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Should Military Kids Understand Military Rank?

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Her question made me cringe.

My daughters and I were delivering dinner to my husband at his office late one Thursday night when they asked the question that made me cringe:

“Why isn’t Daddy’s photo in the hallway?”

We’re a Navy family so when we deliver food to my husband, we stop by the quarterdeck to check in. Near the quarterdeck desk are the official photos of the battalion commander, executive officer and command master chief.

You know, the people in charge.

The people with high rank.

My husband wasn’t one of those people.

His official Navy photo isn’t framed with a shiny nameplate near the entrance.

That’s fine with us and honestly I didn’t think that our children even noticed salutes, designated parking spots and patches on a uniform.

But they are aware. They do notice. They ask questions. They are curious about the military and that makes them curious about military rank since it’s a part of their father’s job.

Should Military Kids Understand Military Rank?

Military kids, especially young children, do not need to understand military rank.

As a military spouse, I understand the basics of military rank. Basically I know enough to not embarrass myself during introductions at a Navy birthday ball.

But what about my children? Should they know the difference between officers and enlisted service members? Should they understand the different ranks and who reports to whom?

Should military kids understand military rank?

Nope.

I can’t think of a reason why military kids, especially young children, would have a need to understand military rank. I can’t think of a single situation where it would be relevant to their lives.

Now I’m not saying you won’t overhear military kids trying to “pull rank” on each other at the on-base playground.

I occasionally will hear a boy tell another one that “My husband is a gunny so you can’t tell me that” or a teenager say “my dad is really important. His name is in front of our house.”

These offhanded comments make me roll my eyes.

It’s a case of military kids wearing their service member’s rank. We know how inappropriate that is for military spouses so the same guidelines apply to our little ones. And I can’t help but wonder if the child is saying these rank-wearing comments because they’ve heard a parent talk in a similar tone at home.

Here are 3 things military kids need to understand about service members of all ranks.

Be respectful. As a parent, I teach my children to be respectful to all adults. This includes the service members in my neighborhood, the elderly veteran in line at the commissary and their often forgotten bus driver.

I want them to say “yes sir” and “no sir.” These polite habits aren’t only for a select few. Respect is equally given to all adults, regardless of their military rank.

Be appreciative. I hope that one day my children will appreciate the sacrifices of our veterans. No one job is more important than any other job in the Armed Forces. Enlisted? Officer? Special Forces? National Guard? Every person who volunteered to serve in our military deserves to be appreciated for their dedication.

Be independent. Back to my point that military kids don’t wear rank, we need to encourage them to be friends with whomever they want to be friends with. Their parents’ ranks are not a factor in finding friendship.

As a military child, it’s hard enough making new friends at a new school. Let’s not divide this community by rank or military branch.

Now that you know my military rank guidelines for interaction with service members, can you guess how I answered my daughter’s question about the framed photos at the quarterdeck?

I told her plainly that her father doesn’t have one of those 3 jobs. He has a different job at the battalion. Only 3 sailors have their photos hanging there and it’s because they have one of those 3 positions.

I didn’t explain rank structure.

And you know what?

That answer was more than satisfactory for her 3-year-old brain.

Do you think military kids should understand military rank? What do you think when you overhear them discussing rank structure at the playground?

How I Feel About Professional Athletes Protesting During the National Anthem

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When all this started last football season, I didn’t even pay attention. After all, it was a sidelined quarterback and he didn’t play for my team. Colin Kaepernick’s actions during the national anthem just didn’t affect me.

Since last fall, the rhetoric has ramped up and I now find myself taking sides. I honestly considered both positions.

Are these professional sports figures disrespecting the flag?

Should they be prevented from doing so legally?

They are disrespecting the military.

It seems like this line has been trotted out frequently over the last year. Many pundits would have us believe that by sitting, kneeling or otherwise protesting during the Star Spangled Banner, athletes are demeaning those who have served. I considered this view based on what I know as a military spouse.

Service members swear a solemn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. Part of that Constitution includes the First Amendment, which protects the right to free speech. By protesting, these professional athletes are exercising the very rights that our troops have sworn to protect and defend.

Our troops are working for an idea, an institution, that affirms our rights as Americans to believe as we choose and to, respectfully, act as we choose.

How I Feel About Professional Athletes Protesting During the National Anthem

The right to speak your mind is why my spouse signed up to protect and defend our great country. Not so that everyone would stand during the national anthem.

In many opinion pieces being shared online, veterans are supporting Kaepernick and his protest. Across the generations, active duty service members and veterans are defending the right to publicly protest, even if it means taking a knee during the national anthem.

