and eating chocolate as a way to self-care, but it is worth the move and worth the investment in exploring your new country and getting involved. There are a lot of perks of living overseas.

DOD offers financial advice for families & children

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4/30/2021 By: Janet A. Aker, MHS Communications

Military families may face financial challenges for a variety of reasons, and without assistance these issues could affect the health and well-being of children of those families.

But help is readily available. Military families have access to financial counselors and other Department of Defense personnel – for free.

“Service members and families have access to free financial counseling and education services through Military and Family Support Centers and Military OneSource,” said Beth Darius, a program analyst and an accredited financial counselor in the Department of Defense Office of Financial Readiness. “With the assistance of a financial counselor, service members and families proactively create realistic spending plans to meet financial challenges and goals such as planning for retirement, paying down debt, and making major purchases.”

For families experiencing shortfalls, “the best place to start is to examine your spending plan. Determine your food expenses, your monthly bill expenses and any additional expenses. Help is available to walk families through this process and provide referrals to additional resources as needed,” she said. “Additionally, you can include your children in meal planning, shopping and determining total food costs, which is a great way to build their financial literacy skills and nutrition habits.”

“There are many places to go online to get free, unbiased financial information,” she noted. These no-cost resources include the Office of Financial Readiness website, and the Milspouse Money Mission website, which has a section on raising financially fit children. Additionally, there is the Military OneSource website, the “Developing Your Spending Plan” course on the MilLife Learning portal, and the ‘Sen$e’ mobile application.

Military members also receive financial information and how to use these services when making a permanent change of station.

Establishing and following a spending plan is good to “ensure debts are paid, food is on the table, and financial goals are met,” Darius said. “If there is a financial issue that’s causing stress in the military family, reviewing the spending plan can help them gain some control and decrease stress.”

Steve Harris, a personal financial manager and accredited financial counselor at the Navy’s Fleet and Family Support Center in Washington, D.C., said: “A good financial plan represents both the needs and the wants of a military family.” This could include items such as saving for a college fund for their children.

Military families that have appointments with the center for free financial planning should bring their pay stubs, leave and earnings statements, a list of bills and their bank statements for review.

“Basically, we have a confidential conversation about income coming in and expenses going out. ‘What did you think you spent and what did you actually spend?'” Harris said. “We are looking at needs first and goals second. We like to nudge them back on the right track.”

Echoing Darius, Harris said: “If there are stressors about finances, coming to see a personal financial manager can make a military family leave with less stress. A service member shouldn’t have to be distracted about finances while supporting the mission.”

For children, the Navy has a curriculum that addresses ages 3 to 19 called “Raising Financially Fit Kids.” The other services have similar programs.

“Lessons include how parents can approach children about finances, introducing kids to money, costs, and allowances, how to set goals through saving – such as for the purchase of a new toy or electronic device – and an introduction to debit and credit cards and how to use them wisely,” Harris said.

“Prioritizing is up the individual client, he said. “If there is a surplus of money or a shortfall, what are the two or three most important, often competing, goals? We want to address all of them.”

*This article originally appeared on Health.mil, the official website of the Military Health System. To read the original article click here. Appearance of this article does not constitute endorsement by the Military Health System or the federal government.

Military Spouses do NOT have to do it all

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Read that again – you do not have to do it all. You do not have to be doing something every day and every minute. Creating boundaries is healthy, it creates parameters for your valuable time and energy.  It protects YOU as a resource. You are worthy of that. In a community where you often hear that volunteering is the way to get ahead in a career, or how to learn a new skill, it is easy to fall into a pattern of giving and giving.

  • Learn to say No.

Know how to say no. Even if you don’t have a specific reason for saying no, give yourself a break every now and then. You don’t need to say yes to making cupcakes for the PTA, bringing a meal to your spouse’s work, or volunteering with yet another organization. It is hard to create those time boundaries, especially when you are used to going and doing all the time. Knowing when to say no protects you, your time and your abilities. It allows you to cultivate the skills you want with the time you have. It also allows for down time and space as this also helps you.

  • Don’t volunteer all the time.

Give yourself boundaries for your time. While it is easy to slip into the routine of volunteering at school, at the unit, at a local charity, you do not have to. Yes, you read that correctly. Yes, volunteering is great for learning new skills. But the military spouse market is an over tapped market for volunteering. The frequent moves lead to frequent jobs, often of different job types.

  • Take a social media break.

It isn’t a secret that FOMO is real. Seeing the grass on the other side of the fence has created pressure for parents to do it all – the handmade clothes, homemade meals, trips that may not be affordable. Taking a break from social media may be very 1990s, but it allows for more time. Social media provides for distraction and mindless scrolling but this is not necessary. Take time off from social media, or create timers so you respect your time and only accomplish what you need to.

