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What Happens When My Wife Goes TDY

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by Eric Gardner, guest contributor

As families sit around the dinner table it’s a wonderful time to catch up on the day’s events or reminisce about the past.

One of the favorite topics at my house is all the “fun” things my daughters and I do when my wife is away on TDY orders, deployments or training.

While I’m never completely sold out by my girls; it’s really only because some of those unique nuances of anarchy when Mom’s gone are a normal way of life for us.

We’re always swimming in the deep end of life watching for that next crazy wave to head our way.

In the unpredictable world of the military lifestyle our families are kept constantly on their toes. Our modern nomadic spirit keeps us in some phase of pre/post deployment bedlam, or we find our days intermingled with various stages of the training cycle.

To say our family dynamic is kept in a volatile state of constant flux wouldn’t do it justice.

When compared to the length of a career, these short sprints of time help to sort out the new roles everyone will have to take on. Everyone rows in our family. If we all work together it will make the challenges pass that much faster.

However, each of us understands that it’s a real adjustment for the entire family whenever they are missing one of their members. Doubly so when a service member is away.

What Happens When My Wife Goes TDY

The fun activities act as a distraction to the one resounding fact; Mom isn’t with us.

As a stay-at-home dad I get my fair share of jokes leveled in my direction. They are usually tied to Stan Dragoti’s classic film “Mr. Mom.” To be honest I don’t mind the comparison to Michael Keaton’s character because there are so many moments I can relate to.

Perhaps not so blatant a comparison as vanquishing the family vacuum; I’m pretty proficient.

Or sword fighting the popcorn maker; well maybe that one.

However, when those TDY trips would come up we enjoyed the neighborhood poker games and the lumberjack persona was a very in style look.

It’s not that the life of the military spouse is all fun and games. The adaptations we make to support our service members are more in keeping with trying to ensure the train is still moving forward even if that means only one wheel is on the ground at any given time.

Oftentimes pizza or fast food become the “splurge” to help ease the stress of separation. When my girls were younger the island of dishes in the sink would typically consist of every plate, glass and utensil we owned before I would devote energy to get the kitchen back to normal. Bedtimes would get extended, storytime would last forever, and our supply of ice cream would vanish soon after it was brought home from the commissary. An outing to Chuck E. Cheese and later Dave and Busters were entertaining and helped pass the time.

But all these “fun” things only acted as a distraction to the one resounding fact; Mom couldn’t be there.

Schedules, routines, patterns are things that help us survive the mayhem that is the military lifestyle. But like Jack in Mr. Mom, we will always be bombarded with new challenges, yet I really strive to emulate his attitude of perseverance to the daily insanity that was all around him.

Whether it’s the unique approach to stitching up torn clothing with a stapler, wearing a plaid shirt with striped pants — a favorite of my youngest when Mom’s gone — or rocking out to Taylor Swift with the volume so loud the neighbors 5 houses away can hear it.

All of these crazy moments are for one reason – to try to fill the void, we feel when our service member isn’t home with us.

As you can imagine when we’re all back at the dinner table once more, our “fun” may look a little different but we enjoy it so much more because we’re finally all together again.

Eric Gardner was raised in a military family and lived around the world. Following in his father’s footsteps, he joined the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer. Since the end of his wartime service he has shifted gears and is now a stay-at-home father. In his role as an active duty Army spouse, he has become an author. As the creator of the XIII Legion Series he has enjoyed great success, and enjoys meeting other entrepreneurial spouses as well as fellow authors. You can see more from Eric Gardner at his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thirteenthlegion.series, and http://www.facebook.com/XIIILGN or follow him via Twitter @13thLegion.

Is a ‘Deploy or Get Out’ Rule Fair for Our Service Members?

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Secretary of Defense James Mattis instituted a new retention rule for troops. Now service members must be deployable or in his words, “get out.”

Mattis feels that too many are carrying the load for all, with about 11% of all current troops on active duty, in the Reserves or in the National Guard classified as non-deployable. That amounts to 235,000 individuals out of the 2.1 million total troop force.

The thought behind this new rule is for the good of the military family. Mattis, rightly, remarks that “we may enlist soldiers, but we reenlist families.”

Is a 'Deploy or Get Out' Rule Fair for Our Service Members?

