Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

10 Commissary Rewards Card Coupons

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Each of us has our own rules for life. My sister never eats dessert after 8 p.m. My husband will only eat a banana before a 5k race. I have a very predictable routine in the morning that hinges on one simple rule: Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my first cup of coffee.

When it comes to coupons and saving money, I also have a few guiding principles. For example, a coupon must be worth my time to redeem it. I don’t get excited about 25 cents off 1 product coupons. But I’m always finding a way to use a $1 off coupon. That’s my $1 coupon rule.

There are items that I need to buy, but I won’t buy without a coupon. Those items include deodorant, razors refills, shampoo and conditioner, nail polish, hair products, face and body wash. I have learned that these items regularly have coupons available for them and I’m a fool if I buy without a coupon. It’s my plan-to-save-when-I-buy rule. (Confession: This was a tough rule to teach my husband.)

My final rule is never-buy-without-scanning rule for the commissary. Remember how I browse the list of available digital coupons offered through the commissary rewards card each Sunday night. That’s only the first step to savings.

Next, I need to remember to follow my rule of always remembering to hand my cashier my commissary rewards card. Without scanning my commissary rewards card, I can’t save money. You can’t save if you don’t scan.

Here are 10 commissary rewards card coupons every military spouse should clip before shopping at the commissary this month.

1.Save $3 on one 13-pound or larger bag of Purina Beneful Dry Dog Food. It can be any variety. Purina Beneful dog food is also on sale this month at the commissary. Use this commissary rewards card coupon to buy the original Purina Beneful, Healthy Weight or Healthy Puppy dog food.

2. Save $1 on any Mars brands candy. Must purchase 2 bags. Halloween is right around the corner. Save money this Halloween by buying M&M, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Twix or Milky Way Fun Size for the trick or treaters in your neighborhood.

This is my first Halloween living in base housing. Here’s the math problem currently rolling around in my head: There are 60 kids living in my neighborhood. How much candy should I buy to ensure that I don’t run out of candy on October 31?

The answer? A lot.

3. Save $2 on any OPTI-FREE Solution. Contact solution! Eye drops! Both of those items are included in plan-to-save-when-I-buy rule. Whenever there’s a coupon, I stock up on contact solution so I’m paying full price for something that I use daily.

4. Save $0.75 on  MorningStar Farms Chikn Nuggets. Yes, I know this coupon is for less than $1, but I still added it to my commissary rewards card last night. Have you tried MorningStar Farms’ chicken nuggets? They are delicious. My children love them as much as the chicken nuggets at McDonalds. This commissary rewards coupon requires one purchase of a 8-count or larger package.

5. Save $1 on Newmans Own Frozen Pizza. Like MorningStar Farms’s chicken nuggets, Newmans Own Frozen Pizza is convenient cooking that tastes good. Usually convenience and flavor don’t find themselves together, but when they do, I’m the first mother to buy this product for my family.

6. Save $6 on Venus Razor Blade Refills or Gillette Blade Refill Package. It’s his and her savings, thanks to your commissary rewards card. Last month, you saved money when you bought the razor, this month you save on the refill pack. This commissary rewards coupon only applies to 6-count or larger refills and can’t be applied to trial or travel sizes.

7. Save $1 on Tide PODS, Gain Flings, Downy Fresh Protect, Bounce Bursts, Dreft Blissfuls or Gain Fireworks. Laundry detergent is another item that I wait to stock up on until there’s a sale or I have a coupon. The best combination is when I have both for extra savings.

Want to know the weekly manager’s specials at the commissary? Sign up for MilitaryShoppers newsletter.

8. Save $2 on any 6 Gerber Organic or Gerber Graduates Grabbers Pouches. These baby food pouches are the best invention for parents who need to travel with small children. When we flew from Japan to the United States with our 18-month-old daughter, the Gerber Graduates Grabbers Pouches were a lifesaver. They are easy to open, delicious (according to my toddler) and don’t require a spoon. I love that I don’t need to (and therefore, don’t forget) to pack a spoon and my kid can still feed herself. Now we use them on road trips as our no-more-messes-in-the-car snack.