I understand their reasons for protesting.

The last few years have seen very visible evidence of violence against people of color and other minority groups. It seems as if every week there is another news story about a police traffic stop gone horribly wrong. Or another young child caught in the crossfire. There rarely seems to be justice served.

I’m not here to tell police officers how to do their jobs. I certainly don’t know how and I can’t imagine being caught in those rock-and-a-hard-place scenarios where lives are on the line. I respect and admire anyone who chooses to serve their community and the greater good in law enforcement. But the optics are not great.

I can understand and sympathize with those who feel that there are great injustices happening daily in our country. I understand their desires to bring even greater visibility to these issues.

When it comes down to it, the protesting professional athletes are speaking to something that is affecting their lives and the lives of their loved ones and communities. And they are doing it without violence on a highly visible stage. It’s not very much different than other non-violent protests in the past.

Except that we now live in a time of very heated political rhetoric.

Lines have been drawn everywhere. Family members and close friends now no longer speak. Family reunions and friendly dinners have been turned into divisive debates. When opposing views seem to be held in our society, this is inevitable.

Mostly, I tried to stay out of this particular debate. Until I got to a point where I just couldn’t anymore. For me, that point came this past week.

I firmly agree that free speech does have unintended consequences. Private employers have the right to dismiss individuals who have used their First Amendment rights in a way that is not in keeping with the company’s mission statement. Other individuals have a right to reject words or actions that they disagree with. This, too, is part of the Bill of Rights.

With a series of tweets, our president seemed to call into question the rights of a U.S. citizen to protest peacefully. He called upon NFL team owners to fire any player that follows Kaepernick’s lead.

In short, our president used the power of his office to attempt to influence the actions of private businesses against individuals that he disagrees with.

And this is not OK. This is the line in the sand for me, personally.

As a representative of the U.S. government, our president also swears to protect and defend the Constitution. That includes the First Amendment, which enshrines freedom of speech for every citizen as the law of the land.

Freedom of speech isn’t just for when you agree with it, when it is convenient or when it follows your narrative. It means freedom of speech. Full stop.

This freedom means that the people who marched in Charlottesville, Va., have the same right to non-violent expression as professional athletes when they kneel during the anthem. It means that I can firmly believe that a silent protest to call attention to racial injustice is fine. And it means you can disagree with me about that same point.

If we walk away from protecting and defending this movement, these actions, as part of the First Amendment, what are we saying about America? That one kind of protest is OK, but another kind is not? We seem to be walking back our beliefs and freedoms because it doesn’t fit with our narrative that honoring the flag is directly tied to respecting our troops.

I see it differently.

We got where we are today through protests against injustice. The patriots in Boston showed their disgust at the tea tax by dumping it all in the harbor. Countless Quakers and abolitionists showed their opposition to slavery by assisting people to freedom. Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and many others all practiced non-violent protests to help move our nation toward racial equality.

More athletes have joined the silent protest over the past year and especially over the last few weeks. Major League Baseball just saw its first player take a knee. Bruce Maxwell, a catcher for the Oakland Athletics, has silently refused to stand during the national anthem. Maxwell has predicted that we shouldn’t be “surprised if you start seeing athletes kneeling in other sports now.”

The right to speak your mind, to exercise your rights, is exactly why my spouse signed up to protect and defend our great country. Not so that everyone would stand and salute the flag. Not to earn unending gratitude. And certainly not to allow our rights to be trampled on.

These professional athletes are exercising their rights.

If you choose not to watch or support professional sports this season, that is your right. But you do not have the right to make professional athletes stop.

Now it’s your turn. How do you feel about professional athletes not standing during the national anthem?

Are You Worried About DeCA Collecting Your Information?

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A multitude of companies gather data on you daily, so would it concern you if DeCA collected and sold your information as well?

Whether you realize it or not, your personal information is taken constantly. Rewards cards at businesses collect information on your shopping habits so that they can better adjust their marketing to products you would be interested in. The majority of information obtained on individuals is sold to third party companies for market research. DeCA is one such company.

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Military.com requested the information DeCA collects on military patrons’ use of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAPS) and special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) at commissaries. This request was denied by DeCA’s lawyers.

Specific information of shoppers was not requested. The request was simply for demographics of SNAPS and WIC users that shop at commissaries.

Lawyers however claimed that they didn’t have to share that information because of a law that states if information is sold to a third party then FOIA does not apply. The 2 companies they are referring to are Nielsen Holdings Plc and IRi.

