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VA and Apple Announce Capabilities Launching This Summer so Veterans can Access VA Health Records on iPhone

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By Marguerite Cleveland

The U.S. Department of Affairs and Apple recently announced that new capabilities will soon be available for Veterans to access their VA medical records using the Health Records on iPhone feature from Apple. This is for Veterans receiving their care directly through the VA.

“We have great admiration for Veterans, and we’re proud to bring a solution like Health Records on iPhone to the veteran community,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “It’s truly an honor to contribute to the improved healthcare of America’s heroes.”

The Health app on an iPhone will allow Veterans to view everything from health conditions to lab results as well as other medical information. In addition to the VA, Apple has partnered with other hospitals and medical facilities that have electronic records and this information is available as well on the Health Records app. Veterans will be able to view their medical data from multiple providers on their iPhone. Once a Veteran has completed an appointment within 24 hours of the visit their health record will be updated and available on the app. “When patients have better access to their health information, they have more productive conversations with their physicians,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “By bringing Health Records on iPhone to VA patients, we hope veterans will experience improved healthcare that will enhance their lives.”

All this is possible due to the VA’s new Veterans Health Application Programming Interface which allows Veterans to access their health records on mobile devices or in their web browser. “Our Health API represents the next stage in the evolution of VA’s patient data access capability,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “By building upon the Veterans Health API, we’re raising the bar in collaborating with private sector organizations to create and deploy innovative digital products for Veterans. Veterans should be able to access their health data at any time, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come to accomplishing this.” 

According to Apple, Veterans medical records and health data on the app is encrypted and protected with a user’s iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID. “Our goal is to empower people to better understand and improve their health, enabling them to view their medical information from multiple providers in one place easily and securely,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology. “We’re excited to bring this feature to veterans across the US.”

The Apple iPhone app will be the first record sharing platform available to the VA which looks forward to partnering with other companies to bring similar technology to other mobile platforms. The Veterans Health API is another example of the VA’s commitment to IT modernization which began in March 2018 with the launch of Lighthouse, the department’s Application Programming Interface Management Platform.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com

Photo credit:
© witthaya /Adobe Stock

In Honor of Women’s History Month – Military Spouses Who Made a Difference

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By Marguerite Cleveland

In honor of Women’s History Month here are some Military Spouses worth remembering.

Martha Washington – We most often think of her as a First Lady but before that she was the quintessential Army Spouse holding down the fort while her husband was deployed. In addition to running Mount Vernon, the family estate she also visited George at Valley Forge and entertained the officers and their spouses.

Mary Ludwig Hays – You will know her as Molly Pitcher, the nickname given to her after her service at the Battle of Monmouth.  Mary spent the day bringing water to the soldiers as well as providing water to cool the artillery pieces one of which her husband, William was manning. When he collapsed she assumed his position and continued firing the cannon at great danger to herself. At one point it is said a enemy cannon shot passed between her legs taking off a piece of her petticoat. After the war, the state of Pennsylvania awarded her with a pension for her service at Monmouth.

Julie Compton Moore – You may recognize her from the movie “We Were Soldiers” where she was played by Madeline Stowe. In one of the most poignant scenes in the movie, Moore intercepts the taxi driver who is delivering the notices of those who had died in a battle in Vietnam. There is more to her story though. She was so appalled by the heartless way that family members received notification of the death of their loved ones that she lobbied for change. As the results of her efforts, we now have a more compassionate system in place where a service member and a chaplain make the notification in person.

Tanya Biank –  Tanya is the woman who put Army Wives on the map.  Her book, “Under the Sabers”, became the inspiration for the television show, “Army Wives” on the Lifetime network and was one of their most popular shows. It aired from 2007 to 2013 and introduced America to the military spouse experience. Biank who is also an Army Spouse served as a consultant for the show.

Ruth Bader Ginsberg – According to the Blue Star Family website, before she was a Supreme Court Justice Ginsberg was an Army Spouse and followed her husband Martin to Fort Sill. The first time she argued a case before the Supreme Court in 1973 it was on behalf of a female service member to obtain spouse benefits for her husband. At that time, husbands of service members were not considered dependents and were not eligible for benefits.