We expect our teachers to stay up to date with the best classroom practices. We expect our lawyers to know about new laws. We expect our service members to be ready and willing to deploy.

High Tempo Missions

Mattis is right: too many of the same service members have been deployed over and over again for the last 17 years. I’ve seen more friends and neighbors pull almost back-to-back deployments than I care to count.

This high operational tempo leads to burnout for troops and families. It’s hard to stay motivated with a “go team” mentality when your group is always doing the grunt work. Even when often deployed troops are home, it can be hard to settle into family life. Disconnecting from the mission and rejoining a different pace of life can be a struggle.

Military spouses and children feel the burn too. Too many families have almost become single parent homes due to the frequent absence of one parent. Military spouses of deployed troops feel constantly on edge, just waiting for that knock. The mental load is heavy and all too real.

It’s only right to equally spread the burden among all service members. Part of doing your job means being able to fulfill all portions of that position. Military troops must be ready to deploy in support of the mission. It’s simply not fair to rely on the same people over and over again.

Deployable, Not Deployed

At this juncture, I feel it’s important to note one key phrase in Mattis’ rule. He states that troops who have been non-deployable for 12 or more months must separate. He does not expressly state that all troops must actively deploy within the same time frame.

This is an important difference.

Not all positions require the same tempo of deployments. Each military job is very specific about the requirements needed and the potential operational tempo. An infantryman is likely to face a different deployment schedule and mission than a doctor or a pilot or a mechanic.

What Mattis is asking for is simply that troops remain at the ready. I think that this is reasonable. We expect our teachers to stay up to date with the best classroom practices. We expect our lawyers to know about new laws.

Military troops should put their checks in their deployment boxes.

This means maintaining an acceptable level of physical fitness, ensuring that medical and dental exams are complete and continuing to develop in their assigned billet. None of this seems out of order.

For troops that are non-deployable due to their own lack of follow-through, like missing vaccinations or poor PT scores, they should be asked to leave. Part of the job is being mission ready and they were unable to meet that requirement. It shows a lack of commitment.

Of course, this assumes that these services are readily available both physically and in actuality. Appointments for medical and dental care are often hard to come by. Individuals should need to show their good faith efforts to complete their duty before being asked to leave.

Not Considerate Enough

There are exceptions for troops who are injured in the line of duty or in the field. Mattis has given assurances that troops who meet this requirement will be given alternate assignments and retained. This is only fair. It shows a willingness to support those who have suffered a workplace injury. This caveat helps to reenlist families.

What doesn’t help to reenlist families is the lack of guidance regarding pregnancy and the postpartum period. Female service members are likely to be non-deployable for at least 40 weeks when you account for pregnancy alone. If we consider the time needed to recover from childbirth, that puts most women over the 52-week mark.

Is Mattis suggesting that women, who have recently given birth, be asked to leave the military?

This doesn’t seem right and certainly doesn’t support military families. Studies vary, but several have found that full recovery postpartum takes longer than the typical maternity leave of 12 weeks. Asking a new mom to leave her place of employment due to childbirth seems cruel and unusual.

There needs to be additional guidance regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Reasonable and medically sound timelines for a return to full duty should be implemented and explained.

Family Friendly Rule

While this rule is still in its infancy, the intention is good. Spreading the workload by ensuring a highly deployable force is fair. It removes an undue burden from troops who have faced repeat deployments as a result of others in non-deployment status. It also forces troops to take their deployment status seriously.

Some specifics need to be clarified and it is really too soon to say just how this rule will actually impact deployments. But on its face, it seems like a good way to clean up the Armed Forces and ensure that we are ready to face today’s challenges.

What do you think of the new “deploy or get out” rule?

Military Discounts for Your Child’s Birthday Party

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Have you started planning your child’s birthday party? Hosting a birthday party can be expensive, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered. Military discounts are so helpful when buying party supplies or booking a birthday party location.

Here is a list of military discounts to help you make your child’s next birthday party not only memorable, but also affordable.

Party Supply Stores

If you plan on decorating for the birthday party, you’ll want to stock up on supplies. There are many retailers to consider purchasing your supplies from. Try a local party supply store to help out a small business if you can. Ask them if they offer a military discount. Many small businesses like to give back to the military community.