Lawyers from DeCA were quick to say such information is not collected on shoppers anyway. They say that only product movement and sales information is collected when military IDs are scanned at the register. DeCA says they do not sell patrons’ personal information. They only collect demographic information. WIC and SNAP use therefore is not collected.

DeCA is giving contradictory information. They say they don’t collect personal information, only demographic information. The information they collect when military ID cards are scanned at the checkout include information from DEERS such as: ID number, rank, military status, branch, age, household size and the ZIP code of the service member’s home as well as their duty station. All of this is stated on a commissary fact sheet. This sounds pretty personal, especially recording your ID number.

What frustrates some people is that there is no way to opt out of sharing this information when you shop at the commissary.

Transparency is also a concern. Why is DeCA trying to prevent sharing this information? Is it because they actually do collect personal information?

If they do not collect this information, how are they reporting the military use of SNAP and WIC? The Department of Agriculture publishes data about where food stamp benefits are used each year. Commissary usage is included in that information.

In 2014 more than $84 million of SNAP benefits were spent at military commissaries according to a report filed by the Department of Agriculture. They estimated that between 1% and 2% of active duty used food stamps in 2012, the most recent data.

In the same year, the USDA estimated that more than 1.5 million veterans used SNAP. That’s about 7% of veterans. If DeCA doesn’t collect information on SNAP use, then how does the USDA have this information?

Does it bother you that DeCA collects your information, whether personal or simply demographic?

Remember you cannot opt out of having your military ID card scanned at the commissary.

Does it bother you more so that DeCA isn’t being transparent with providing this information to the public or that you cannot opt out of sharing it? We’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

How do you feel about this complicated situation with DeCA?

9 Military Discounts for Those Who Love to Craft

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Are you a crafty military spouse on the hunt for great military discounts? We are too and that’s why we’re sharing our favorite craft stores to shop at and which ones have military discounts.

DIY Military Spouses Can Score a Military Discount at These 9 Stores

Michaels

Simply present your military ID card at checkout and the clerk will give you a 15% military discount.

Previously, there was a special day of the week that this military discount was eligible to be used, however; they have recently changed it to a daily discount.

AC Moore

AC Moore has a 15% military discount. It is available every day and can be used on regular priced items as well as discounted items. Be ready to show your ID card at the register to receive this military discount.

A fantastic addition is that you can use their item discount coupons along with the military discount for an even better savings.

Lastly, AC Moore has a rewards program. Ask your cashier for a rewards card at the checkout. Scan it each time you shop at AC Moore and you will receive a certificate for money toward your future purchases.

9 Military Discounts for Those Who Love to Craft

Do you ask for a military discount when buying craft supplies?

Jo-Ann

Service members and their family members that have a military ID card can receive a 10% military discount that can be applied to regular, sale and clearance items. Some things are excluded from using a military discount such as classes, magazines and cutting machines.

Yankee Candle

Some crafters use candles in their projects. Yankee Candle offers a 10% discount to all active and retired service members. A military ID card is required to make the purchase in person. You can also use the military discount for purchases made online.

Overstock

Overstock does not have a specific military discount. They do however provide free Club O membership for military personnel.

With that, military spouses can get 5% reward dollars every time they make a purchase and enjoy free shipping as well as extra reward dollars. Overstock has many items for crafty military spouses. You can order cutting machines, sewing machines, scrapbooking items and more.

Lowe’s Home Improvement

It might surprise some military spouses to see Lowe’s on the list for craft supply stores. Though it is not your typical craft store, there are so many possibilities here.

Working on a craft project that requires wood? They’ll cut it down to size for you.

The super store has many items that can be used for craft projects. They have friendly staff that can take you right to the item you’re looking for as well.

They’ll even give you a 10% military discount when you check out.

Home Depot

Home Depot offers a 10% military discount. You’d be surprised how many things you can make out of non-traditional craft items here.

Home Depot even has a section of their site dedicated to craft ideas and products to use to make them if you need some ideas.

Old Time Pottery

Old Time Pottery has a vast selection of items that appeal to creative military spouses. Their prices are very low and they even offer a 10% military discount.

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams offers a 15% military discount on paints, stains and painting supplies. There are endless possibilities for crafters here.

Feeling inspired? Head out to one of these stores and get creative. Make sure you take a picture of your project to share with us.

Do you love to take photos? Enter your favorite picture in this month’s photo contest with MilitaryShoppers. Click here to enter to win.