  • It’s okay to have cereal for breakfast.

This was a life saver during my spouse’s last deployment. One night a week was breakfast for dinner and the kids loved every minute of it. Take the shortcuts when you can. Cereal for dinner once a week, or more if needed, is allowed.

  • Take a break.

Have zero guilt in taking a break. If you need a babysitter so you can have dinner alone without goldfish as a side, do it and do not feel one ounce of guilt.

  • Buy the prepared stuff.

Your time is valuable. In a busy time period, buy the pre-cut fruit, the already made frozen pizza and the grocery store sub sandwiches. Down think of it is as short cut or sell out, think of it as resource management. Maybe your budget can’t support it every grocery trip, but on the occasion that you can, do it.

  • Pen in self-care.

This is hard. It is adding one more thing to the to-do list, I get it. Schedule it. Take the time that you can to do something for yourself. Maybe it is just a 20-minute virtual yoga session. Or maybe you can do an hour for reading for pleasure. Don’t just pencil it on your calendar, PEN IT IN. Self-care is sometimes self-preservation. You are worthy of penning in that me-time, so don’t just pencil it in.  

  • Seek support when needed.

You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to be the all for everyone. If you have reached your limit, it is okay to reach out to your trusted friends and tell them. If you prefer confidential help, reach out to Military One Source counselors or the DSTRESS line. These resources are there to listen and provide guidance as able to.

You can protect your mental, emotional and physical health by not trying to do it all. Prioritize your time, and know that taking breaks is okay. Remember that there is a season for everything, and sometimes you can’t.

Don’t Tip or Feed the Movers, Updated DOD guidance says

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Tipping or feeding movers is a hotly debated topic every year.  Families moving for the first time ask in moving support groups or local base pages if they should tip or feed the movers and the responses range from “heck no” to “we always go all out for our movers.” This year, the DOD has updated their guidance on tipping of feeding the movers. As of January 15, 2021, the updates are found in the printable PDF from USTRANSCOM about moving found here.

Prior to 2021, the Move.mil guidance on tipping or feeding the movers was at the discretion of the individual. This was vague and allowed for a wide variety of responses by military families.  The updated guidelines found within the “It’s Your Move” PDF from TRANSCOM now state “tipping and/or supplying meals, snacks, or other refreshments to moving company representatives is discouraged. Providing monetary tips and meals as a “cost of doing business” sets unrealistic demands on service members and civilian employees least capable of providing this “service.” Please report any TSP requesting or requiring a tip to your Joint Personal Property Shipping Office (JPPSO) for possible punitive actions.”

Per the FAQ on Move.mil, “supplying meals or refreshments is never required. Moreover, providing monetary tips is discouraged. If your TSP requests either, please let your local transportation office know.” This is in line with the new updates within the TRANSCOM packet and the update from the DOD.

Many military families feel that providing food and drink to movers is a sign of goodwill. And they hope that this gesture will mean that their belongings will be packed well, sustain less damage and help the move go quickly and smoothly. In fact, the moving guide from move.mil still says at the time of writing the following, “Packers are experienced professionals. They can make sure your breakable stuff has the best chance of arriving unbroken. Learn their names. While it is not required you might consider offering them lunch and make sure the fridge is stocked with water and other beverages.” One family expressed that they will continue to provide meals and drinks, stating “a little kindness goes a long way.”

Tipping many crews or large crews can be expensive. Often times the packing crew is different than the loading crew and unloading crew. If packing is completed on more than one day, there are often different packing crews each day. At a tip of $40 per person, that could mean a family is spending $400 for just the crew packing and loading. Then the unloading crew can be totally different, and depending on the size of the crew, a tip could cost $80 – $160. This is not a reimbursable cost. Add to this the already out-of-pocket expenses of a move to replace household items that are replaced every move (I’m looking at you trash cans, toilet plungers, and shower curtains). And the costs to replace broken or missing items as compensation from the moving company does not always match the full replacement cost. One military family shared that she tipped at the end of her first move and then overhead one of the movers on the phone talking emotionally to the person on the other end of the line, saying, “he was going right to Walmart with the tip money to finally buy his son the bike he wasn’t able to get him for his birthday” and after that, they have always tipped.

While the guidance was meant to clarify, the word “discouraged” is seen as vague to some. Families will continue to do what they have done, as many shared within a military PCS support group online, so much so there were over 200 comments on a post with the update.