A special shout out to Michelle Obama who deserves to be an honorary spouse do to her efforts for military families during her time as the First Lady.

Photo credit:
© patrimonio designs/Adobe Stock

Do You Use Military Life to Excuse Overindulgence?

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“I’m treating myself for surviving another week of deployment.” “We’re celebrating a promotion.” “She’s finally home! Time to go all out.”

Does this seem familiar to you? It’s almost way too easy to use military life as a reason to celebrate – and over indulge.

From fancy steak dinners to decadent chocolate cakes to booze, there is always a reason to treat yourself when you live the military life. Promotions, homecomings of all kinds or even just surviving another tough week separated from your spouse. Anything can become an excuse to over indulge.


© Vladimir Mucibabic / Adobe Stock

Do You Use Military Life to Excuse Overindulgence?

I’ve been there with you. During my spouse’s year-long combat zone deployment, I found a reason to treat myself almost every single day.

Survived the week? Red wine. Handled something without crying? Spoonfuls of cookie dough, straight from the giant, family sized tub.

Every weekend was a great excuse to enjoy a night out with my girlfriends, make a sweet treat or sip on something alcoholic.

I felt pretty good about my choices. After all, my spouse was deployed and I needed to survive this with a shred of my sanity intact. Numbing my feelings with my “treats” was a great way to make that happen.

Until I looked in the mirror and stepped on the scale a few months into the year.

Over Indulging to Numb Feelings

I had packed on a few pounds in just a few months thanks to my overindulgence. Clothes weren’t fitting as well anymore. And I looked a little worse for wear.

I realized that I had been treating myself to avoid dealing with the emotions of deployment, of being truly alone for the first time. It was easier to eat or drink than to actually confront what I was feeling.

Stepping on the scale and really looking in the mirror forced me to confront what I was doing to my body. I didn’t like what I saw and resolved to change.

Which was great, until my spouse came back.

Celebrations to Treat Yourself

Numbing with food or booze is common during deployments, but it’s also an easy habit to slip into when your spouse is home.

It starts with the homecoming celebration, foods they haven’t enjoyed or drinks they’ve been craving. But that could bleed over to enjoying all the local restaurants they’ve missed, too. So you end up eating out more often than not, to treat yourselves.

Before you know it, there’s a promotion in the works, farewell parties, baby showers, holidays and other milestones. Every occasion requires celebrating, right? And that means rich dishes and freely flowing drinks.

You don’t want to be a party pooper, so it’s easier to just join in than take a pass or BYO anything.

Eventually, treating yourself becomes a habit and a lifestyle. And military life has become the reason.

Breaking the Treat Yo’Self Cycle

Do you recognize yourself? Are you treating yourself all the time, creating a lifestyle around indulgences?

Yeah, I was right there with you. And every so often, I find myself slipping back into those routines. Old habits die hard, right?

When I notice that I’m over indulging, I also know it’s time for a personal reckoning. The first step is to hold myself accountable with a food journal and exercise tracking.

When I actually write down everything I’m eating and drinking, the results usually surprise me. It’s easy to overlook those sneaky bites of brownie or comforting cookies when you’re not taking notes. When you see your eating habits in black and white, it’s not so simple to ignore anymore.

I also take a good look at my fitness habits. Am I making it a point to move every day? What am I doing to account for what I’m eating? Weight loss and maintenance is all about balancing calories in with calories out.

Finally, I look at my calendar and appointments. I’m looking for notes about nights out with friends or dinner dates with my spouse. How often am I making a reason to celebrate?

Find a Celebration Balance

Life is all about balance. That’s true for celebrations, too. You can and should celebrate the milestones and victories. And a few nights out with friends, just because, never hurt.

But celebrating and nights out shouldn’t become your lifestyle.

Finding a good balance and making a plan for celebrations is essential.

