The Army has revised the grooming standards addressing the impact of grooming on females in this service branch. A special panel made up of soldiers from across the service representing all ranks, units, ages, career fields, age, and races making up the Army met to review proposed grooming and appearance modifications in 2020. Army senior leaders approved the modifications in December 2020  that take effect in late February 24, pending an Army memo to be sent out Sgt. Maj. Brian Sanders, Army G-1, Uniform Policy Branch sergeant major shared.

The panel included psychologists and dermatologists to make changes in standards for females, noting that Soldiers are not Soldiers 24/7 and have roles outside of the Army.

Hairstyle standard changes for females that will be authorized are:

•   No minimum hair length for female Soldiers – a change from the minimum hair length of ¼ inch
• Allow for multiple hairstyles at once – meaning braiding, twisting, or locs can be worn all at once
• Short and long ponytails allowed instead of a bun
• Long Ponytails allowed for Soldiers during physical fitness training and with the Army Combat Uniform (ACU), during tactical training where they are required to wear a helmet; Soldiers will be required to tuck long ponytails into the ACU blouse
• Highlights allowed as long as it presents as a uniform and natural appearance; the colors of purple, blue, pink, green, orange, bright red, fluorescent or neon colors are prohibited

Other grooming changes that will be authorized:

• Option to wear gold, silver, and diamond earrings while Female Soldiers are wearing the ACU
• Solid lip and non-extreme nail colors for female Soldiers
• Clear nail polish for male Soldiers

These changes in approved hairstyles stem from medical considerations as tight hairstyles can lead to conditions of the scalp to include hair loss, and tight buns prevent properly wearing the helmet allowing for full visual fields for females while wearing the gear.  Female soldiers are currently able to wear earrings with service and dress uniforms, and these changes allow for the earrings to be worn with all uniforms. However, pearl earrings are still only authorized with the service and dress uniforms.

Extreme colors such as purple, gold, black, blue, white, fire-engine red, hot pink, yellow, and other neon colors will not be allowed for lip or nail polish colors for female Soldiers in uniform. The addition of the allowance of clear nail polish for male soldiers allows for men working in specialties that are in contact with harsh chemicals to protect the nails.

  The grooming updates will be included in the next update to the AR 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia.

On January 25, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order which reversed the previous ban on transgender individuals serving in the United States military. This new order was signed in the presence of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and Vice President Harris.

The Executive Order states that “All Americans who are qualified to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States (“Armed Forces”) should be able to serve” and that gender identity should not prevent someone from serving in the military. Allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military does not negatively impact the DOD’s mission referencing the 2016 Rand Corporation study completed on transgender individuals serving in the Armed Forces to determine the costs and political readiness implications of transgender. The study was completed and provided several recommendations to include that the DOD include openly serving transgender service members to diversify their workforce based on the research that integrations of transgender individuals did not affect foreign military policy.

The order references further support for transgender service members being allowed to serve was demonstrated in 2018 when then Chief of Staff of the army, Chief of Naval Operations, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force testified to Congress to that there was no morale or unit cohesion problem from those military members who were openly transgender. The executive order further states that “permitting transgender individuals to serve openly in the military was consistent with military readiness and with strength through diversity, such that the transgender service members who could meet the required standards and procedures should be permitted to serve openly.”

It further dictates that the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security in respect to the Coast Guard shall prohibit involuntary separations, discharges, and denials of reenlistment based on gender identity, retroactively review records of individuals who were involuntarily separated discharged or denied reenlistment or continuation of service based on gender identity, and to issue guidance to the Secretaries of each military section to correct military records.

Language within the Executive order repeals the previous Presidential Memorandum on this topic. Specifically, it states “The Presidential Memorandum of March 23, 2018 (Military Service by Transgender Individuals), is hereby revoked, and the Presidential Memorandum of August 25, 2018 (Military Service by Transgender Individuals), remains revoked.”

“Combating human trafficking is a responsibility the Defense Department (DoD) takes very seriously,” Anthony M. Kurta, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military personnel policy, said during a recent seminar on Human Trafficking Awareness. “Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It not only destroys the lives of those victimized, but also destroys countless families and poses a direct threat to the security and well-being of the entire world. Those who engage in human trafficking exploit the weak and the vulnerable and capitalize on those who patronize the sex-trade industry and those involved in forced labor. For those reasons, DoD is committed to continuing its aggressive stance against human trafficking, and will further training its personnel to expand awareness.”