Pregnant Military Spouses Concerned about Delivering at Military Hospitals

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I opened my Facebook news feed and my heart sank. The pictures were everywhere in a matter of hours. From a story that was being shared just in the military community, it quickly gained traction as the Scary Mommy website and other heavy hitters got involved.

The pictures reflect every new parent’s fears about leaving a child with another person. Thoughtless actions and careless words went viral. Now military spouses are left wondering about the reliability of their military treatment facilities.

Pregnant military spouses are questioning whether they should give birth at a military hospital.

When I was pregnant, I never thought twice about receiving all of my prenatal and birth care at the Naval hospital. After all, my insurance is fully accepted and everything would come at a very low cost or be absolutely “free.” I’ve had amazing experiences during both pregnancies and births. My nurses seemed to be attentive, kind and compassionate to me and my brand new baby.

With those photos, however, a little seed of doubt has crept in. How many other military families thought that everything had gone well? They must have believed, like I did, that corpsman would act with decency and dignity.

Instead, through the actions of 2 medical providers, we have learned that this is not always the case.

By posting these pictures, the corpsmen involved violated patient rights according to HIPAA. They shared images of the tiniest babies at their most vulnerable. A baby’s sweet little face was shared to people without parental consent. Worst of all, the infants were manipulated into poses and postures that were degrading or insulting. All without parental consent.

Expecting Mothers Concerned about Delivering at Military Hospitals

Does this news concern you? What actions do you think the Navy should take to prevent this from happening in the future?

Every time someone wheeled my babies out of the maternal recovery room for any reason, my heart skipped a beat. Yes, I had very healthy, medium to large babies. You might call them sturdy.

However, after gestating within me for 40 weeks, these moments marked the very first time that my children had been out of my sight. I worried and waited anxiously until my newborn was returned.

I’m sure all new parents, especially mothers, share this same worry. We have been in control for almost a year, and are now ceding that role to the doctors, nurses and corpsmen. It is terrifying and heart-stopping.

Now we have this additional worry: that someone will take advantage of their position to demean a newborn.

Which brings up another concern: how were these corpsmen placed in this role to start with?

Based on their behavior, in hindsight, it seems as if both corpsmen involved did not enjoy working with mothers and infants. Surely, this must have been evident before they were assigned to the maternity ward. A medical professional doesn’t just suddenly develop such strong negative feelings toward babies. A person who calls vulnerable newborns “little Satans” probably did not start out feeling warm and fuzzy toward her patients.

During our last birth process, we had the mostly amazing corpsmen. We even had one corpsman who went out of his way to include my older child in the new baby’s routine check-up. He was so exceptional that we thought he was a doctor, until he politely corrected us.

We also had someone who was a little rougher than I would have liked and persisted with tests that were causing the baby a lot of distress. After, my spouse and I wondered why that second corpsman was in that position.

Beyond the core incompatibility of these corpsmen, the lack of oversight is also concerning.

A writer for What to Expect When You’re Expecting even shared that the fake nails visible in one photo are considered unacceptable while working with newborns. Long nails and long fake nails have the potential to injure delicate newborn skin. They can carry dangerous bacteria that can lead to infections or illness.

That both corpsmen had the time and lack of supervision to share posed images on social media is also of note. Surely, someone should have been there with them or near them or popping in and out of that location. Someone must have known.

What gives me hope that this incident won’t be recurring in other military hospitals is the swiftness of the Navy’s response.

Through legal and military justice, these corpsmen should be held accountable for their actions. Hopefully, this embarrassment will cause a review of the policies placing personnel in each position. Ideally, the Navy will review the supervision guidelines as well as staff access to personal phones or devices.

It’s unfortunate that the actions of 2 inappropriate corpsmen will impact the future of so many of their exceptional colleagues. Because I personally have had experiences with amazing corpsmen. These ladies and gentlemen went above and beyond to show kindness, compassion and dignity.

However, with so many military families now questioning what will happen or has happened, during their birth experiences, something clearly needs to happen. Military families should feel secure when they are at their most vulnerable, especially on base.

Faith needs to be restored in the system. We are all waiting to see exactly how the Navy will act to accomplish this goal.

Does this news make you less likely to want to deliver in a military hospital?

Readers Split Over Veteran Shopping Privileges

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Just this past weekend as we were browsing the aisles at the commissary an announcement was made over the store intercom alerting shoppers to the fact that military Exchanges’ online shopping will soon be available to all veterans. It’s a newly added benefit that has seen a tremendously positive response.

But what about commissary privileges?

A MilitaryShoppers article looked at who is authorized to shop at the commissary and opened up discussion about whether commissary privileges should be extended to all veterans.

