Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Food Insecurity a Reality for Many Military Families

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Military Families Use Food Banks

Are you a military family who uses a local food bank?

I wasn’t surprised by the numbers. I wasn’t shocked by the headlines. I thought to myself “yeah, that seems about right.” Many military families, like many Americans, regularly face food insecurity so these military families, like many Americans regularly fill their pantries with nonperishable items from their local food banks. They may do it once. They do it between pay periods. They may do it every 6 months. The point is that military families use food banks.

This isn’t something new. My husband volunteered distributing food to military families at a southern California installation in 2003. But the news of American service members utilizing civilian food banks has recently grabbed the media’s attention.

It all started with Feeding America’s annual survey. In that report, it said that 620,000 households that seek food assistance from a Feeding America network agency each year include at least 1 member who is currently serving in the U.S. military. That person may be an active duty Marine or he may be an inactive reservist. The Feeding America study didn’t examine that type of specific data. But every media outlet ran with a headline saying “25 percent of military families are seeking food aid.”

The Department of Defense immediately questioned Feeding America’s survey methodology saying that “surveying households instead of individuals while comparing those numbers to military data creates an inaccurate picture.” The Pentagon spokesman also reminded Americans that the military offers the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance for low-income families.

But few military families are using the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance. Why? My guess is military families want to remain anonymous in their financial struggle. They don’t want their commander to find out they can’t afford to feed their 5 children. That’s why military spouses prefer to visit a food pantry at their local churches. In the majority of cases, spouses show their military ID and the food bank will give them food that day.

A short and incomplete search on Google showed food drives for hungry airmen, lines of Marine families waiting for free food, donation drop-off locations near Navy installations, partnerships between the USO and food banks and churches scrambling to fill the need for veterans, National Guard soldiers and Reservists families. I’m sure if you ask your FRO or the Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, they will tell you that some, not all, military families are struggling financially to make ends meet.

If military families weren’t struggling, than why would there be a need for food banks located on overseas military installations?

Many military families, like many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. They aren’t saving for their dream house and they won’t buy a vacation home at their retirement. They are scraping by and local food banks ease their burden.

Do I think military families should use local food banks? Frankly it’s none of my business. But I do think that the Pentagon needs to hear the old adage: if one military family is relying on a local food bank, that’s one military family too many.

Did you donate food through DeCA’s Feds Feed Families program? How do you feel about military families using food banks?

Military Newlyweds Skip Warehouse, Bulk Buy at Commissary

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Commissary Better Than Warehouse Stores

Buying bulk items at the commissary saves money for military newlyweds.

Once my husband and I moved into our first home, we wanted to put together a grocery shopping plan that would be the most economical for us. We just paid for a wedding and furniture to fill our house, so we quickly shifted our priority to saving as much money as possible.

We considered memberships to warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s Club, where you pay an annual rate to use the facility. But, we realized that route might not be the best for us. Right now, it’s just my husband and I, plus a cat. To really reap the benefits of a warehouse store we would need to use the perishable items in a more timely manner. The last thing we would want to do is have 40 pounds of produce and not use it all before it spoils.

Besides, the warehouse stores are further away than our military commissary, so in the long run, it wouldn’t be cost effective. We would pay for a membership to drive a little further and we would still need to shop at a grocery store for perishable items. We were looking for a streamlined one-stop shop approach.

That’s when we calculated that our military commissary is the best place for our grocery needs and that we would do our bulk buying at the commissary too.

If we purchase the largest size available in-store, that would last us a good amount of time. Also, we would actually be saving money in the long term. Who doesn’t like saving money?

We bought everything that we would need to start out all at once including all our toiletries, cleaning supplies (trash bags, all-purpose cleaner, etc.), spice selection, a week’s worth of food and more. That first bill cost us a couple hundred dollars. Since our first time huge purchase, the average weekly commissary bill is around $20. Yes, that’s right, just about $20 per a week.