One wouldn’t normally think of the DoD as working to prevent human trafficking, but the signs could be evident around DoD personnel. Some examples are a subcontractor could withhold passports and payments to employees. Some companies make workers pay a large fee to obtain a job on a DoD installation. The three most common forms of trafficking, according to the DoD’s Combating Trafficking in Persons office, are labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and child soldiering.

According to Kurta, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency recently received a presidential award for the development of the Memex program. It searches the deep web and connects open-source information to identify tracking patterns. U.S. law enforcements, military and intelligence entities are using it to stop human trafficking enterprises and bring traffickers to justice.

“Additionally, our Special Operations Command, partnered with the National Association to Protect Children and the U.S.  Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations to establish the Human Exploitation Rescue Operative Child Rescue Corps,” Kurta said. “Known as HERO, the group trains wounded, ill and injured service members in high-tech forensic and law enforcement skills to assist federal agents in the fight against online child sexual exploitation. HERO exemplifies the power of public-private partnerships to help combat trafficking in persons,” Kurta said.

The DoD also partners with the Joint Staff and combatant commands. According to Kurta, Joint training exercises are conducted that include trafficking in persons scenarios that will help ensure our forces understand their roles in preventing, recognizing, and reporting trafficking in persons incidents. The DoD will continue to invest in and develop a variety of robust training resources to help educate its total force to combat trafficking in persons. Such training also will include specialized training for DoD law enforcement and acquisition professionals, in addition to toolkits to assist leaders in developing their specialized training.

During the month of January, the DoD recognizes National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Military and DoD civilian personnel must take at least one Combating Trafficking in Persons training course every fiscal year. Kurta quoted from the proclamation declaring January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month: “There is no place in our world to allow modern slavery to persist,” he said. “We will do our part to strive for its total abolition.”

DoD says everyone can do their part in fighting trafficking. Incidents of human trafficking can be reported to the DoD Inspector General hotline at 1-800-424-9098, 703-604-8799 or DSN 664-8799, or at www.dodig.mil/hotline.

The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included a bipartisan agreement made by the House and Senate members requiring that the Secretary of Defense implement a plan submitted by a commission to rename 10 military bases that are named after Confederate Generals. The 10 bases that will be renamed are Ft. Bragg in North Carolina; Camp Beauregard and Fort Polk in Louisiana; Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia; Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Lee and Fort Pickett in Virginia, Fort Hood in Texas and Fort Rucker in Alabama. The army bases were named by the War Department during World War I and II and are now getting a name change.

Part of the 2021 NDAA was that a commission is formed to plan the 10 Army bases’ renaming. The NDAA stated that the commission would be composed of eight members, four of which would be appointed by the Secretary of Defense and appointed no later than 45 days after the bill passes. On January 8, 2021, Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller announced the appointment of four people to the commission assigned with the task of renaming these military bases. Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller selected Sean McLean of California, Joshua Whitehouse of New Hampshire, Anne G. Johnston of North Carolina and Earl Matthews of Pennsylvania to the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense that Commemorate the Confederate States of America or Any Person Who Served Voluntarily with the Confederate States of America. The other four members will be selected by the House and Senate Armed Services Committees’ ranking members.

The NDAA provides specifics on the meetings and reports required as part of the commission. Per the bill, the commission must hold its first meeting within the first 60 days after the bill becomes the law and must brief the Armed Services Committee on the current plans no later than October 1^st, 2021. The commission has been given three years to complete the plan for the name changes. By October 1, 2022, the commission must brief their plan of the costs associated with the “renaming or removing the names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia that commemorate the Confederate States of American or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America” including the procedures for the renaming. For further details about the Commission can be read in Section 377 of the National Defense Authorization Act here in the Senate version of the bill. While H.R. 6395 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 has become a public law as of 01/01/2021, the full public text is not currently available as of this writing.