9. Save $2 on Pampers Easy Ups Training Pants or UnderJams Absorbent Night Wear or Splashers Swim Pants. After diapers, the next step is training pants and just like diapers, they are expensive. Always check your commissary rewards card app before buying Pamper Easy Ups.

10. Save $1 on any 2 packages of Hefty cups. Make clean-up at your next potluck a snap with these convenient cups.

What are your rules for using your commissary rewards card? Share them in the comments section.

Halloween Military Discounts

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The most spooktacular time of the year is coming up! I’m a huge kid at heart and enjoy dressing up for Halloween. Since being married to my husband, I’ve convinced him to share in the fun too. Last year, we dressed up as ninjas and we intend to continue the tradition this year.

If timing is tight and you can’t put together an awesome DIY Halloween costume, there are some great retail stores out there that offer military discounts.

This way you don’t have to feel like you’re breaking the bank because there are some incredibly expensive pre-made costumes out there!

Save Money on Halloween with These Military Discounts

How do you save money when shopping for Halloween?

Check out these 5 stores that offer military discounts to save cash on costumes and party supplies. Don’t forget to bring and use your military ID.

  1. Party City – 10% military discount
  2. Wholesale Halloween Costume – 10% military discount
  3. Shindigz – 20% military discount
  4. Michaels – 10% military discount
  5. Spirit Halloween and Spencer’s Gifts – 10% military discount (Thank you Army Wife 101 for tweeting at them!)

Amusement parks from coast to coast are also celebrating the season by decorating in theme. Check out your local amusement parks to see if they are participating. I’ve rounded up some of my favorites with military discounts here:

Save Money on Halloween with These Military Discounts

How do you celebrate Halloween?

Six Flags Fright Fest – There are more than 10 Six Flags parks across the nation and most (if not all) offer military pricing. Your local MWR or leisure travel services (LTS) office could also have military discount vouchers for your family to use. I’ve been to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Over Texas, America and Great Adventure. For Fright Fest, they add Halloween touches throughout the park and employees get dressed up to add to the experience.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – If you’re not looking for a big scare, Disney World would be your ideal location to enjoy a themed event. Your family can utilize Disney’s Armed Forces Salute Military Discount and attend Mickey’s special party on a military discount.

Kings Dominion Halloween Haunt – Kings Dominion is about 80 miles south of Washington, D.C., and I know lots of families in the northern Virginia area who love to go there. They have a fun Halloween Haunt event and also offer a military discount for up to 6 tickets at the door.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights – Not for the faint of heart, Universal Studios hosts a freaky Halloween party in both California and Florida. They encourage families to get tickets at your local MWR or ticket office on base.

Legoland Brick-O-Treat – Legoland offers a 10% military discount at the ticket booth for families. Your local installation ticket office might have a better discount and if you’re a resident of California because of military service, you can qualify for a great discount deal.

Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream – Williamsburg and Tampa locations are throwing their annual Howl-O-Scream party and they have an amazing deal for military families. A part of their Waves of Honor Program, they offer one complimentary admission for active duty families (up to 3 dependents).

This time of year also yields lots of great coupons from candy companies, so don’t be afraid to collect what you can and use them at the commissary. Your base commissary is ready to stock your trick-or-treat bowl!

How do you save money when shopping for Halloween?

Should Women Be Included in the Draft?

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Women are invading a man’s military, or at least that’s the perception you’ll get if you read some online comments on news articles and Facebook posts regarding DOD’s decision to allow women to serve in all combat roles.

The decision has been made: Women will be able to be Army Rangers or Navy SEALS if they can pass the same standards as their male counterparts.

Should Women Be Required to Register for the Military Draft?

Women have never been drafted in the U.S. military because they couldn’t serve in combat. Will that change in the future?

But like all great decisions in our military’s history (think President Harry Truman’s order of racial integration in the 1940s or the more recent elimination of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy regarding homosexuality), the policy decision is only the first step. The fallout of these policies and how they will be applied are equally as historic, yet they lack headline appeal.