Cathy B suggested that commissary privileges “should be granted to all those veterans rated under 100% on a limited basis of 12 shopping trips a year plus a bonus trip during November in honor of Veterans Day.”

Carl felt differently. “Someone who did 4yrs should not get the same privileges as someone who did 20 or 30 yrs,” he wrote.

Reading through the comments, it’s easy to see that this is a hot topic for our readers and rightfully so. Shopping at the commissary does offer considerable savings on most products. Let’s address a few of the most common points of contention and some misconceptions.

Disabled Veteran Benefits

While it’s true that veterans with a 100% disability rating from the VA can shop at the commissary, veterans who receive at least a 30% disability rating from the military, are considered medically retired and do retain commissary benefits.

The 2 disability ratings are different. One is given by the VA and one by the military service itself. So many disabled veterans, especially those whose employment options are limited due to any service-connected injuries or conditions, are already granted privileges.

All Veterans Should Get to Shop

This is an idea express by many readers, but there are some logistical and economic factors that make a blanket open door policy difficult.

As some of our readers mentioned, how do we grant access to those who do not retain ID card privileges?

While the Exchange opened shopping to all veterans, that benefit was only extended online. And the Exchange is a self-sufficient, profit-positive business model that benefits from an increase in the size of its customer base. The more buyers you have, the greater your power to leverage those buyers when negotiating prices with manufacturers and suppliers.

The commissary is a taxpayer subsidized model. The bigger the customer base, the greater the subsidy required to continue to stock shelves and pay employees.

And where would we draw the line? Technically, if you’ve served a day, you are a veteran.

Does one day of service entitle you to benefits?

What if you’ve never been deployed?

Who would make that determination?

Are There Other Ways to Make it Work?

Some readers suggested that a special ID card could be issued or “benefit cards” like what the National Guard and Reserves use for their “once a month” shopping privileges prior to 9/11. This might be a viable option, but there would be additional costs associated with creating and maintaining the records necessary to make a program like this work.

Another suggestion made was to charge a fee, much like the national warehouse stores. This fee might prove an additional revenue stream to help close commissary budget shortfalls.

But it is important to consider what a huge influx of potential customers would do to the shopping experience. More shoppers creates additional strain on gate security and road resources. Parking, while usually ample, is limited, as are shelf space and checkout lanes.

An influx of customers could potentially see frequent outages of staple products and longer checkout lines. Which in turn, devalues the benefit being offered to those who are currently entitled to receive it.

I wholeheartedly understand why so many want to share the commissary benefit with all veterans. It is a sentiment born out of loyalty and a sense of community.

Should we see a revamped profit-earning business model like the Exchange emerge opening up commissaries to all veterans would make sense.

However, when you consider the financial and logistical impact, it becomes clear that opening the commissary doors to all veterans is just not a feasible option at present.

Want to have commissary specials and military discounts delivered to your inbox? Sign up for MilitaryShoppers newsletter today.

What the New GI Bill Means for Military Families

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Brace yourselves. Changes are coming to the GI Bill as we know it.

President Donald Trump signed the Forever GI Bill into law in August 2017. With this new bill, changes are in the works, including transferring benefits, housing allowances and the deadline to access GI Bill funds.

What the New GI Bill Means for Military Families

Time Limit

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, beneficiaries had 15 years to use their earned education benefits. With the new GI Bill, there is no time limit to complete a degree, license or education program.

This is arguably the most important change to the bill since it extends the time that beneficiaries have to complete their education.

It allows for unexpected life events or changes along the way.

This is limited to veterans, troops and designated dependents who became eligible on or after January 1, 2013.

Housing Allowance

Under the current GI Bill, non-active duty students rate the Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) for an E-5 with dependents based on the location of their school. Additionally, students receive a portion of the total allowance based on how many credits they are taking. In order to qualify, students must be enrolled at greater than half-time.

Starting Jan. 1, 2018, the housing allowance will be calculated using the reduced BAH schedule.

Previously, the GI Bill has been exempted from the yearly 1% BAH reduction started in 2015 and ending in 2020. Students using the GI Bill before January 1, 2018, will continue to receive their current housing allowance rates.

Additionally, the location used to calculate housing allowances will be tied to the location where students physically attend classes. This could impact students who attend a satellite campus in a location with a lower BAH rate. This change goes into effect on Aug. 1, 2018. Students enrolled before this date will follow the current rules.

Housing for members of the reserve will be prorated by quarter, semester or term starting on Aug. 1, 2018.