The question is – will you feed your moving crew? How do you feel about tipping? What do you think about the new guidance?

7 Ways the Commissary Has You Covered This Grilling Season

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The weather is brighter, the days are longer, and the warmer temperatures are beckoning those of us who have been inside for what seems like eternity outside. The outside weather is enticing the all-so awesome looked forward to – grilling season! It’s time to give the crockpot a break, okay, maybe just a couple of days off, and use the grill to make dinner and dessert. The reality is, we still need shortcuts to spend less time in the kitchen and more time cooking, eating, and having time with friends and family.

The commissary has prepared shortcuts to make the grilling season easy and enjoyable. Just add a grill.

Check out the grill pack meat power box! The boxes provide multiple meat options, all while saving money! The grill pack meat power boxes have varying meat included from premade patties, rib racks, or sausages. Gather up your neighbors or a few friends and pitch in for a meat pack, and cover dinner for an evening all while enjoying the outdoors.

The produce aisle has a secret weapon – the pre-cut/prepacked section. When preparing for grilling, grab a pack or two of prepackaged veggies. Especially in preparing for warmer weather, cut mushrooms, peppers, and tomatoes are found in plastic containers ready to go. Want a vegetable you don’t to cut – grab corn in the husks, artichokes, or asparagus, toss in some seasoning, and they are ready to go– yum! Grab precut celery to snack on while you are grilling, and heck, it is a nice treat not to have to do the cutting of veggies for skewers.  

Check out the pre-cut stone fruits, watermelon, and pineapple in the produce aisle. Grilled pineapple and stone fruits like peaches are delicious on the grill! And if they are already cut for you – even better! Pre-sliced watermelon is ready to go. That’s less time cutting the core and peel off the pineapple, and more time spent grilling and eating!

The all-included pre-made marinade bags will spice up your dinner. The spice aisle boasts ready-made spice mixes and marinades that come in a bag and ready for any protein or vegetable you want to toss in. The beauty of the marinade bags is that they are ready to go. Add any meat from the meat power box or cut up mushrooms and peppers from the produce aisle, and all you need is to toss it on the grill! Lunch or dinner ready to go!

The bakery has you covered with bread and buns! Hit up the bakery for a variety of bread or buns. Rye, sesame, wheat, and French sandwich buns, or bread that can be made into buns.

Don’t forget the seafood. If you are looking for fish or shrimp to grill, check out the seafood counter at your local commissary to see what they have on offer. Oftentimes they also have shrimp or fish that has been marinated already and ready to cook!

Snack on popcorn. Not necessarily a shortcut, but with a couple of ingredients, you can grill up a yummy snack. If you have oil, popcorn kernels, and aluminum foil, foil packets of popcorn are ready to go for snack time! Pick up popcorn seasonings while at the commissary, and you are ready for multiple flavors of snacks.

What do you grill during grilling season?

Compare and Contrast: On or Off Base

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Once your family receives orders, the typical next question is – where do we live? There are two options here – on-base or off-base. There are pros and cons to both options. It can feel like a substantial choice. Consider these characteristics when making your next housing choice.

On Base

Pros:

  • Short Commute: If you are able to secure on-base lodging near where the active duty member will work, there is the added bonus of a short commute. This typically means more time at home, occasional lunches together if the family is home, and maybe even saving on gas if a bike can be used to get to work. Cycling can accomplish cardiovascular exercise, cut down on gas costs, and is green! Research your base and neighborhoods before accepting a home to understand where the housing is in relation to the assigned job if a short commute is your family’s goal.
  • Save on rent: On-Base housing, no matter the size of the home, the cost is equal to the basic housing allowance (BAH) of the service member. So, you don’t have to pay over BAH for a home.  
  • Community: There is a kindred spirit among military families – the common bond of frequent moves and common base locations and challenges provide a common ground to build friendships on.
  • Playgrounds galore: Neighborhoods on-base often have multiple playgrounds appealing to all ages and abilities. And you can walk to them easily making it easily accessible.
  • Free maintenance: If your family will have many deployments, or you don’t feel as handy, the free maintenance may be your jam. They even provide certain types of light bulbs in some locations.
  • Included lawn maintenance: Common areas on base are all maintained by the base. This means your non-gated front yard will be manicured by the base. This also a bonus when there are other family stressors and the lawn just isn’t going to get mowed. Or you don’t have a mover because you have never lived anywhere with a lawn.