Try to make celebrations matter. Pick out the milestones that matter to your family most and prioritize those moments. Plan a party, go out to eat and enjoy some desserts.

For other occasions, make a plan to treat yourself within reason. At neighborhood BBQs or farewells (or whatever you’re celebrating), plan to bring a healthy dish and limit your drinking. Enjoy a good time with friends, but also commit to your lifestyle goals.

Have you used your military life to over indulge? How did you break the cycle? We’d love to check out your best tips!

Bringing Story Time To Military Kids Around the World

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Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program helps military kids stay connected

By Marguerite Cleveland

Deployments can be so tough on kids and it is often difficult for them to stay connected to their deployed loved ones.  Back in the day my father would send us cassette tapes and we could listen to him. Then we would tape one and send it back to him. Technology has changed so much since then and the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program helps military kids stay connected with their deployed love ones.

Valerie Ortiz’s three year old was struggling with Dad being away. “Last Christmas, my husband was deployed and he sent a video and a book of him reading to our kids. Our 3 year old was having particular trouble with Dad being away and that video and book was everything. He must’ve watched it 30 times that one night and then watched it every day for a month. We were extremely grateful,” she said.

Ortiz had discovered the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program. The Bob Hope Legacy partnered with the USO to provide is a virtual, on-demand story time that helps military kids connect with their deployed parent. The program has three parts: story time, military kid reading program and supporting local reading programs around the world. It has reached an estimated 23,000 military families throughout the world this past year.

The Story time program allows military service members to read to their children wherever they are in the world. It can help them provide a special gift to mark important occasions like a birthday or newborn birth. You just need to go to a participating USO locations to record yourselves reading to your child and that recording gets shipped home.

Another aspect of the program works in reverse with the military child recording themselves reading and the ability to share it with someone they love. The USO helps bring families together by sending the recording to a child’s loved one.

The USO and the Bob Hope Legacy supports local reading programs specifically designed to meet the needs of a local military community. These programs may be geared towards military spouses to help them meet others in their situation or kids craft activities designed to pair with a story.

Bob Hope was a famous movie star who loved the military. At his prime he headlined USO shows and usually spent every Christmas performing for the troops. The USO continues to honor his legacy and you can read more about him at Bob Hope – The USO’s One Man Morale Machine.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

Photo Credit:
© WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobe Stock

Make the Most of Your On-Base Mayberry Neighborhood Life

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The street lights come on, colors sound, and suddenly you hear a chorus of voices filling the evening air.

“Johhny and Aiden, time to come in!”

“Sydney and Mariah, dinner!”

Kids scatter from the playgrounds while doors open and shut quickly as children sort themselves into the correct house. Bikes are left leaning against fences and neighbors sit down for spur of the moment glasses of sweet tea on porches.

Make the Most of Your On-Base Mayberry Neighborhood Life

Living on-base can feel a lot like living in a Mayberry neighborhood. Everyone knows everyone else, kids play outside almost all the time and there’s always someone there to lend a hand.

It seems like this simpler lifestyle could go on forever, but the years in your on-base Mayberry neighborhood are limited. Sure, you could end up in another similar situation, but then again you might not.

Right now is the best time to make the most of your incredible military community.

Photo Credit:
©devrim_pinar/Adobe Stock

Kids Play Outside All the Time

In a lot of on-base neighborhoods, the kids are always outside. Like, all the time. They’re riding bikes, chilling at the playground and catching air at the skate park. Some are building forts or playing a pickup soccer game.

This isn’t something that happens in off-base neighborhoods. Houses are more spread out, playgrounds might not be within easy reach or it’s just not that safe.

On-base, it’s pretty safe to let your child run to the within-shouting-distance playground with their friends for a bit. Or to let them run down the street for an impromptu playdate with a neighbor.

There are always other kids to play with on base. In fact, it’s hard to find a neighborhood without children at all. From infants to high schoolers, there are usually a whole group of kids in a similar age range.

Borrow a Cup of Sugar

Or grab a can of peas or a bag of nuggets. Seriously, your neighbors are here for you in ways that just aren’t a thing off base anymore.