Expanded Access

Currently, eligibility for GI Bill benefits is calculated based on time in service or discharge due to service-related injury. Under the Forever GI Bill, all Purple Heart recipients will be rated at the 100% funding level or with 100% of their tuition and fees of in-state tuition paid for.

Additionally, certain members of the Reserve will be eligible for benefits under certain conditions. If Reserve troops deployed to support a combatant command or within their state in response to a natural disaster, they may now be able to access GI Bill benefits. This includes Reservists who deployed in these capacities after 2009.

Reservists who used the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP) will now be able to access the GI Bill under certain circumstances. Students who qualified before Nov. 25, 2015, but whose benefits have expired may choose to have that time in service credited toward the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This change applies to coursework started after Aug. 1, 2018.

Previously, students could be considered eligible for 40% of total GI Bill benefits (40% of in-state public college tuition and fees paid for) based on time in service. This category has now been eliminated.

Instead, the 60% level has been expanded to include more veterans. The minimum benefits level is now set at 50%, meaning that up to 50% of tuition and fees at an in-state public college would be paid by the VA.

Overall, more veterans and designated beneficiaries will be able to access higher education or career training with increased funding possible.

Transferring Benefits

Veterans can designate a dependent to receive GI Bill benefits. In the past, if that person passed away, the benefits disappeared.

Now, veterans are able to select another eligible dependent should their original designee die. Dependents who have received benefits are also able to pass on the GI Bill to another designee. This is only able to happen after the veteran who earned the benefits has passed away.

This now allows GI Bill benefits to continue on beyond the veteran or original designee in the event of death. This could prevent these valuable benefits from going unused.

Extra Protection

If your college closes before you earn a degree, the GI Bill now offers protections. Time spent at a college that has closed can now be partially or fully reinstated.

Students can also potentially earn GI Bill time back for courses that were not approved or for courses in which no credit was earned.

This is retroactive to programs, courses and colleges that were discontinued after Aug. 1, 2015. The change takes effect 90 days after the bill was signed.

Programs and Licenses

Students may begin using their benefits at accredited area career and technical schools that provide post-secondary education and/or vocational skills. This allows students to pursue a career path outside of traditional college level education.

Veterans at the 100% benefits level, with at least 60 credit hours of work and who will be reaching the end of their benefits before they complete an eligible degree in science, math, engineering, medicine or certain teacher training programs can apply for an extension.

This is a one-time 9-month benefit bonus. It cannot be transferred or be used in conjunction with the Yellow Ribbon Program. There is a $30,000 cap. This change begins on Aug. 1, 2019.

Entitlement charges for professional licensing and certification exams will be prorated based on the actual amount charged for the test.

Additional Benefits

Spouses and dependents who qualify for the Fry Scholarship may now also access the Yellow Ribbon Scholarship as well. This opens up new funding possibilities to supplement the GI Bill at private colleges or out-of-state schools. Purple Heart recipients will also be qualified for Yellow Ribbon Scholarships. These changes take effect on Aug. 1, 2018.

Beginning on Aug. 1, 2022, active duty troops using the GI Bill will be able to access the Yellow Ribbon Program. This will expand their ability to complete coursework at a larger number of institutes of higher learning while still serving their country.

Students who were eligible under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program now have 36 months of benefits instead of 45 months. This change applies to students who enroll after Aug. 1, 2018.

This same change increases the amount payable per month to $1,224 for full-time students, $967 for students enrolled at three-quarter time and $710 for half time enrollment. This increase is effective Oct. 1, 2018.

Will these changes to the GI Bill impact your family? Share your thoughts in the comments.

How I Prepare for His Deployment

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My husband and I have had our fair share of deployments, extended TDYs and special duty assignments. And while it has gotten easier to deal with the added stress that comes from having to say goodbye, it is never truly easy.

Preparing is often difficult, because it means you have to come to terms with the fact that your loved one will be headed into harm’s way.

For me, there are 4 broad areas of preparation necessary before any deployment: financial, physical, emotional and mental.

How I Prepare for His Deployment

Financial Preparation

Even if you share bill-paying responsibilities, make a point to sit down and go over your finances. This includes all of your bills, investments, credit cards and bank accounts. Make sure you know how to access the accounts and have contact information for each of them.

Consider getting a limited power of attorney. It can be exceptionally frustrating to be unable to upgrade a cell phone plan or resolve a billing discrepancy because your spouse’s name is the only one on the account. Plus, should you lose your military dependent ID card or need to make any changes to DEERS, a power of attorney means you can take care of it.

How I Prepare for His Deployment

What are your deployment preparation tips? Anything that you must do before your service member ships out?