Cons:

  • Never Off Duty: For the active duty member, sometimes living on base means they are never off duty. A neighbor down the street may work in the same office and want to discuss work in the off hours. Or knock on your door late at night for work.
  • Homes are the same: All the homes are the same size and same look, for the ease of building and maintenance.
  • No Choice: There is typically a wait list for homes on base, this means that you are not typically offered options for available homes. Instead, you are provided one address – the first available. Also, typically you have to respond within a very short time frame.  This is not always an easy task if you are not currently in the area or able to look at housing.
  • Age of homes: Base dependent, the age of the homes may be from the 1940s or 1970s, and some without updates in the last 20-30 years. This means that homes may not be updated like homes off-base. This may mean maintenance issues or
  • All of BAH is used: Since housing is rank-based, all of BAH is taken for the home. Even with promotion, all of the housing amount is taken unless there is a concession for that housing area.
  • Long Wait Times: Area dependent, the on-base housing list can be lengthy – sometimes years! If on-base housing is what you desire, apply as soon as you have orders. Be aware that each base/post has different standards for when you are placed on the wait list – either when you apply for housing or when you check-out of your current unit.
  • Maintenance: While having someone else do your maintenance is nice, it is also a con because base housing is in charge of the maintenance. This means they schedule cleanings or maintenance without care for your schedule. For instance, a power washing can be scheduled by them and they will give you 24-48 hour notice for a week-long period. This means bringing all outdoor items in for the time period or until the cleaning is complete.

Off Base

Pros:

  • Personalization: When you choose a home off-base, you can choose a home that fits your needs allowing for personalization of the home to the desires of your family. You can look for a home-based on the yard, bedroom number, or size. This is not an option when moving on base when you are put into a rank-based category based on with or without dependents.
  • Choose Your Community: When you are looking for housing off base, you can search for a home-based on the community you are looking for. If you want a neighborhood that is walkable to restaurants or if you want a neighborhood with lots of parks for your children, you can look for and find a home in that desired area.
  • Save Money: If you are able to find a home that is below BAH, you can use that money to pay for utilities. This is very area dependent, and the BAH rates fluctuate on location.
  • Shorter commute for the spouse: If the spouse is working off-base, living off-base can mean a shorter commute for them.
  • There is Off-Duty time: If you are living in a neighborhood where no one knows your job, you can escape work when you are at home.
  • No on-base business rules: If you have a side hustle, or your home is totally home-based, the only rules and regulations are the ones for the county/city and state. Since on-base businesses are required to get on-base authority to run an on-base business, this is an extra hurdle – but there is no on-base hurdle for off-base businesses!

Cons:

  • Longer Commute: Depending on where the job is on base, and the location of the home off-base, the commute will be a bit longer. It’s true that on-base traffic can be long due to lower speed limits, but distance and traffic patterns off base can lead to a longer commute.
  • Expense: If you are in an area where BAH doesn’t stretch far, you may be paying out of pocket for both your home and utilities. This can be a burden on a tight budget. Make sure to know approximate costs before choosing or picking a home. In addition, things off-base are not subsidized – grocery shopping, schools, and activity options may be more expensive.
  • Need for more than one vehicle: If you are living off base, two vehicles are needed to get around unless you are in a walkable location. The active-duty service member will have to drive to their job on base, and if the spouse works, will have to drive to their job or children’s school as needed.
  • Can feel isolating: This is location and area dependent, but living off base can feel isolating. If the neighborhood isn’t outdoors, or if you don’t feel like you can plug into the community, it can get lonely.

A con to both options for pet owners is that there are often breed restrictions on rentals both on and off base. Make sure you know what the restrictions are before applying for a home on or off post.

Each family has different criteria in a home and neighborhood, and there is no right or wrong answer here. It can also fluctuate based on where your orders are to. For instance, OCONUS orders may mean you have to live on-base if the occupancy rate is not high enough. Each move, make a pro/con list for you and your family and what you are looking for in a home and neighborhood.

And for those PCSing, may the odds be ever in your favor.

What’s For Dinner: Mexican Street Corn

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Elote, aka Mexican Street Corn, is a tasty handheld treat. It is popular in Southern California as street food and can easily be reproduced in your home. Eat it as a fun snack or treat or as a side for lunch or dinner.  Here is a tip – always make more than you plan to eat – it is delicious as an evening snack or even the next day for lunch. It’s the perfect side dish or main meal to eat in celebration of Cinco De Mayo!

Ingredients:

  • Ears of corn, shucked – the number depends on how many people you want to serve
  • Mayonnaise
  • Chili Powder
  • Grated Cojita cheese
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges or juice

Here are the directions to making delicious street corn. It’s super complicated, so pay attention.

Directions:

1.Grill the corn, making sure to turn it so that it is grilled all over.