Like many health care providers, the VA is hard at work to distribute vaccines to Veterans in a phased plan based on the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Information is constantly changing so it is important to check with the VA for updates. You can also sign up to stay informed by filling out this simple form.

Can I Get A COVID-19 Vaccine?

The VA’s phased plan is in effect and these groups listed below are now being vaccinated at some VA health care facilities. (From the VA official website) There is a limited amount of the first 2 COVID-19 vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will be available at some VA health care facilities.

• VA health care personnel. Vaccinating our VA health care personnel helps us continue to provide care for Veterans.
• Veterans living in our long-term care facilities
• Veterans who receive care at VA and are at high risk from COVID-19 based on VA and CDC risk criteria. At many VA health care facilities, this group includes all Veterans who are at least 75 years old. Each facility will determine when Veterans in this group can receive a vaccine. They’ll base this decision on vaccine availability, local needs, as well as the strict storage and handling requirements of the vaccines.
• Family caregivers who are enrolled in our Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) are eligible for vaccination when the Veteran they care for becomes eligible. If the Veteran you care for meets the criteria above, both you and the Veteran may be able to get vaccinated now. Vaccinating caregivers helps us support and protect Veterans.

Do not contact the VA about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. If you are receiving care at your local VA health facility, they will contact you and let you know when you can make an appointment. Only those who are currently eligible for the vaccine based on the VA and CDC risk criteria can receive a vaccine. Some VA health care facilities are hosting, large vaccination events or requesting Veterans to call for an appointment. They options are for those in the risk categories mentioned above at this time.

How was the COVID-19 Vaccine Plan Created?

The VA based their phased COVID-19 plan on guidance from the CDC (from the VA website).

• Risk of becoming infected with the virus
• Risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19
• Risk of spreading the virus to others
• Risk of harm to society if essential workers, including health care personnel, are unable to work

There are many factors that can determine what your risk of server illness is. Death or severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age. If you have certain health problems like diabetes, heart disease, or obesity it will increase your risk of severe illness of death. Lifestyle factors such as living in a group home also increases your risk.

Going Forward

Currently the 2 authorized COVID-19 vaccines require special handling and storage which limits its distribution to VA facilities with proper storage. There is a limited supply of vaccines but as soon as more vaccines are available VA care teams will let you know your options. Veterans have the choice if they want to get the vaccine or not. Your choice will not affect your VA health care or benefits. Once more vaccines are available the VA plants to offer a free a COVID-19 vaccine to all Veterans who receive VA health care that want one.

Resources for More Information

• Apply to receive VA health care.
• Updates on the VA COVID-19 vaccine plan.

For answers to general questions about getting a vaccine call 800-698-2411 TTY:711

That is a good question as the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines continue their slow rollout. Shots have not been getting in arms as fast as expected. Alex M. Azar, the secretary of Health and Human Services encouraged state governors to expedite uptake, if needed by expanding eligibility for the vaccines so that no doses go to waste during an Operation Warp Speed briefing, “States can … accelerate vaccine administration by moving on to providing vaccinations to broader populations right now. There is no reason that states need to complete, say, vaccinating all health care providers before opening up vaccinations to older Americans or other especially vulnerable populations.”

Azar reiterated that the CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have made recommendations with healthcare workers high on the list to get the vaccine but these are just recommendations. He stated it is up to the states how vaccines are delivered within the state. At this point it is more important to get vaccine into arms as soon as possible than to keep it locked up until the right candidates step up to get their shot.

“They should never stand in the way of getting shots in arms, instead of keeping vaccines in the freezer, or even, heaven forbid, wasting a dose of vaccine in a vial,” Azar said. “It’s more important to vaccinate. I have encouraged our governors, and I will continue to do so, that if they are using all of the vaccine, that is … allocated, ordered, distributed, shipped — and they’re getting it into healthcare provider’s arms, every bit of it, that’s great. But if for some reason their distribution is struggling, and they’re having vaccines sit in freezers, then by all means you ought to be opening up to people … 65 and over. You ought to be making sure that the nursing home patients are getting vaccinated.”