While you are making preparations, make sure you go over both your and your spouse’s wills. It is touchy subject for some, but it is a necessary evil. If you don’t have a will, check with your local legal office for assistance.

Physical Preparation

In the same way that your spouse must make sure they are physically able to deploy, being left behind to manage everything on the homefront also requires you to be healthy and capable.

Before your service member leaves, schedule your annual doctor and dentist appointments. Make sure your prescriptions are filled and up-to-date.

Make taking care of yourself easier while you are dealing with the stress of a deployment.

Physical preparation also takes your surroundings into account. If your spouse always mows the lawn, for example, consider hiring a lawn service or learn how to use the equipment properly if you don’t know how to do it yourself. Again, the idea is to try to make it as easy as possible for you to juggle everything while your spouse is away.

Deployments are a great time to focus on your physical fitness. Exercise can prove to be a great distraction and physical activity has been proven to help improve mood and combat depression.

Emotional Preparation

It’s important to prepare yourself emotionally for the time apart and the added strain of knowing your spouse is in harm’s way. Any emotional stress you’re feeling is often exacerbated by the fact that you don’t want to burden your spouse during phone calls and Skype sessions.

We can never fully prepare for how we are going to handle things emotionally. All we can do is try to put some plans in place to helps us cope when things get tough.

Try to get a good support system in place with a list of folks and phone numbers you can call if you need help. Sometimes just having a fellow military spouse to talk to can make all the difference in the world.

If you need to go home to family or have someone come and stay with you, then do it. There are no shiny medals given for being an emotional martyr, so don’t feel like you have to go it alone.

Try not to isolate yourself. Deployments rarely happen to just one service member in a unit at a time, so consider joining the FRG or family support group. The military has been on a cycle of deployment for the last two decades and there are many programs and resources out there. Make sure you reach out to the chaplain or family support services before your service member deploys so you know what’s available.

Mental Preparation

Hand in hand with dealing with the emotional impact, your mental health is vital to a successful deployment.

One of the best techniques I have found is to make plans to keep myself busy. Taking a class, learning a new skill, trying a new hobby, or even starting a business have all become a focus for my attention while my spouse was deployed.

Left to wander a lonely and bored mind will never been an ally.

Plan ways to keep yourself distracted during the deployment. It’s a great time to focus on yourself a little more than usual and work on any of those self-improvement/self-growth goals you’ve been thinking about.

How do you prepare for your service member’s deployment?

Do Special Privileges for the Military Magnify the Civilian-Military Divide?

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Do a quick online search for military discount or military offer and thousands and thousands of webpages come up.

And it’s not just restaurants or retails stores, car rentals, apartment rentals, colleges and car dealerships all offer special pricing and discounts for active duty service members, veterans, National Guard and military spouses.

Add in our medical coverage, housing pay, debt relief, and educational and retirement benefits, and it’s not hard to see why some feel that service members and their families receive too many special privileges and considerations.

Do Special Privileges for the Military Magnify the Civilian-Military Divide?

Despite the stereotypes, members of the military community aren’t cheapskates. We’re not sitting at home hoarding all the savings we get from military discounts.

But even though we know more than anyone that these benefits and privileges are earned by our service members, it can be disheartening when we find ourselves in the crosshairs of public opinion.

Often when these arguments are raised, we feel like we are standing on the other side of some kind of cultural divide.

Can the average American truly appreciate our way of life?

Can they understand why these special provisions are available for military families?

At the same time, we must consider our own motivations. Are we asking for too much?

The Difference Between Benefits and Privileges

To those who think we are, as a community, overpaid and over-privileged, a quick review of the difference between benefits and privileges is in order.

The housing, educational, retirement and medical benefits are just that – benefits.

Just like any other job, these benefits are part of the total compensation package offered by an employer to an employee upon the acceptance of a position.

Yes, these benefits are funded by federal taxes, a system our community also pays into, but any American who chooses to apply and accept a position in the military is entitled to receive them.

These things are not privileges, they are earned compensation.

That being said, it is important to understand that there is a limit to these benefits. I’ve heard military spouses complain about the military not paying for an airline ticket home for a funeral or about how school loan debt for dependents should be forgiven.

While arguments could be made for additional benefits in both cases, the truth is, the military isn’t a I-want-it-so-give-it-to-me free for all. We cannot simply expect that our every need and want be subsidized by the American taxpayer.

The U.S. military is not a welfare state. We must be careful about considering ourselves to be a community more deserving than others. We are no more American than our civilian neighbors.