Let’s examine the current issue—women in the military.

Since women will soon be able to serve in all aspects of the military, is it time for women to be required to register for the draft? Is the act of requiring 18-year-old women to register with Selective Service the final step in gender integration of the U.S. military?

One New Jersey teen thinks so. A class-action lawsuit filed by a 17-year-old through her mother asserts that the Military Selective Service Act violates the civil rights of women aged 18 to 25 by making them ineligible to sign up for the draft registry.

“With both males and females available for such roles today, the two sexes are now similarly situated for draft registration purposes and there is no legitimate reason for the government to discriminate against the female class, so equal protection applies,” says the complaint, cited by Courthouse News. “Further, with both males and females available for such combat roles, there is no reasonable basis for infringing the associational interests of the female class by preventing them from registering.”

In this class-action lawsuit, the young woman reports that she tried to register for the draft on the Selective Service website, only to be rejected when she checked the “female” option. Under current law, only males are required to register for the draft.

Here’s my favorite line in the lawsuit:

If the two sexes can fight and die together, they can register together; if not, then no one should have to register.

This lawsuit isn’t the first of its kind.

In 1981, the Supreme Court reversed a U.S. District Court’s decision that the Military Selective Service Act’s gender-based discrimination violated the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment (Rostker v. Goldberg, 453 U.S. 57).

Since that decision the idea to include women in the draft has been discussed several times, but Congress hasn’t amended the Selective Service law to include women.

The reason? Because women weren’t allow to serve in combat they shouldn’t be required to register for the draft.

But that argument has been flipped on its head since former Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s announcement that DOD would end the direct ground combat exclusion rule for female service members.

Should Women Be Required to Register for the Military Draft?

Is the act of requiring 18-year-old women to register with Selective Service the final step in gender integration of the U.S. military?

We know that while the United States has the ability to draft for military service, we don’t use the draft unless we have to and future presidents will be very reluctant to initiate a draft with or without women registered in it. We are proud of our all-volunteer force. But in a worst-case scenario shouldn’t we consider having women registered for the draft?

I believe this requirement will be the last step in gender integration for the U.S. military. Once women are required to register with the draft, women will finally be viewed as equals both on and off the battlefield.

Do you think women should be required to register for the draft, like men?

Does the Commissary Raise Prices on Payday?

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It’s a common misconception that the commissary raises prices on payday. For those that shop at the commissary regularly and purchase specific items on a continuous basis, we’ve all come to know the item’s price. When the price jumps up one day, the rumors start among military spouses.

Did the commissary raise the price because it’s payday?

Let’s put that rumor to rest. No, they do not raise prices on payday.

The commissary changes its prices twice a month, which happens to fall on the 1st and 16th of each month. It doesn’t mean they raise their prices on those days. That’s the cycle of sales. Those price changes last for 30 to 45 days, so while it may appear that the price went up, it really could be that you have enjoyed the sale price all month and that sale has now come to an end.

Many grocery stores out in town change their prices weekly or more often. This 30- to 45-day window is simply a longer business model.

At the same time prices are going up, they are also going down; it is usually a 50/50 mix.

Don’t forget that DeCA is required by law to sell all items at cost plus surcharge. They do not make a profit.

The commissary truly can be “worth the drive” as they say. By selling products at cost DeCA is passing on a huge savings to military families. Shopping at the commissary regularly can save you 30% overall on your grocery bill. Some people question this savings saying that they can find a particular item for less at a civilian grocery store. There are many reasons for this.

Their store model is most likely different so their prices might change more often than the commissary. Commercial stores can also buy into deals that manufacturers offer them in order to pass that savings on to consumers. Those types of deals are not necessarily available to the commissary.

These stores may also offer items at a loss to entice patrons into their store in hopes that they will spend more on higher profit earning items. Since the commissary can only sell goods at cost and does not make a profit, they do not engage in this sort of marketing.

There are many wonderful reasons to shop at the commissary and saving money is at the top of the list for many people. DeCA knows this, and that’s why they work so hard to bring the products we all love to commissaries around the world. Now that you know they do not raise their process on payday, shop easy the next time you’re at the commissary knowing you’re getting great products at good prices.