Another way to speed up vaccine delivery, Azar said, will be with the early launch of the federal “Pharmacy Partnership” program, which will eventually cover more than 40,000 pharmacy locations within 19 pharmacy chains and associations across the U.S. “This partnership allows states to allocate vaccines directly to these partners and these partners can then administer vaccines to particular groups, like those over a certain age or in certain occupations, and eventually to the general public,” Azar said. “To help give states as many options as possible for vaccine administration, we’re launching the program this week and states can choose particular partners to send vaccines to now.”

“Nearly 20 million doses of vaccine [have been] already delivered,” Army Gen. Gustave F. Perna, the chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed said. “We have delivered that to over 13,000 different locations throughout the United States … simultaneously, fair and equitable distribution of vaccines so that everybody has the opportunity to distribute simultaneously to the American people. I would tell you that it’s going very well and our goal is to maintain the steady drumbeat so that the states have a cadence of allocation, planning and then the appropriate distribution to the right places, as designated.”

The Department of Defense has established a Population Schema which details at what phase you can receive the vaccine.  There are two Phases and Phase one is broken into 3 subcategories. Basically 1a covers everyone involved in healthcare as well as the support care both military and civilian. 1b Critical National Capabilities and those about to deploy and DoD beneficiaries age 75 or older and essential workers. Phase 1c is DoD beneficiaries age 65-74 and those age 16 and older with increased risk for severe illness as well as essential workers not covered in previous phases. Lastly Phase 2 is everybody else age 16 and older.

Visit Health.Mil to get the latest update on getting the COVID-19 vaccine through the military healthcare system. Listed is all the sites that you can receive the vaccine once you are in the right phase.  Different sites can be in different phases, so it is important to check locally to see what phases your area is in.

You may also have the option to get the vaccine through your state’s healthcare system. Visit the CDC’s website for more information. There are tools to search options through your state. Demand for exceeds supply at this point. The key to getting the shot is to keep up on the most current information.

 

Air Force Retention is at an all-time high. For the first time in twenty years, the Air Force has the highest number of airmen in active duty service. Some members who had planned to transition out of service in 2020 delayed their transition due to COVID-19 concerns. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel and Services, Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly credits Congress with helping to keep manpower high stating in a press release that “Congress delivered immense help, increased our numbers and helped us make real readiness improvements after sequestration reductions.”

Different programs are being considered to bring numbers back to below the total end strength of 333,700.  Voluntary opportunities are being reviewed by Headquarters Air Force to provide airmen the opportunity to waive active duty service commitments or to move to the Guard or Reserve from active duty through waivers. In addition, retention bonuses will no longer be utilized for all specialties to maintain the force needed to meet the requirements of the DOD and Air Force. “We have to bring in the right number of Airmen each year to sustain the force throughout the continuum of service, Lt. Gen Brian Kelly said further, “We have a plan to avoid future year-group gaps and we will announce volunteer options soon that we believe will balance end-strength appropriately.”

All movement from active to reserves or guard or out of service would be voluntary and no involuntary shape forcing programs would be utilized in Fiscal Year 2021. Airmen would be The FY 2021 Selective Retention Bonus Program for 37 eligible Air Force Specialties was released on December 10. The FY 2021 Selective Retention Bonus Program Listing is available on the retention page for the Air Force here and on myPers.

With two vaccines for COVID-19 now receiving an emergency use authorization by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration, the logistics of getting a shot in every arm is a huge logistic challenge. Tiberius is a software platform specifically developed for Operation Warp Speed (OWS) to plan and monitor the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine. It provides the visibility necessary for a smooth transition from manufacturing the vaccine to allocating the vaccine down to provider level. Information from the U.S. Census, the Vaccine Tracking System and commercial logistics companies such a FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) was incorporated into the platform.

Challenging Logistics

The logistics include not only the manufacturing, supply chain, allocation, and delivery of the vaccine but also the kits to administer the vaccine which include needles, syringes and supplies.

There are 64 jurisdictions which include U.S. states, territories and large metropolitan cities will use Tiberius to determine where their allocated doses will go based on guidance from the FDA, CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on how to prioritize the administration of vaccines.  An algorithm was devised based on the census-derived percentage of the U.S. population over the age of 18. Initially the vaccine will be limited as the first doses arrive around the country, but Operation Warp Speed will continue to run the algorithm each week as the supply increases and determine how much vaccine will go to each jurisdiction.