It’s not uncommon for cul de sacs to have a community text message or Facebook chat. Send a quick message to your neighbors about literally anything.

Run out of an ingredient? Send a message and then just run across the way to grab what you need.

Neighborhood messages have been used to find a last minute sitter, figure out playdates, and even get quick checks at the mailboxes. No need to leave your house and check your box if you’ve got a neighbor headed that way already. It’ll save you the trip only to find an empty mailbox!

Find Support 24/7

What do you need help with? Chances are good that you can find what you need right in your on-base neighborhood. From tutors to yard care to babysitters, you’ll find resources within easy reach.

Many military neighborhoods use social media to connect. Members can post anything they need 24/7.

It’s definitely not uncommon to see a post from a military spouse looking for a date night sitter or wondering about the trash schedule. Social media groups make it easy to connect, find answers and support each other.

Easy Ways to Socialize

Base housing is usually organized based on rank/grade, which means that usually you’ll be living near folks who are at a similar place in life as your family. And this opens up great opportunities to socialize together.

On base, it’s not unusual to have spur of the moment BBQs or weekend fires. With a neighborhood text message or every family outside in the afternoon, it’s easy to make plans together.

You’re together almost all the time, you see each other every day. And getting together is simple.

Ask a neighbor about dinner plans, then suggest combining your grilling to make it into an impromptu party!

Or talk with other parents outside after school to make plans for a kids’ playdate or parents only fire.

Holiday Community Spirit

Whether you’re overseas or just across the country from your family, you’ll still be able to celebrate with people you love! Most military neighborhoods end up celebrating all the holidays, big or small, together.

Every holiday turns into a giant potluck with every family bringing their favorite sides and desserts to share. All the kids play together all day long.

After living on base, it might feel weird to not have a giant all-hands Easter egg hunt.

Having a giant potluck to celebrate with your neighbors make holidays far from your childhood home easier and more festive.

Make Separations Simpler

On base, it’s easy for families to band together and make deployments or TDYs simpler for everyone.

Combining families for dinner, swapping playdate locations and generally working together has saved military spouses on the home front more than once. Living on base makes finding support and teammates so much easier.

Everyone is in this together, dealing with stretches of solo parenting or missing a spouse. Finding your own battle buddy helps families stay sane and survive separations.

What do you love about living on base? Share your experiences with us!

It’s Tax Time – Tips to Get You Ready

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By Marguerite Cleveland

I love tax time. We always have enough withheld so I know we will get a refund. There is something so satisfying about answering the questions on my e-filing software and seeing my refund tick upwards.  Filing your own taxes is surprisingly easy especially with software offered by H & R Block and Turbo Tax. Simply answer a series of questions based on your situation and the software fills out all the required tax forms and you submit everything online. Even having my own freelance business and rental property, the software can handle it.

This is the first year that the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will affect your taxes. There are lots of changes but the most beneficial to military families is the increase to the Child Tax Credit from $1000 to $2000 for children younger than 17. With the married filing jointly modified adjusted gross income cap at $400,000 just about every military family will benefit. Even if you don’t owe any tax you will still receive up to $1400 for each qualifying child. Also new this year parents supporting children 17 and over will receive a $500 credit. For more information visit www.irs.gov and look for Publication 972 Child Tax Credit.

If you’re looking for the most affordable option for filing your taxes, most military installations offer a tax center which provides free tax services to service members, their families and retirees.  Typically they are open from January through April.  You can have someone help you with your taxes or use the kiosks with tax software provided by H & R Block if you prefer to do your own. Filing is free.

Another option is www.militaryonesource.com. Their website offers free tax preparation and e-filing software. In addition there are tax consultants that have knowledge of the unique tax circumstances military members face such as PCS moves and tax free income during deployments. There are plenty of helpful articles and other online resources.

If you really find taxes difficult and are not close to a military base, your most expensive option will be to visit the many commercial companies like Jackson Hewitt, H & R Block, and Liberty Tax Service. If you have a complex tax situation such as a divorce or inheritance or selling rental property you may wish to hire an accountant who will have more knowledge on complex tax situations.