If that isn’t an option, try a national chain such as Party City. They offer a 10% military discount on all items bought in store. If you see something on their website but it isn’t available in store, they can order it for you and have it sent to your house without paying for shipping.

If you are shopping for birthday party supplies online, try Shindigz. They have a 20% discount for military families. They also offer free shipping for purchases over $49.

Whole Sale Party Supplies has a 10% military discount and they provide free shipping with purchases of $39 or more.

Craft Stores

Perhaps you are a “Pinterest parent” and are planning on making the birthday party decorations. That can add up quickly, not only with your time but also with your budget.

I attempted to be a Pinterest mom for my son’s birthday last year just 2 weeks after having our daughter. It was probably a crazy idea to do so much at that point but I’m glad I did. I’m also glad that so many of the craft stores offer military discounts to make it more affordable to be creative.

Michaels has a 15% military discount that you can combine with their coupons. There is almost always a 40% off one regular priced item coupon and if not, they accept competitors’ coupons.

AC Moore also has a military discount. Their discount is also 15%. I shop here often as their prices tend to be lower and you can combine the military discount with other coupons and also gain points toward rewards certificates. You will find plenty of birthday party supplies and craft items at AC Moore.

Jo-Ann is another place you can try if you don’t find what you’re looking for at the other two places. They tend to have higher prices and offer a 10% military discount but if you want fabric, Jo-Ann is the place to go.

Birthday Party Locations

Making birthday party decorations or even buying them to host a party might not be your idea of a fun birthday party. In that case, try having your child’s birthday party at a fun location.

Chuck E. Cheese is always a popular option. They have military discount packages such as the Alpha package and Beta package. These include pizza, drinks and tokens. The best part of having your child’s birthday party here is that you don’t have to entertain kids and you don’t have to clean up.

Other locations that you might want to consider include: the zoo or aquarium, a gym or sports complex, a bounce house or trampoline world or perhaps a fun zone or sky zone. All of these in the D.C. area that I contacted offer military discounts so some in your city may offer a discount for your child’s birthday party as well.

Theme Parks

A popular birthday party idea is to take a few close friends to a theme park. Pretty much all of them offer a military discount. Great Wolf Lodge for example offers up to a 30% discount and is an extremely popular place for young children to have fun.

Busch Gardens, which is also connected to Sea World and Water Country USA, offers free entry and discounted packages to military families. By going on your free pass day, paying for birthday party guests will be more affordable.

Check with your ITT office for discounted tickets to other theme parks such as Six Flags. If you want to think a little outside the box, Medieval Times is something completely different. They have special packages that are available at MWR/ITT offices as well.

There are so many great places that offer military discounts that you can use for your child’s next birthday party. All you have to do is ask.

What are your favorite military discounts for your child’s birthday party? Tell us in the comments section.

Turn Your Passion for a Healthy Lifestyle into a Portable Career

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the California University of Pennsylvania. All opinions are 100% mine.

Military spouses desire portable careers with flexible work schedules. These men and women, many of whom are veterans themselves, understand that the careers they picked when they were 22 years old may not be compatible with the military lifestyle.

But just because their first choice for a career isn’t going to work doesn’t mean they want to give up on having a career completely.

Many military spouses have a passion for healthy living. They exercise 5 days a week at their on-post fitness center. They search the commissary for affordable healthy meal options for their families.

Let’s be frank: military spouses and veterans tend be gym rats.

Why not take your passion for eating healthy and exercising and turn it into a portable career?

Military spouses and service members can earn a bachelor’s degree in health and wellness or a master’s degree in exercise science through a 100% online program at the military-friendly California University of Pennsylvania. This affordable option, thanks to the university’s military tuition program, offers a pathway to new professional opportunities for military spouses.

The master’s degree program includes professional certification and can be completed in 12 to 18 months.

The California University of Pennsylvania Office of Military and Veterans Affairs offers comprehensive support for veterans, eligible dependents, service members of the National Guard and Reserve, and active duty service members.

Here are 3 reasons why military spouses and service members should consider earning an exercise science degree with the California University of Pennsylvania.

You can earn your bachelor’s degree from your house anywhere around the world. Cal U offers virtual classes that are 100% online. Online classes are a great option for military spouses and veterans.