Benefits earned should be benefits received. Everything else is on us to manage.

All Those Military Discounts

While most businesses offering a military discount do so as a way to give back and say thank you, let’s not lose sight of the fact that it is still a marketing technique used to attract customers.

The U.S. military community is fairly unique as far as our spending habits are concerned. Job security offers our community of consumers the ability to spend more than their civilian counterparts in many areas. Offering a discount attracts customers from the million plus strong military community.

It’s no different than offering a discount to those who have student ID or are over 55 years old.

And when you consider that a lot of military folks I know tend to spend more when there is a military discount offered or leave bigger tips, any military discount is funneled right back into the economy.

Despite the stereotypes, members of the military community aren’t cheapskates. We’re not sitting at home hoarding all the savings we get from military discounts.

A Community Apart?

We are a community unlike any other in that we exist because our nation demands a strong and professional military. And while our role as citizens is unique, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are part of much larger whole and should continue to serve our country with grace and humility.

We must not close ranks, but instead remain open and engaged in the conversation about the future of this country, including its military.

After all, while long and distinguished, even a career of service in the military must come to an end. And we will need to cross that cultural divide and rely on the strength and acceptance of our civilian communities to help us make that transition.

Do you think that military discounts add to the cultural divide between the military community and civilians? Share your opinion in the comments section.

Commissaries Stock Shelves with Local Products in Hawaii and Beyond

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For customers of Hawaii’s commissaries, buying local is getting easier and easier. Commissaries around the Hawaiian Islands and beyond are stocking the shelves with local products.

At the annual American Logistics Agency (ALA) Hawaii  Expo, local businesses have the opportunity to showcase their unique products to military buyers. In the two decades of expos, many Hawaiian foods and products have already made their way to military consumers.

Military buyers are looking for unique items at these shows.

“I’m not looking for what I already have,” said Brad McMinn, director of the Schofield Barracks Commissary.

Local Companies, Big Opportunities

Diamond Head Seafoods, owned by Hawaiian local and military veteran Mike Irish, has been working with the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) for 20 years. From a small start with just a few products, Irish has progressed to running the seafood counters around Hawaii.

“I thought they didn’t like my products,” he admitted. “But I just kept trying. The second year they took five products, the third year nine or 10. As they got to know who I was and learned that I was committed to the commissaries, they grew more committed to my products and company.”

Currently, military shoppers can also find Irish’s sauces and condiments in commissaries on the mainland.

Thomas Kerwin of Aloha Gourmet also hopes to expand his product line in Hawaiian commissaries. This year, he brought cookies, coconut shreds and dried mangoes dipped in chocolate.

“We come to this show every year to showcase our items and meet with the buyers,” he said in this news article. “We may not get all of the products we show onto shelves, but even if it’s just one or two, that’s enough.”

Other companies are looking to break into the military market.

“We believe, given the opportunity, the military community will support us and this product,” Mike Choy, co-owner of  Ilio Products, commented. “They’re part of the community and they care about Hawaii and environmental issues. A part of our proceeds goes to organizations that support our coastlines.”

Choy brought an all natural, human grade line of venison dog treats, Go Go Pet’s Stressless Venison Premium Treats, to the expo. The dog treats are made from local deer on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Deer live on these islands without any natural predators, leading to overpopulation. Culling the deer helps keep the populations in check. Turning the meat into dog treats avoids waste.

“Our goal is to get our message out about how different and special (this product) is,” Choy said. “We’ve already thought about maybe having demos at (military exchanges and commissaries) or having an informational video run next to the product display.”

Possibility to Expand Beyond Hawaii

Choy and other vendors have a good chance of having products picked up by commissaries and exchanges on O’ahu. According to a report by Hawaii News Now, over 350 products were selected at the 2016 expo. Of these, 27 products were from companies that have not previously worked with DeCA. Fifteen new companies and 200 new items were added to the combined military exchanges.

Over the last two decades, almost 3,000 local products have made their way to military consumers at the commissaries and exchanges.

The ALA works with DeCA and the exchange systems throughout the military to help place and promote their members’ businesses and products. Given this large network, products have the possibility of expanding to stores worldwide.

“(T)housands of products have been marketed at the Hawaii show. Many of them are sold throughout the commissary network worldwide,” said U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono.

If you are looking for local products at your commissary or exchange, ask an associate. Often they can help direct you to these products. Many commissaries and exchanges also have a section featuring local products. Take the time to browse this section the next time you are at the commissary.

Which local products are featured in your commissary? Share your favorites in the comments section.