The sooner you complete your tax return the sooner your refund will be on the way. To prepare your taxes get all your documents organized to make filing easier. Have all your W-2s, banking tax forms and any self-employment documentation such as 1099s available. Whichever method you choose, being organized will make everything run smoother.

 How are you completing your taxes this year? Any helpful tips?

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories.  She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.WanderWordsWine.com

Photo Credit:
©devrim_pinar/Adobe Stock

Chef Irvine brings own brand of health, wellness to Fort Lee

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NEWS RELEASE

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:         07-19                                                                                                                        

Date:                              January 25, 2019

Media Contact:             Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                                (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                           kevin.robinson@deca.mil

FITNESS: IMPOSSIBLE

Chef Irvine brings own brand of health, wellness to Fort Lee

By DeCA Corporate Communications

Note:Go to DeCA’s YouTube page to watch a video related to Chef Robert Irvine. For photos, go to the agency’s Flickr page.

FORT LEE, Va. – Robert Irvine, celebrity chef, fitness guru, author and star of the Food Network television shows, Restaurant: Impossible and Dinner: Impossible, has a thing for the military and he’s not shy about saying it.

“One hundred fifty days a year of my being is spent with the military, understanding what it takes to be a modern day soldier, sailor, airman, Marine or coast guardsman,” Irvine said during an interview at the Defense Commissary Agency’s Fort Lee, Virginia, headquarters.

“Ultimately, food and nutrition, that’s what I do,” he added. “My love is to help those who need that in their daily lives. The commissary is part of our military and gives the added bonus of [providing] good products, teaching [patrons] how to use those products and keeping our men and women fit.”

Irvine, a 10-year veteran of the British Royal Navy, brought his unique brand of humor and personality to Fort Lee on Jan. 16, where he met service members and their families at the commissary and the exchange. The celebrity chef also is scheduled to visit the commissary and exchange at Naval Base San Diego Feb. 1.

To reinforce the chef’s message on fitness, The Robert Irvine Foundation is participating in an essay contest with commissaries and exchanges where the winner wins a cookout with Irvine. Essays must be submitted to www.MilitaryFitFamily.com no later Jan. 31. Patrons can also enter to win Irvine’s new cookbook, Family Table. The essay is about what the patron and their family is doing to get healthy in 2019 and beyond, and how the commissary and exchange will help them reach their wellness goal.

“As a force our lives are changing. We want a better, fitter more active force,” Irvine said. “We’ve changed the physical fitness areas in all our branches of the military, and what commissaries have done is adapt to that by giving us healthier choices, better-tasting foods, lower sugars, lower sodium, better protein bars and better protein drinks to allow us to keep up with those standards.”

For Irvine, commissaries and exchanges are a vital part of the military benefits package that supports the wellness of patrons’ wallets along with their physical health.

“When you are in the U.S. military, one of the benefits is being part of a place where you can get products at a very reduced rate and keep your family living,” he said. “If you think about the men and women who wear the cloth of our nation, we are in a salary bracket that sometimes doesn’t necessarily allow us great indulgent benefits.

“If I have a wife and two children, making $38,000 a year, for me to have a good life I have to be smart with money. Part of that smartness is using commissaries and exchanges because they offer great products at low prices and I can actually take care of my family. I call it hope. The commissaries and exchanges allow me hope to give my family the best I can give them rather than going outside and paying more money for it.”

-DeCA-

Scholarships for Military Children Entries Due Soon

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NEWS RELEASE

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:         06-19                                                                                                                        

Date:                              January 25, 2019

Media Contact:             Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                                (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                           kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Application deadline Feb. 15

Scholarships for Military Children entries due soon

By Mike Perron,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Note: To watch a video on DeCA’s YouTube page related to Scholarships for Military Children, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbJrphCfYBY

FORT LEE, Va. – Students should be finishing up their preparations to apply for one of the 500 available $2000 Fisher House Foundation Scholarships for Military Children, as the deadline is approaching. Applications are being accepted through Friday, Feb. 15.