With online classes you can complete your coursework uninterrupted while moving from one military base to another. You don’t have to worry about enrolling in a new university and hoping your credits transfer.

As long as you have a high-speed Internet connection and a modern computer, you have the flexibility to take online class anytime and anywhere. You can schedule your college classes around the demands of your daily life.

Online classes are a benefit for service members who want to earn a college degree while they are still on active duty. I know several sailors who earned a wellness and fitness degree and work as personal trainers on their nights and weekends. With this degree, they earn extra income doing a job they love during their free time.

Also, a degree in exercise science may be the first step in owning your own fitness center when you transition out of military service.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for athletic trainers was $41,600 in 2010, and demand in the field is expected to grow by 30% through 2020.

Earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree from Cal U is an affordable option for service members and their spouses. The Cal U Global Online programs provide discounted tuition costs for active duty members and veterans of all military branches, as well as their spouses and eligible dependents.

Their Military Tuition Discount Program is a reason to consider enrolling at Cal U.

The average student in the Class of 2016 has $37,172 in student loan debt. My husband and I carried a lot of student loan debt into our marriage. It wasn’t easy, but we finally paid off our student loans after 5 years.

Nobody wants to have student loan debt. While Cal U’s military tuition discount program doesn’t mean that you will attend college for free, it does mean that you don’t have to graduate with the burden of hefty student loan debt. By enrolling as online student, you won’t pay fees for on-campus services you don’t use.

The staff at Cal U are also ready and willing to help veterans understand how to maximize their military education benefits including the GI Bill.

Did you take a semester of college prior to enlisting? No problem. The Cal U staff will help you transfer those credits to your new program.

Pro-tip: Cal U is a MyCAA eligible university. Military spouses should check to see if they qualify for MyCAA when enrolling at Cal U.

Cal U is the leader in the study of exercise science. Cal U was the first college to launch a 100% online master’s degree program in exercise science. This curriculum was designed for online students to help them achieve their education goals. This online program allows students to interact fully with professors and classmates and form a network of professional peers.

The university partners with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) for the latest industry-focused program in fitness, health and exercise science. Plus, its students earn industry recognized certification through NASM through the program.

Join forces with Cal U and earn your degree in wellness, fitness or exercise science today. Click here to learn more about the California University of Pennsylvania.

How POTUS’ Food Stamp Plan Will Impact Military Families

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When you consider that the United States is one of the world’s wealthiest counties, it is disheartening to hear that 1 in 6 Americans don’t have enough food to eat. Many of those struggling with hunger are children and many are part of military families.

POTUS' Food Stamp Plan Will Impact Military Families

Do you use food stamps or have you in the past?

In a 2015 report, an estimated $80 million dollars’ worth of food was purchased in military commissaries using the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). This number doesn’t include military families who use other programs like Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) or who don’t shop at the commissary.

So proposed changes to the SNAP program will have a profound impact on military families.

As part of the 2019 budget request, the Trump administration has proposed a dramatic change to the food stamp program. The proposed change includes a reduction in “cash” benefits by half for anyone receiving $90 or more per month. Instead, SNAP cash benefits will be supplemented with a “Blue Apron-type” box filled with shelf-stable foods like canned fruits and vegetables, peanut butter, cereals, pasta, butter and beans. These boxes, called “America’s Harvest Boxes,” will supposedly save over $129 million dollars over the course of the next 10 years.

The fact that there are military families in need of assistance is an issue for another day, but let’s discuss these food boxes.

It’s an Interesting Idea

There is a part of me that thinks that these boxes could work. I mean, buying in bulk almost always drives down the cost. If the government is using its buying power to get great pricing on products, then I can see the merit. Especially, if that buying power is being used to buy all of the things that are often out of reach, like fresh fruits and vegetables, or gluten-free or organic items.

Except, that these boxes won’t include those items.

Staples like peanut butter, pasta, even canned fruits and vegetables aren’t inherently bad, but the best nutrients and the healthiest of diets, don’t often include many things out of a can.

What about those families who have a child allergic to peanut butter? Or who need gluten-free pasta? Or who need their food to be kosher? What if a family buys from a food bank program or farming cooperative and can actually stretch their SNAP funds further than the box provides?