If you want to save even more, pick up a commissary rewards card at the checkout next time you shop. You can also find out when sales start by signing up for the MilitaryShoppers newsletter and by visiting MilitaryShoppers anytime.

What questions do you have about shopping at the commissary? Share them with us in the comments section.

My Commissary-Listing by Name

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Commissary-Alphabetical Listing

Click on your local commissary to be linked to the store’s web page where you can find store information including store hours of operation (including holiday hours), directions, phone numbers, contact information, floor plan, savings, and available services.

Can’t find your commissary listed here? Review the list of alternate commissary names.

6 Things Civilians Should Know About MilFams

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The military community encompasses a very small percent of the entire United States population. That includes everyone that has ever served and their family members too. As a result, the civilian population might not be as privy to military culture and they may have some misconceptions about military families.

If you happen to be a civilian strolling around this part of the Internet, welcome! I’m glad you came and hope you have a chance to learn a little more about the military community because there are a few misconceptions that I hope to straighten out. I’m hoping I can stomp out any of your misconceptions and shed some light to what the military community really is like.

Here are 6 things that the general population needs to know about military families.

We get along with practically everyone.

I’ve heard around that military members tend to discriminate, but I think it’s a pretty big misconception. The military puts together all kinds of people from all different kinds of backgrounds to be brothers and sisters in arms. Despite the conflicts and challenges that our service members endure, they are very loyal to each other and their community. I believe this loyalty extends to everyone in their communities, military or not.

We aren’t nuts.

Military families tend to be patriotic because of the pride we have for our service members. I consider my husband my hero and I’m sure I speak for thousands of other military spouses when I say that. But, sometimes, our patriotic nature might be taken out of proportion and become another misconception. Just because I’m so proud of all the sacrifices that all our military members endure doesn’t mean I’m pro-war, if you know what I mean!

We don’t always live on base or post.

It is safe to say that a lot of us live inside an installation or in on-base/post housing, due to convenience and sometimes cost of living, but it isn’t for everyone. The misconception is that ALL military families keep to themselves and live away from the civilian population. On the contrary, there are a lot of military families living in civilian neighborhoods with lots of spouses working in civilian communities too.

We value our community on and off base or post.

Another misconception is that we tend to be loyal just to the military installation or military community. It happens that we relate to other military families because of the circumstances that we face, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t appreciate the community around us. I live off-post with my husband and have embraced the town we live in and take part by shopping locally and engaging in the community.

We are SO thankful for everything.

The misconception of military families being rich, needy or demanding is something I see from some mainstream media outlets. There are stories out there that we benefit a great deal financially from the military and other discounts…uh, I don’t even know where to begin with that. First thing, that misconception is the one I hope civilians understand as wrong. Facts and figures have been misconstrued and calculated in unusual ways to make it seem like we are gaining a lot monetarily. We’re not.

I wish I could do more for every business, organization and whoever else that has extended a helping hand to my family. I hope that they know their charity is being appreciated very much!

We are like any other family.

In this last misconception, big or small, military families are exactly the same as civilian families by being completely unique and different from one another, but still in the same boat.

I am truly convinced if you lined all of us up in a room (sans service member because, let’s face it, the haircut might give it away), a layperson would not be able to pick out the military family from the civilian family. With that being said, we all come from the same planet, so please don’t be afraid of us. Military families really want to fit in!

Which misconceptions have you heard about military families? Have you heard  anything that was absolutely false?

DeCA hits 24 years of commissary benefits

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deCA

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: 56-15
Date: September 24, 2015
Contact: Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist
Tel.: (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
E-mail: kevin.robinson@deca.mil

DeCA hits 24th year of delivering commissary benefit

By Dr. Peter Skirbunt,

DeCA historian

 

Note: To access photos related to this news release, go to https://www.flickr.com/photos/commissary/albums/72157656718507943.