The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created in 2001 to recognize the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force, and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community. The program is administered by Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to service members and their families.

This year is the first in which the entire application process is online, said Jim Weiskopf, Fisher House vice president. “We are excited with the initial results from the online application process. We can track, in real time, the number of applications started and completed at each commissary.  We are on target for another highly competitive selection year.”

Eligibility for the program is determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants should ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are enrolled in the DEERS database and have a current military dependent ID card. The applicant must also be planning to attend or already be attending an accredited college or university, full time, in the fall of 2019 or be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

Applicants who are awarded a full scholarship to attend a college or university or receive an appointment to one of the military academies or affiliated preparatory schools are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other expenses.

Among requirements of the application process is providing a short essay. This year’s request is military lifestyle-related: “Please cite two examples of how being a child of a military service member has influenced your educational goals.”

All rules and requirements for the program, as well as links to frequently asked questions and the application are available at MilitaryScholar.org.

Fisher House also recently added a custom scholarship search engine to the site, tailored to military families, called “Scholarships for Service.” It’s free, easy to use, and available on mobile devices or computers at militaryscholar.org.

Students enter brief background information and educational goals and the search tool will identify military-affiliated scholarships they may be eligible for based on their input. Once the search is complete, students receive a list of scholarships with a summary of eligibility requirements, points of contact and links to the scholarship provider’s website. Students can elect to have a PDF file of the results immediately emailed to them for use in selecting which scholarships to apply for.

The Scholarships for Military Children program is managed by Scholarship Managers, a national, nonprofit organization. If students have questions about the scholarship program application, they should call Scholarship Managers at 856-616-9311 or email them to militaryscholar@scholarshipmanagers.com.

No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children Program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers and the general public donate money to fund the program.

-DeCA-

Starting the PCS Purge

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How to get ready for your next move?

By Marguerite Cleveland

     It’s January but that is not too soon to start preparing for your next PCS move. All the buzz in the media right now is about Marie Kondo and her method to get rid of the clutter, but you don’t need to watch her Netflix show to find your own way to a clutter free move. The key is to plan ahead and to begin gradually purging until it is move time. Taking a gradual approach will lead to less stress.

  • Tax Time – Now is a great time to get control of your paper. Consider going paperless for as much as you can. It will make address change time much easier. Let magazine subscriptions lapse and don’t renew until you get to your new duty station. Start thinking about what important documents like birth certificates, passports, and shot records you will need at your next duty station. Always hand carry these items. Military paperwork, save everything. I can’t tell you how many times over the years we needed an LES, a copy of orders or a travel voucher. We use a large binder with document protectors broken up into categories like orders, award certificates and travel vouchers.
  • Toys and Kid Stuff – It wasn’t until recently that I learned that many childhood toys and collections that were lost in the move were actually purged before we moved. Move time is a good opportunity to cull through the stuff. Gradually start packing things up leaving out just a few favorites as you get closer to the move. For sets, put all the pieces together and box or tape up. Decide which you will keep and which you want to get rid of.
©Duriya/Adobe Stock
  • Clothing – At the end of the winter season, go through all winter clothes. Wash coats, gloves etc and then pack away. Get rid of anything you don’t wish to keep. I am a huge fan of big plastic tubs. The top seals and keeps out bugs. As you get closer to the move pick which summer clothes you will travel with and then plan to have the rest packed up. Usually less is more when you pack for a trip but consider how long you will be without your household goods.
  • Food – Start looking at what is in your freezer and as you get closer to the PCS plan meals to use up frozen food, open condiments and anything refrigerated. Usually unopened nonperishables can be shipped.
  • Sentimental Items and kids projects – With this lifestyle we live it is not practical to save everything. I recommend purchasing a trunk for each member of the family. Mine contains some treasures from my childhood, my children’s first baby outfits, letters from deployments etc. With kids projects keep one or two per year, I usually keep the flat items as they are easier to store.