As a result, we run out of different items at different times and we refill our supply when it’s needed. Everything is spread out and for the most part our commissary bill stays the same each time.

To me, that’s a pretty good deal. I’m sure there are even ways to bring the cost down and if you feel like splurging sometimes for a filet mignon instead of a sirloin steak that would affect the average too.

Bulk buying has always been a way to save money over time. Brands bundle more than one item of their products together for little savings here and there. Let’s say one bottle of contacts solution costs $8. The double pack may costs $13 If you are an avid contacts user and use 1 bottle a month over a year span you’ll save $18. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but if you have the habit of doing that with all your needed items you’ll see some awesome savings.

Here are 2 examples to show how bulk buying can save money over the long term based on actual figures from my military commissary.

Cats eat an average of 10 pounds of dry cat food per a month.

$3.99 for a 3.15 lb. bag = $1.27 per lb. and $152.40/year

$11.99 for a 15 lb. bag = $0.80 per lb. and $96.00/year

$56.40 in savings a year for cat food.

Bulk Buying at Your Military Commissary

What bulk items do you buy at your military commissary?

In my house, we use on average 32 regular rolls of toilet paper per a month.

$12.99 for 64 regular rolls = $0.20 and $76.80/year

$2.92 for 8 regular rolls = $0.37 and $142.08/year

$65.28 in savings a year for toilet paper.

Bulk Buying Saves Money at the Commissary

Bulk buying has always been a way to save money.

And of course, the savings continue for every other item you bulk buy! Plus you never pay an annual membership fee to shop at the commissary.

What bulk items do you buy at your military commissary?

Are You Deep in Credit Card Debt? Consider Using a Credit Counselor

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There was a time in my life that I bit off more than I could chew regarding my credit limit. I was young and naive on the specifics of credit cards. I signed up for 3 different accounts before the age of 20. Of course, the credit card companies were itching for people like me. They fed me stories on how I needed to build up my credit history and establish a good foundation for the future.

Should Military Families Use a Financial Consultant?

Military families should work with nonprofit debt managers to reduce their credit card debt.

What they neglected to say was their extremely high interest rates and the actual importance to pay off your balances in a timely manner. Otherwise, you’d be accruing more interest and adding to your debt. Years passed with me just paying the minimum payments with all my credit cards at near max. If I continued to pay my credit cards at the minimum amount, it would have taken me 25 years to pay off the remaining balance.

Despite conversations with my credit card companies, I had to take additional action. It got to a point where I was drowning in my credit card debt and I didn’t see an end in sight. I wanted to find a way to get myself back on track and eliminate my debt as well as learn some safe credit card habits. So I researched ways and programs that could help me.

Are you deep in debt? Here are debt and credit counseling tips for military families.

Military OneSource provides free financial counseling. All you need to do is give them a call and they can walk you through options that could help you negotiate a reduced rate with your creditors  and offer basic education on money matters, including debt management and things as common as setting up a budget. They can give you the foundation to tackle your goals and become debt free.

Another great option is enrolling with a debt management organization, which is the route I chose to take. You are assigned a credit counselor that is familiar with your situation. I wanted the ease of a single professional guiding me through the process and also a company that took care of negotiating with my creditors on my behalf. I made 1 payment to my counselor and they allocated the appropriate funds to each creditor.

Everything was simplified to me by my debt counselor, down to the penny. Because they knew my financial history, I was able to get a thorough explanation as well as a very streamline approach to be successful. I really liked having everything mapped out for me and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I sat down with my counselor to evaluate what was possible with my income minus all my living expenses. Even with the small fee the debt management charged, they were able to negotiate a payment plan with my creditors that would have my debt paid off in 5 years (instead of the calculated 25). That to me was a win-win situation.

Want to win a $50 commissary gift card? Register to win with MilitaryShoppers.