 

FORT LEE, Va. – Twenty-four years ago on Oct. 1, the Defense Commissary Agency officially opened its doors for business around the world. Today, its employees are preparing to observe this anniversary the way they do every year: working hard to bring the commissary benefit to their customers with great savings on name-brand products at 240 stores in 13 countries.

And that’s a fine way to mark this anniversary, said Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Stuart M. Allison, senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director. “Because what really matters are our customers, America’s military community — the people who bear the brunt of this nation’s defense today, and the people who performed that duty in the past, and those in their immediate families.”

In the last 24 years, the people of DeCA have improved the commissary benefit in multiple ways, Allison said. “You see it in the quality of the facilities we run, the stock assortments our stores carry, and the savings we provide our customers.”

While Oct. 1 marks DeCA’s 24th anniversary, the commissary benefit itself is almost 150 years old. In 1866, Congress authorized the Army to sell food items, at cost, to officers and enlisted men starting July 1, 1867. These sales were authorized at every Army post with a subsistence warehouse. Sales areas were simply a table or counter in the warehouse, and the official stock list was only 82 items – but this was the start of the modern commissary benefit.

Since the early years of the 20th century, commissaries have been similar to civilian grocery stores and supermarkets in terms of both layout and the number of items offered for sale. In the last 24 years, store facilities have been further upgraded, more people have become eligible to enjoy the benefit, and customer savings have increased.

In 1991, commissaries provided average customer savings of 20 percent when compared with local grocery chains. Today, average savings are more than 30 percent.

Thanks to customer surcharge dollars, which fund new stores or renovate existing ones, the agency strives to provide military families with a shopping experience comparable to civilian sector stores.

While the Congress-mandated surcharge has remained at 5 percent since 1983, the number of items stocked by commissaries has increased, from about 13,000 in the largest stores in 1991 to the 22,500 items available in DeCA’s larger commissaries in 2015. National Guard and Reserve personnel, always key components of the military, were granted full-time commissary benefits in 2004.

Through the years, conveniences such as self-checkouts, sushi bars, hot foods, deli-bakeries, credit and debit card acceptance, gift certificates and much more have been added to modern commissaries.

When natural disasters strike military installations, as happened 10 years ago when Hurricane Katrina hit Gulf Coast installations hard, commissaries provide crucial aid to military and civilian families in need of food and supplies. Even when commissaries were severely damaged, temporary stores brought some sense of normality to affected customers.

Commissaries provide a substantial savings, particularly in high-cost-of-living areas of the country, and overseas they bring a morale-building “taste of home” by providing familiar American food products.

“When our troops go downrange, the families left behind depend upon their local community services, including the commissaries, to see them through tough, lonely times,” Allison said. “I know firsthand because the commissary’s been there for my family when I’ve had to deploy.

“With 24 years of experience as a Defense agency, commissaries continue delivering this highly valued military benefit to our men and women in uniform and their families,” he added.

So, as the agency observes its 24th birthday, Allison said he’s celebrating with a movie from the exchange, and some drinks, popcorn and other snacks from his commissary.

“I appreciate my commissary benefit and the folks who have run it for nearly a quarter of a century,” he said. “And I salute them all for carrying on that tradition of service.”

-DeCA-

 

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit and make no profit on the sale of merchandise. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. By shopping regularly in the commissary, patrons save an average of 30 percent or more on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

 

 

Stay Connected to Your Commissary Benefit

COMMISSARIES.COM: Visit www.commissaries.com to learn more about the Defense Commissary Agency: check out the latest news, find a store near you, see what’s on sale, create a shopping list, learn of food and product recalls, scan employment opportunities, read frequently asked questions, submit a customer comment form online through DeCA’s Your Action Line and more.

 

COMMISSARY CONNECTION: Stay connected with the latest news about your most valued benefit, Hot Links to additional savings, shopping sprees, contests, commissary promotions, events and more, go to www.commissaries.com/subscribe.cfm and subscribe to the Commissary Connection newsletter.

 

FACEBOOK: Visit www.facebook.com/YourCommissary, DeCA’s Facebook page, where you can post comments and share news, photos and videos.