     Now what to do with all the stuff you are getting rid of. First try to make a little money. I like to do a garage sale and I price to move the merchandise especially if I am going to donate what I don’t sell. It is amazing how quickly items priced $1 add up. Consignment stores are also an option. Usually the Thrift Shops on military installations are a good place to sell and donate. There are also online options like Ebay but you have to package and mail the items you sell. Whatever is left donate or recycle. Did you know items like the pile of plastic bags from the commissary can be donated to food banks so clients have something to carry the food in?

     Prepping for a PCS move will definitely reduce your stress and it is not too early to start. What is your favorite tip to help plan for a PCS move?

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com

MWR – Morale, Welfare and Recreation

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Are you Taking Advantage of the many free and low cost programs?

Morale, Welfare and Recreation Programs are available on all military installations around the country and the world. Did you know that when you shop your installation Exchange the majority of the earnings are returned to MWR to help improve the quality of life for military service members and their families?

Here are some great things you can take advantage of through MWR:

  • Installation Libraries. Many have fun programs and activities for younger children
  • Get Fit. After physical training hours in the morning there are a variety of fitness centers available for family use. Swim and workout on a variety of equipment at no charge. Take fitness classes (some posts or bases have a moderate fee). Many MWR programs offer a variety of fitness challenges and races such as mud runs, triathlons and 10K runs.
  • Outdoor Recreation. Offers a variety of equipment rentals such as skis and camping gear. Purchase fishing licenses and state park passes. Go on an outdoor adventure on one of the many trips they offer like white water rafting or a photography class at a stunning sunset location. Take scuba or kayak classes. Joint Base Lewis-McChord outdoor rec even offers a mountaineering program. Each installation will be different based on where it is located. For example Florida and Hawaii locations may be more aquatic centered while those in Colorado will have more mountain activities like skiing and rock climbing.
  • Are you crafty? Check out the Arts and Craft Centers and learn how to frame like a pro. It is a handy skill for all the awards and certificates your spouse will accumulate. Many offer ceramics and classes on various artistic endeavors. Some offer art classes for home schooled children.
  • Auto Skills Center. If you like to maintain your own car, this is the place for you. Skilled mechanics are available for questions and teaching while plenty of equipment to maintain your vehicle is available for a small rental fee. Some locations offer a free oil change for those with a deployed spouse, just bring your own oil and filter.
  • Bowling alleys, Clubs and Dining. MWR offers a variety of recreational activities for service members and their families. Some are specifically geared towards service members while others are family friendly. The bowling alley is very reasonably priced compared to civilian locations.
  • Golf. You may never get to play at the Augusta National Golf Club, home to the Masters tournament but you can play at the Gordon Lakes Golf Club located not far away at Fort Gordon. This is considered one of the finest courses in the South and was designed and built by Robert Trent Jones, Senior, a renowned golf course architect. There are great courses at military installations all over the country and you can play for much less than at a country club.
  • Armed Forces Recreation Centers. Enjoy a vacation at Disney World, in Germany, Hawaii and South Korea for much less than you would pay at other resorts. The Hale Koa Resort in Waikiki sits on a prime beach front location. In addition many installations have camping and cabins available for rent. The Navy has great MWR facilities with lodging at Pacific Beach in Washington State as well as in Fort Story adjacent to Virginia Beach and condos in Key West.  You can really stretch your vacation dollars at these locations.

MWR has many great opportunities for recreation and sports. Check out https://www.navymwr.org/, http://myairforcelife.com/, https://www.armymwr.com/. You can also find out more information by looking at the local MWR site for the installation you are assigned to.

Marguerite Cleveland is a freelance writer who specializes in human interest and travel stories. She is a military brat, a veteran and now a military spouse.  Her military experience is vast as the daughter of a Navy man who served as an enlisted sailor and then Naval Officer. She served as an enlisted soldier in the reserves and on active duty, then as an Army Officer. She currently serves as a military spouse. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two sons. Visit her website www.PeggyWhereShouldIGo.com