The argument can be made that beggars can’t be choosers, but the families on SNAP and WIC aren’t exactly beggars. They are often young families or those impacted by loss of employment.

Shouldn’t families be allowed to select the food they know their family will eat?

Should they be forced to eat what the government says they should?

I find this incredibly ironic, considering how adamant this same administration has been in dismantling the school lunch program put in place by the previous administration that was designed to get kids to eat a government mandated balanced meal.

What About Distribution?

If you read through the proposed box system, you’ll notice the distribution of these boxes has been left to the states to figure out. They can “distribute these boxes through existing infrastructure, partnerships, and/or directly to residences through commercial and/or retail delivery services.”

Really?

Current food stamp infrastructure most often includes direct deposit of money to a SNAP food card, which can be used like a debit card to pay for groceries. Kind of hard to “distribute” boxes in that same way. And I find it hard to believe that door-to-door delivery is a) efficient and b) actually going to save money.

Instead, it will likely require recipients to travel to a distribution center. Taking hours away from the work day and potentially adding the cost of transportation to an already tight federal budget.

Better Options

Call me an optimist, but I think if we really wanted to conquer hunger, there are better ways to do it. Some states have started edible food forests to help produce food for needy families. Some cities are seeing a growth in urban farming, cutting down on distribution time and costs, and there are plenty of non-profit farms working to add fresh fruits and vegetables to the diets of our poorest Americans.

I’d much rather see our government working to support these ideas instead of boxing up cans of corn and jars of peanut butter.

For our military families, this is yet another reason why we have to keep our commissaries open. How many more military families will find themselves simply unable to buy the things they need if the savings offered on base are taken away?

Do you use food stamps or have you in the past? What do you think of the proposed changes to food stamps?

Do Military Retirees Qualify for Free TSA PreCheck?

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Have you heard of TSA PreCheck? This is a program that the Transportation Security Administration offers for a fee to allow expedited security clearance at airports around the country. Any U.S. citizen can apply for it and pay $85 for a 5-year program membership.

When applying for the TSA PreCheck program, applicants pay the $85 fee, fill out an application online and then have to travel to an enrollment center for an interview, background check and finger printing. It takes a lot of time to do all that, especially if you don’t live near one of their enrollment centers. TSA PreCheck can be worth the hassle if you fly often and want to avoid standing in long security lines.

All active duty service members are granted TSA PreCheck and don’t have to go through that process. In fact, all they need to do is enter their DoD ID number in the known traveler number (KTN) field and their boarding pass will have the TSA Pre✓® mark on it.

Retirees do not have this same benefit though.

Why are active duty service members granted TSA PreCheck but retirees are not?

Their fingerprints are already on file and background checks have been made for many. If a service member flies using their DoD ID number in March for example and then retires a month later, they lose their TSA PreCheck membership but nothing has happened to make the person less credible. Shouldn’t they be grandfathered in?

Does TSA consider a service member trustworthy while on active duty but not once they retire?

What could have changed that makes TSA no longer offer them the same free membership?

Of course TSA PreCheck is a privilege, not a right, but it’s hard to understand why TSA chooses to take away the benefit when the member retires.

Money is a reason that comes to mind. That $85 membership fee is only supposed to cover background checks and administrative costs though. The background checks are contracted out however. There are no discounts available for retirees or for anyone at all.

If TSA isn’t willing to give military retirees free membership, shouldn’t they consider providing a discount?

I’m not the first person to question this.

In 2016 Rep. Bill Pascrell of New Jersey urged TSA to lower the membership fee for all veterans if they weren’t willing to exempt them from it. TSA started the PreCheck program in October 2011. All of this time has gone by and still there is no answer.

Some veterans groups are asking TSA to “do the right thing.” These groups include: Wounded Warriors Family Support, the American Legion, Marine Corps League, Non Commissioned Officers Association, Retired Military Officers Association and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Hopefully together they will be able to influence TSA into providing some sort of exemption for retirees.

It seems like a lot of fuss over something small, but if you travel a lot being able to go past the long security lines can be extremely helpful. There are over 5 million members in this program and that says something about its usefulness.

It works too. In February 2018 93% of members said that they waited less than 5 minutes to get through security at the airport. That’s a lot of time and frustration saved.