 

YOUTUBE: To see DeCA’s latest videos, visit www.youtube.com/DefenseCommissary.

 

TWITTER: To see DeCA’s latest “tweets,” visit www.twitter.com/YourCommissary.

 

PINTEREST: To see DeCA’s theme-based image collections, visit http://www.pinterest.com/YourCommissary.

 

FLICKR: To see DeCA’s latest photographs, visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/commissary/.

 

 

 

Commissary Food Bank Donations Top 4 Million

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Yes, you read that correctly; commissary food bank donations have reached 4 million pounds. This is an amazing, and almost unfathomable number, but did you even know that the commissary made donations to food banks?

The program actually started back in 1985, but the hassle of registering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services kept many food banks from registering. Eventually, the program fizzled out.

It wasn’t until the government shut down of 2013 that the program came back to life.

With doors closed, food was simply wasting away on the shelves. DoD quickly gave the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) approval to donate those goods before they could lose too much shelf life. Unsellable, but edible items were quickly donated to local food banks.

Once those food banks saw how much they could benefit from commissary donations and with a little push, many started filling out the paperwork to register for ongoing designations. That year alone, the commissary was able to donate just over 636,000 pounds of goods to 72 food banks. That sounds amazing.

What’s more so, is that the program has grown so much that 1.8 million pounds of unsellable goods have been donated already this year, combined from 172 stores. 107 food banks have been able to accept donations this year.

At this rate, the commissary expects donations to easily top 2 million pounds by the end of the year.

This giant number is great, but at the same time it sounds like there is an enormous amount of excess being created by the commissary. There are 241 stores, so this actually makes up less than 1% of commissary goods. Now that doesn’t sound quite as wasteful.

The items that the commissary donates are all unsellable yet edible goods. That means that the package might have been damaged or that it somehow otherwise does not meet the visual requirement by the commissary to be sold on their shelves.

Luckily, something good came from the 2013 government shut down and people all over the country are now benefiting from the revival of this program. The press release from the Defense Commissary Agency comes at a great time. September has been designated as Hunger Action Month, when food banks across America urge people to stand up and fight hunger in their town. While it’s amazing that agencies such as the commissary are able to make huge impacts in the communities, you can make a difference too.

Food banks are always looking for donations. 1 in 6 Americans suffer with food insecurity, meaning they often go hungry or worry about having enough to eat. If 1 in 6 doesn’t catch your eye, that’s roughly 50 million Americans wondering if they’ll be able to put dinner on the table.

You can make a difference this month, and always, by donating the food in your pantry that isn’t going to get eaten. We all have a jar of this and a can of that that we question why we ever bought it in the first place. No one in the house is going to eat it, but there is someone out there that would be grateful to have it.

Make some time to clean out your kitchen of unwanted, unused items and take them down to your local food pantry. If you don’t have any food to give, you can still help by volunteering your time.

Hopefully the commissary, and this article, have helped to open your eyes to the growing need for donations in food pantries across the country and you will take action to help alleviate hunger in your town.

Want to know about the commissary food bank donations? Click here.

Are Military Discounts for Service Members or Spouses?

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I always get excited to be able to use a military discount. Most places that do them offer about 10% off but there are a few that offer more. Sometimes bigger places like amusement parks will have free days or 50% off of tickets for those in the military.

Sometimes all you need is a military ID, it doesn’t matter if you are a military spouse or not. Other times the military discount is only for the service member.

Are Military Discounts for Service Members, Military Spouses or Both?

We should thank businesses for having a military discount instead of getting upset at them for not offering the military discount to the military spouse too.

Most of the time I only ask for a military discount if I have heard that there is one at the location that I am in. Every once in a while I might just ask on a whim. Sometimes I feel a little odd about asking even though I know there is really no harm in asking for a military discount. Some people think asking is being greedy but I see it as a way to save money.

When I turn 55 I will start asking about a senior discount and I don’t see anything wrong with that either.

You would never demand a discount but asking for one politely shouldn’t be an issue.

The service member is benefiting from the money that is saved, whether they are using the discount themselves or not. And isn’t that the point of the discount? To give back to those who serve?