“The federal government is running the algorithm, but the states will make the decision as to where the doses go, and we will comply with their decision and get those doses to the final destination,” said Paul Mango, the deputy chief of staff for policy at HHS.

Once the vaccine ships, Tiberius will also be used to provide information updates for jurisdictional partners, said Deacon Maddox, Operation Warp Speed chief of plans, operations, and analytics. “Like most of America, public health professionals are working through the challenges brought on by quarantines, telework and social distancing,” Maddox said. “While the pandemic stresses both people and systems, our expertise and technology tools provide a disciplined and deliberate approach to prioritize vaccine delivery and ease the burden of public health officials throughout the nation.”

The federal government provided training materials when Tiberius was launched Labor Day weekend and HHS funds a help desk and technology personnel for each jurisdiction.

Vaccine Distribution

Army Gen. Gus F. Perna, chief operating officer of OWS recently briefed the media on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. As soon as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine received emergency use authorization from the FDA employees from Pfizer, UPS and FedEx began the work to pack the vaccine and get it shipped out. “The strategy is to get the initial Pfizer vaccine out to Americans right away,” he said. “As it becomes available, the vaccine is allocated in a fair and equitable manner to the states and territories, which stipulate the location and quantity needed,” he explained. The Moderna vaccine began shipment once it received emergency use authorization.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens Company, other pharmacies and the states created a very elaborate campaign strategy to get the vaccine to long-term health care facilities and first-line medical personnel who will be the initial priority group,” Perna said. “Our goal is every vaccine that goes out is safe and effective upon delivery. And, we wanted to make sure that deliveries occurred in the places where people could receive them and then begin administering the vaccine to the American people. And, it went incredibly well.” 

The federal government has purchased enough vaccines to meet the goal of vaccinating every American who wants it by the second quarter of 2021.

USAMMA Spearheads Military Distribution

The US Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) is spearheading the distribution for all branches of the services and is working with the Defense Health Agency’s Immunization Health Care Division. They are collecting the COVID-19 vaccine orders and submitting to the CDC. They will track the vaccine shipments from the vendors to each military location.

 USAMMA Distribution Operations Center Deputy Director Liz Andrews said, “the vaccine will ship directly from the vendor to several military medical treatment facilities throughout the U.S. where it will be used to immunize troops, as well as military beneficiaries and bolster their immunity against the pandemic.”

According to Andrews, one of the logistical challenges is the Pfizer vaccine must be kept at ultr-cold temperatures. She and her team can track not only the location of the vaccine but also its temperature throughout the distribution process. “This is a challenging mission but also very exciting. We are prepared to execute this mission and proud to be a part of Operation Warp Speed,” she said.

USAMMA was chosen for the mission because of their expertise in the distribution of military vaccines such as anthrax and small pox.

“The military hospitals are already used to working with us, so this made the process smoother for them as they were familiar with our systems and forms,” Andrews said. “The USAMMA Distribution Operations Center web development team also played a crucial role by swiftly adapting USAMMA’s existing vaccine ordering system, so it could be used for COVID-19 vaccine order processing. This was a total team effort, and we are just honored to be a part of this whole campaign.”

The Department of Defense will continue to play an important role in Operation Warp Speed until this pandemic is contained.

By Constitutional law, inauguration day is 20 January. As Abigail Bartlett remarked in The West Wing show, it is usually a cold day in the District of Columbia. The 59^th Inaugural ceremonies will occur on January 20, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol. The opening remarks are scheduled to begin around 11:30 EST with the completion after the new president takes the oath of office.

Attending in Person

In a usual year, there are tickets available through Congress and Senate members. Each person is typically provided many tickets to give out. In 2021, amongst a pandemic, only 1,000 tickets are available versus the normal 200,000 tickets– meaning that the seat holders of Congress and the Senate are invited with a guest. Some representatives have decided to open online submission feeds to those interested in coming. However, the Presidential Inaugural Committee has made the recommendation to refrain from traveling for the inauguration.

What are the Inaugural Events?