Have you paid for TSA PreCheck? Why did you do it? Was it worth the money?

17 Greenhouses and Garden Centers That Offer Military Discounts

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The first day of spring is March 20, and that means it’s time to get your gardening on!

There is nothing quite like the feel of warm soil on your hands. Add some quality seeds, some sun, a little water, and in just a few short months you have the freshest produce or most beautiful flowers you can imagine. And nothing quite beats the feeling you get when you can go out into your own backyard and fill a vase or basket with something you’ve grown.

Even if you have a small space, as long as you have a sunny spot, you can grow something. You can even grow fruit trees! Last year, we made the big investment and built a large raised bed garden. We planted all kinds of things: tomatoes, peppers, three different types of squash. Then there was eggplant, strawberries, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, lettuce, carrots and tomatillos. We had cucumbers for days and we don’t have time for me to list all of the herbs, just know that there were 6 types of basil.

To say that we may have gone overboard in our first year is probably an understatement. But it’s almost time to start planting again, and while we have pared down our harvest list, what hasn’t changed is our love of a good bargain.

Seeds aren’t expensive, per say, but when you add in all of the other things you need like potting soil, plant food, insecticide, watering cans, soaker hoses and plant supports, it can really start to add up. Knowing where you can snag a military discount is a gardener’s secret weapon.

Home Depot & Lowe’s

Both of these home and garden stores offer a 10% discount to all active duty military and veterans. You need to register in order to receive the discount, but it’s easy, and it’s a solid 10% off on everything you buy. And depending on the sale, it is often on top of sale prices.

I love Home Depot and Lowe’s for things like soil (watch for the sales!), seed starters, and materials for building trellises or vining frames. We even bought the cinder blocks we used to build our raised beds there, at a discount of course! They also offer a variety of easy to grow plants already started for you. Their selection of plants is a little limited, but you can start a pretty decent garden from what they have to offer.

Meadow Farms

Do you live in Maryland, Virginia or West Virginia? Meadow Farms has an amazing array of plants, including fruit trees, vegetables and herbs. If you’re not up for sprouting from seed, they are a great place to “stock” your garden and Meadow Farms offers a military discount.

I scoured the net to find other garden centers that offer discounts. Here’s what I found:

Live in New York?

Check out the daily discount offered by Hewitts.

Stationed in Ohio?

Get 10% off every Wednesday at Pettiti.

Snag 10% off waterscape plants and materials from Hoffmans.

Boyerts offers 10% off any one item every Wednesday.

Have PCS orders to southern California?

Get 10% off every Wednesday at Armstrong Garden Centers.

Live in the middle of the United States?

Orshlen offers 5% off every Tuesday.

Stationed in northern Maryland?

Homestead Gardens offers 10% off every Thursday.

Live in Oregon?

Wilco Farm Stores offers 10% off every day.

For military families stationed in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee:

You can save 10% at Marvin’s every day.

At participating Southern States Cooperative locations, you can get a 10% discount every Tuesday.

Need grow lights?

Want to do a little hydroponic gardening? HTGSupply offers a 10% military discount for veterans. You need to register for a veteran account with HTGSupply to receive the discount.

Live in Arizona?

Summer Winds Nursery offers a 10% discount on any one item every day.

Do you have a large yard?

John Deere offers a military discount for all current and former service members.

Live in Washington?

Jason’s Greenhouse offers a 10% discount.

Logee’s offers a 10% military discount.

Are you thinking about planting a garden this spring? Check out this article, “How to Plant a Victorious Deployment Garden.”

The Debate Surrounding Transgender Troops Serving in the U.S. Military

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Beginning last summer, the U.S. military community has been debating whether transgender troops are fit to serve. President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, along with many military leaders, seem to be at odds over a policy relating to transgender troops.

The Debate Surrounding Transgender Troops Serving in the U.S. Military

The White House is anticipated to release its final verdict and policy on transgender troops this month.

Final Policy Pending

Mattis was under a February 21, 2018, deadline to return his recommendations to the president. According to The Washington Post, it is anticipated that Mattis will support transgender troops currently serving, as well as those wishing to join in the future. Mattis made his official recommendation regarding Trump’s proposed transgender military policy on February 23, 2018. The Pentagon has not confirmed or commented on Mattis’ final recommendation.