2. Once off the grill, brush mayonnaise over all side of the corn.

3. Sprinkle chili, cojita cheese and cilantro all over the corn.

4. Before eating, sprinkle with lime juice or squeeze a lime wedge per ear of corn.

Yup. That’s it. Not complicated at all – and gosh dern delicious.

Mix it Up!

One of the fun and awesome things about Mexican street corn is changing up the toppings. Consider green onions, bacon, sriracha as toppings. Switch the cojita for shredded cheese. Change up the chili pepper for chipotle pepper or paprika. Or go for authentic Mexican crema and mix that with mayonnaise to brush on the corn. Want a more garlicky taste, mix minced garlic or garlic powder into the mayonnaise.

What’s your favorite topping on Mexican Street Corn?

Military Discounts to Use During Military Appreciation Month

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May is Military Appreciation Month. Since this is the month designated to show appreciation and thanks to the military family, do not feel one ounce of guilt asking if there is a military discount that your family can take advantage of. Here are some discounts specific for the month of May.

Military Shoppers News is offering a special prize to honor military families in May – sign up here to receive email newsletters to find out more about the giveaway, and you’ll be entered to win automatically!

To kick off military appreciation month, Blue Star Museums is back this year and runs from May 15, 2021 to September 6, 2021. This program offers free admission to museums across the United States to active-duty personnel, National Guard and their families.

Where to Adventure

If you are looking to adventure in your local area, check to see if there is a discount offered on Armed Forces Day, May 15, 2021, or on Memorial Day.

Don’t forget about the free annual pass America the Beautiful Pass from the National Parks to explore the National Parks across the United States.

Carowinds is offering free admission for active military, retired military, National Guard and reservists, as well as veterans who were honorably or medically discharged.

The Cincinnati Zoo is offering free admission on Memorial Day to the active-duty service member with up to six half-price admission tickets for the family members.

California’s Great America offers free admission May 23-May 25 to active or retired military members with a ticket deal for up to six additional tickets for friends or family.

Colonial Williamsburg offers complimentary admission to active-duty military, reservists, National Guard, retired military personnel and veterans and up to three direct dependents on Memorial Day Weekend.

Idlewild and SoakZone is offering free admission to military personnel on May 30 and 31.

Silverwood Theme Park is offering free admission to military personnel and veterans on May 29, 30 and 31 with a discounted rate for immediate family members.

The Indianapolis Zoo is offering free admission to current and former military members on Memorial Day, and a $2 discount off admission to non-military family members.

The Magic Springs Theme and Water Park is offering free admission to active and veteran military May 16-31, with a ticket deal for family members when accompanied by a military member.

Silverwood Theme Park is offering free admission on May 31 to active military, retired military, disabled veterans and military reservists, with up to 4 family members accompanying the military member receving a $3 discount.

The Sun Splash Family Waterpark is offering free one-day admission to active, retired, reserves and disabled veterans with discounted ticket admission for up to 4 accompanied family members.

Worlds of Fun is offering complimentary admission to Worlds of Fun on May 15 and May 25.

Where to Shop

Apple offers a 10% discount off their products throughout the year to active duty military through their online verification.

If you are in need of a new cell phone plan, AT&T offers a 25% discount off their wireless plan to military and veteran families, T-Mobile offers discounts to active duty and veteran families off their wireless plans, and Verizon offers a discount on their wireless plans with a discount varying based on plan type.

Big Lots is offering a 15% military discount to active-duty and veterans throughout the month of May both in-store and online.

Hylete is offering 40% off the training apparel on offer plus an extra 10% during the month of May.

Rack Room Shoes is offering a 20% discount on the entire in-store purchase on Memorial Day.

Looking for a new mattress? Sleep Number is offering a military discount of an extra $100 off all Sleep Number smart beds and adjustable bases from May 7 – May 31, in store, online, by phone and via Live Chat.

Don’t forget about Home Depot and Lowe’s as you prepare your home and garden for the summer season. Both stores offer a 10% discount year-round.

Where to Eat

Joe’s Crab Shack is offering 10% discount to service member and veterans for dine-in orders on May 25th.

McCormick & Schmick’s is offering service members and veteran’s 10% off their dine-in orders on May 25th.

Mission BBQ is offering a free sandwich to all active duty service members and veterans during Armed Forces Week, each day is designated for the branch of service. Sign up for their email alerts to learn which day.

Rubio’s Coastal Grill is offering a free adult entrée to military and veterans with the purchase of another adult entrée.

Is there a military discount or freebie you have found for the month of the military appreciation? Let us know! Find discounts that are offered year-round here.