There are several traditional events that typically occur with every inauguration –the procession of the outgoing and incoming President to the ceremony, Vice President’s and President’s Swearing-In Ceremony,  the well known Inaugural Address, Honorary Departure of the outgoing President, Signing Ceremony, Inaugural Lunch, Pass In Review. Per a statement released by the Inaugural committee, the “ceremony’s footprint will be extremely limited, and the parade that follows will be reimagined.” A traditional giant parade of inaugurations passed will not be happening. However, construction of a reviewing stand in front of the White House has continued, which may be part of the Pass in Review of events passed. Traditional events like the luncheon for the new president is also not occurring due to the current coronavirus situation.

Where Can You Watch It Virtually?

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies Chairman Roy Blunt stated that due to the global pandemic, they are “working on enhanced opportunities to watch the ceremonies online, in addition to the traditional televised national broadcast.” If you have cable television, you can expect most major networks to carry the live broadcast.

For those who have cut the cable ties, it is expected to be available for streaming here:

• On the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies website
• White House YouTube Channel
• White House Live Stream
• Politico Live Stream
• In Spanish on Univision’s You Tube Channel

Even if you don’t have cable, the major news networks of ABC, CBS, Fox, MSNBC, and CNN will most likely carry live streaming on their website or YouTube channel.

The pre-event festivities historically begin at 9:30 am EST with the official ceremony occurring neatly at noon EST.

It isn’t new for military children to deal with separation. From parents who are deployed or training or on exercises. From extended family members who live half a world away from where they are currently stationed. From friends, they make after a PCS (Permanent Change of Station – aka military move). In 2020, kids are separated from their classmates who might live down the street due to social distancing and virtual school. Keeping kids connected to the friends they have made is even more important now that there aren’t as many opportunities to find and make new friends and build new friendships.

Letter writing

In addition to writing out thoughts to friends, sharing details about their new house or clothes, letter writing allows for practicing writing letters, words, and penmanship. Letter writing is a skill in itself – working on addressing, composing a letter, and determining the best signature. Making it a weekly practice. In the letters, they can share pictures or bookmarks, or handmade bracelets. It’s a way to share, stay connected, and all while they practice and learn and don’t even realize it. So shhhh!

Video Chats

When able to, this is an awesome option to keep kids connected. There are several applications on computers, phones, and tablets that can be utilized and should all be used with adult supervision. It allows children to read and take facial cues while looking at each other and talking to each other. It continues to build the bond of friendship and allows them to share drawings or games or books on the video chat as the interest of the children determines. If possible, schedule the video chats so there are a pattern and expectation to the calls.

Virtual Book Club

While these are reserved for adults most times, keeping kids connected with the same reading level with a shared book is a great way to keep kids connected. It promotes reading and allows for the development of conversation while working on the skill of reading comprehension – and all under the guise of “just catching up” with a friend.  If you aren’t sure what books to use, ask your child’s teacher for reading level acceptable choices. Books do not have to be purchased if you have an electronic device. Most libraries have e-books you can borrow from and the service libraries also have a large library presence online with a large volume of books available to borrow.

Online Gaming

Kids who love to play games online can connect with their friends online. There are computer games, apps, and live games on streaming devices that allow for people across the world. There are parental controls to limit the amount of time spent online and which games can be played. Utilizing headphones, they can talk to each other as well. This is a bit outside my scope as a non-gamer, but with age-appropriate limits, being able to bond while playing a game together is a great way to stay in touch with friends.  As with any online activity for your children, check on what they are doing and who they are talking to.

Old Fashioned Games

Consider playing a game on video chat. If both parties have UNO, split the deck and play. Or consider charades or Battleship – games that can easily be split between two parties and can be played solo. For the little kids maybe Boggle, and for older kids Monopoly or any board games that both parties have.

Movie Night

Thanks to streaming services introducing group play, you can watch a movie together at the same time and even send messages while watching. This does take some prior planning and technology link-up, but being able to continue movie nights is pretty amazing.

This year has certainly brought on the need for creativity in staying in touch but socially distanced, and these are great ways for kids to stay in touch. Based on age, children may need some parental assistance. With any technology, parental guidance and monitoring are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

What have you been utilizing to help your children stay in touch with their friends? Can the adults get on a long-distance game of CLUE?