As of January 1, 2018, individuals identifying as transgender are free to enlist or seek a commission in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Mattis’ likely position could be supported by a 2016 Rand Corporation study that was commissioned by the Obama administration. Former President Barack Obama and his administration had removed the ban on transgender troops who serve openly in June 2016.

This study found that less than 1% of active duty troops identify as transgender.

Approximately, between 1,320 and 6,630 active duty troops identify as transgender. Additionally, the study found that total medical costs related directly to transgender-specific medical care would be negligible, amounting to less than $10 million annually. This is a “relatively small” amount in the military budget. It represents a 0.04% to 0.13% increase in the overall active duty health care expenses.

Finally, not all transgender troops would elect to transition medically, with surgery. The study concluded that between 29 and 129 service members would experience a disruption to deployment readiness as a result of transgender-specific medical care.

Currently 1.3 million troops are on active duty.

Trump Tweets New Transgender Policy

On July 26, 2017, Trump tweeted his desire to reinstate a ban on transgender troops. He cited the increased cost of medical care for transgender troops as well as the disruption of military service. His announcement, which claimed that he had consulted with top military brass, seemed to catch Mattis and other military leaders off-guard. At the time of the tweets, Mattis made no immediate official comment.

Days later, military leaders appeared to walk back Trump’s sweeping policy change. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Joseph Dunford made clear that transgender personnel would continue to serve until Mattis received clear direction from Trump. Then, that direction would need to be implemented over time. This decision was supported by Mattis.

According to recently released emails, Dunford communicated to the other service chiefs that he was “not consulted.” Dunford appeared willing to confirm this to the media and wrote that this policy change “was unexpected.”

Ban Blocked in Court

On October 30, 2017, the U.S. district court in Washington, D.C., issued an injunction in favor of 8 transgender individuals who were in ROTC programs or enrolled at service academies. The D.C. court’s decision was backed by the Maryland district court in a November 12, 2017, ruling. The Maryland judge also issued an impending injunction that blocked Trump’s proposed ban to take effect due to constitutional violations of the plaintiffs. Both cases are still pending a final ruling.

The initial rulings from Maryland and D.C. allowed these individuals to continue to take steps toward active duty service. The injunctions also swayed the Pentagon to allow transgender individuals to enlist starting on January 1, 2018.

Trump directed Mattis, per an August 25, 2017, executive order, to review the current policy as well as his proposed policy. His recommendations were due back to the White House on February 21, 2018.

The White House is anticipated to release its final verdict and policy statement on March 23, 2018.

Questions Remain for Transgender Troops

In the middle of all of this political discussion, are the openly transgender troops currently serving. Their continued service is potentially at risk. In addition, as of January 1, 2018, openly transgender individuals are allowed to join active military service.

Trump’s March 23 decision could have immediate ramifications for troops currently serving, as well as those who are beginning their initial processing and training. Troops who are currently serving may be forced to resign without benefits. However, the actual proposed policy regarding current transgender service members remains unclear.

What do you think? Should transgender service members be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military?

7 Military-Themed Easter Baskets for Your Military Family

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Easter is less than a month away, which means it’s time to start thinking about the type of Easter baskets you’ll be making for your family members this year.

I love that this year Easter is on April 1, April Fools’ Day, so you can really have a lot of fun with your Easter baskets.

If you’d like to have military-themed Easter basket, here are 7 creative ideas to inspire you.

Oh the Places Your Military Family Will Go

Dr. Seuss’s birthday was on March 2 and I enjoyed all the fun activities that went with it during National Reading Week. When thinking about fun military-themed Easter baskets, my mind wandered back to Dr. Seuss and one book in particular, “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” Military families are always off to great places. This would be such a great theme for your Easter baskets.

You don’t have to use Dr. Seuss of course, but the idea of making a basket with places your family has been or where you are going next would be fun.

If your family recently moved or will be PCSing this summer, an “Oh The Places You’ll Go” Easter basket would be a great way to mark that occasion.

Army Camouflage

At some point most kids want to play soldier, and if their parent is in the Army it’s even more likely.

Both of my parents were in the Army. I remember my brother dressing up as a soldier and playing with little green plastic army men. That seems to be a timeless kid thing to do.