By giving the discount to the spouse too, the business is helping the service member save their money. Offering a military discount is a way to support military families and can make a spouse choose one restaurant over another because they offer the discount.

When I hear that a business only gives a discount to the person who has signed up to join the military, I don’t get mad at that policy, but in some cases it can be frustrating.

For example, if a company is giving out the discount and your spouse is deployed. There is no way for them to use the discount.

In those cases a military discount would be great if the spouse got the discount since the service member could not, especially if the reason is that they are deployed or away for any type of military training. A discount is a great way for a business to say thank you for your service and what better way to do that then to help save them money during a deployment.

I also can understand that offering a military discount can be hard to do if you have a business and having the military discount be only for the service member could be the only way they can even offer the discount in the first place. Since not every business offers them, complaining to the business about the details of their discount would be rude.

We should be thanking them for having one in the first place instead of getting upset at them for not giving the military discount to the spouse too.

I think asking for a discount is perfectly OK for a military spouse to do. Claiming a discount is a way to save a little money and we all know that military paychecks could be higher. The company might say no or they might have limitations on the discount so that it can not be used by the spouse.

Either way asking does not hurt and once you find out about a discount you will know to use it every time you go to that location.

Do you feel uncomfortable asking for a military discount? Why or why not?

Tips on Sending a Care Package to a Military Dog

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There are lots of wonderful organizations that send care packages to our uniformed personnel overseas like the USO, Operation Gratitude and Soldiers’ Angels, which is the one my husband received packages from when he was deployed. Also, individuals can send special care packages directly to their loved ones and their friends.

But, did you know that you can also send a special care package to our four-legged military members?

Here is a list of organizations that support military working dogs with their top requests of items for care packages to support our K9 compatriots:

How to Send a Care Package to a Dog Serving Overseas

If you’re interesting in adding K9 treats in your care package, Purina typically has great deals at the commissary.

The United States War Dog Association

Founded by current and veteran dog handlers along with their supporters, the organization was created to assist, educate and promote military working dogs. They’ve established Operation Military Care K-9 that sends care packages to, what the organization labels as the “silent heroes that help our troops” overseas.

The organization asks for monetary donations, so they can purchase and put together care packages or you can request to receive contact information to a live Military Working Dog Team for you to send a care package yourself of the appropriate goods for them to stay combat ready.

Straight from their website, here is a sample list of the type of goods military dogs need:

  • K9 grooming tools
  • K9 beds or sleeping mats
  • K9 Advantix, Flea and Tic Treatment
  • K9 toys (recommended Kong 3” rubber balls and rope chews)
  • K9 Ear Wash
  • Doogles (goggles for dogs!)
  • K9 Toothpaste & Toothbrush
  • Towels to wipe paws
  • K9 treats (MUST be made in the USA)
  • K9 Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Collapsible nylon water bowls
  • and many more listed here.

Support Military Working Dogs

The idea of the nonprofit organization was initially started when a service member told his mother that the military working dogs actually needed a care package more than himself. It was mostly for cooling vests for the K9s to keep cool, but the group has evolved to fully equip military working dogs with everything they would need to fulfill a deployment more comfortably. They estimate is that it costs $400+ to get everything needed for one dog.

Military Working Dog Team Support Association

Similarly to the other nonprofit organizations targeting military working dogs, the Military Working Dog Team Support Association (MWDTSA) focuses on the well-being of military working dogs and offers support for dog handlers to provide desired care package items for dog teams. MWDTSA, in particular, has the Kongs for K9s program that gives military working dogs special dog toys to keep them engaged.

You can take matters into your own hands by reaching out to your local unit that includes military working dogs or an actual military working dog handler for personal recommendations. They might know of a unit that is currently deployed (if your personal contact isn’t already deployed) with special care package needs that you could help a military working dog directly, just like a personal care package.

Also, if you know dog handlers that could benefit from any of the above organizations, they can reach out to them directly for assistance for their furry four-legged partners.

Have you ever sent a care package to a military dog? What items did you send in this care package?