The Dollar Tree has made it easy to fill Easter baskets with an Army theme without spending much money. They have the little plastic army men, soldier hats, coloring books, camouflage tape and more.

If you don’t want to curate one yourself, Walmart and Amazon both have Army-themed Easter baskets you can purchase.

Anchors Away

I love anchors on almost anything. Anchor-themed Easter baskets would be cute for a baby, fun for a teenager or even great for an adult. You’ll find anchors on anything from clothes, jewelry and craft items to games and more.

You can buy anchor-shaped candy or buy an anchor chocolate mold and make your own chocolates.

Take Flight

A plane-themed Easter basket would be a great way to tell your family that they are going to see a military air show this year.

The Thunderbirds, the Air Force Demonstration Squadron, and the Navy’s Blue Angels put on wonderful shows. Check their performance schedule to see if an air show is coming to your military base.

If you are an Air Force family or your children love planes, aircraft-themed Easter baskets would be fun.

Made in America

There are so many things made in America now and military families take great pride in purchasing locally-made or veteran-made items. Made in America-themed Easter baskets would not only be fun, but would also support small businesses.

Hero

Who needs a super hero when you have mom and dad? My son didn’t know what a super hero was when he was 2 or 3 and someone asked. He simply said my daddy. Heroes come in all forms. I liked my son’s answer and I love a book we have, “Daddy is My Hero.”

It may be daddy who is the hero in your family or it may be mommy, but it’s probably both.

Hero Easter baskets could include a book about heroes, a Daddy Doll, photos of family members and more.

Easter Package for the Deployed

Making Easter baskets for deployed service members can be a lot of fun. You can decorate the inside of the box and include family-inspired items such as pictures, keepsakes, letters from family members, items for places you’ve been or that you want to go to when he or she returns.

There are so many possibilities for military-themed Easter baskets. Have you made one before or are you planning on making one this year?

For more Easter basket ideas, read “8 Alternatives to Putting Candy in Your Kid’s Easter Basket.”

Smooth Transition to Civilian Life Made Easier By ESGR

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**This is a guest post contributed by Chuck Baker. 

In 1946 William Wyler directed a post-WWII film entitled “The Best Years of Our Lives.” Considered by most critics and film goers as one of the best movies ever produced, the Oscar winning story revolves around three servicemen returning home after the war. In one scene, actor Dana Andrews returns to the drugstore where he worked prior to the service. The manager asks Andrews if he gained any experience that could transfer to the drugstore. For example, was he a supervisor, did he work in the supply room, did he have purchasing skills? Andrews answers that all he did was pilot bombers over enemy territory. The manger shrugged and offered Andrews a job as a soda jerk, which he took. After all, employment was difficult to obtain after the war.

Today, real-life experiences like that are few and far between. Uniformed service members of the National Guard and Reserve have rights and responsibilities when they return from active duty, particularly when it comes to returning to their pre-deployment employment. And employers are also expected to adhere to laws that govern their actions. Mary T. Johnson is a Nevada based local chairperson of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR.) She oversees a large group of State-wide volunteers who help spread the word concerning smooth transitioning of Nevada residents who return to the workforce after serving the nation.

“We’re fortunate to have support from Nevada’s employers,” Johnson said. She explained that ESGR circulates information under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act that mandates obligations for employers to rehire National Guard and Reservists. But she points out that those returning are required to act quickly as well. Upon returning, they must notify companies of the date they plan to go back to work, and they should seek to resolve any pay and compensation issues. Other details that will vary from employer to employer, such as reviewing 401k or other pension plans, discussing retirement and life insurance benefits, updating personal data such as addresses and phone numbers, and determining if training or retraining of job skills is necessary.

Companies are nominated each year to receive awards for their help in transitioning servicemen and women back to work. There are three categories. “We give awards to large firms, small companies and public sector firms,” Johnson said. Work revolving around ESGR is accomplished by volunteers. Johnson, a resident of Southern Nevada, is a Navy Reservist who reports to the Fallon Naval Air Station. Her volunteer work is separate from her Reserve duties. She covers the entire State, but she is always seeking the services of new volunteers.

Find your local ESGR representative by visiting the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve website here.

*Chuck Baker is a free-lance writer specializing in veterans and military topics.