Be very careful with shopping around for a debt management counselor, especially if you’re going to do it outside of Military OneSource or any other military, veteran or government entities. Basic signs for a credible organization are that they are a member of the National Foundation of Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies as well as backed by the Council of Accreditation. Another telltale sign is that they are a nonprofit organization.

Military Service Members and Debt: How to Get Out

I needed to eliminate my debt as well as learn some safe credit card habits.

Debt management companies as well as accredited counselors are there to help and inform consumers. At first, it was very intimidating for me, especially because I had no financial background or any previous education. After discussing my credit card debt in depth, I felt confident and looked forward to reducing my debt and saving for the future.

You don’t have to limit yourself to the payment amount that was calculated by your debt counselor. If you can pay a little more each month, wiggle it into your payment schedule and it’s possible to pay the credit card debt faster than your plan. When I received my tax deductions, that’s when I added more to my payments and finished off my debt counseling plan earlier than 5 years.

In addition to knocking down the time it would take to payoff the debt, Debt management company taught me safe credit habits. The last thing I would want is to be in a similar situation again.

Have you ever worked with a credit or debt counselor? Would you recommend it? Tell us in the comments section below.

Hey Uncle Sam, Stay Out of Service Members’ Bedrooms

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Rumors are not evidence.

The Department of Defense is full of adulterers. From privates to generals, you can find service members, both enlisted and officers, who have committed adultery by cheating on their spouses. While it is commonly believed that if a service member is unfaithful to his/her wife, the Armed Forces will discharge him/her, military spouses can rattle off countless examples (many based on rumors) where the service member isn’t punished for cheating. A few of these examples reach national news headlines, as in the case of Gen. David Petraeus and Army Col. James H. Johnson III. But the majority of military adulterers never face repercussions from their chain of command and never face the public scrutiny.

If service members cheat on their spouses, but never get kicked out of the military isn’t this no-adultery rule pointless?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is a federal law, enacted by Congress, to govern legal discipline and court martials for the Armed Forces. The UCMJ is the guiding legal document for all service members. Articles 77 through 134 of the UCMJ outline the “punitive offenses” or crimes that service members can be prosecuted.

Here is a list of offenses that are listed in the UCMJ:

  • Captured or Abandoned Property (Article 103)
  • Absence Without Leave (Article 86)
  • Drunken or Reckless Driving (Article 111)
  • Dueling (Article 114)

Adultery is NOT listed as a punitive offense in the UCMJ.

That said let’s look at Article 134, the General Article within the UCMJ.

Though not specifically mentioned in this chapter, all disorders and neglects to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the Armed Forces, all conduct of a nature to bring discredit upon the Armed Forces, and crimes and offenses not capital, of which persons subject to this chapter may be guilty, shall be taken cognizance of by a general, special or summary court-martial, according to the nature and degree of the offense, and shall be punished at the discretion of that court.

–Article 134 of the UCMJ

It’s the typical catch-all paragraph that the government loves to have in any legal document.

Technically adultery is punishable by reprimand, dismissal and prison. But service members are rarely charged with adultery as a stand-alone offense. If they are charged with adultery, it’s usually tied to a list of offenses. That was the case for Air Force Lt. Kelly Flinn, the first female pilot of a B-52 bomber. She faced a court martial for adultery for an affair with a married civilian, lying about the affair by denying it to an investigator, fraternizing with an enlisted man in another brief affair and disobeying a direct order. In the end, Flinn was allowed to be discharged from the military instead of facing a court martial.

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If service members cheat on their spouses, but never get kicked out of the military isn’t this no-adultery rule pointless?

Adultery, as a military offense, is rarely prosecuted because of the necessity of 3 Elements of Proof, as outlined in the Manual for Courts-Martial. Here are those elements:

  1. That the accused wrongfully had sexual intercourse with a certain person;
  2. That, at the time, the accused or the other person was married to someone else; and
  3. That, under the circumstances, the conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.

This means that a court martial needs to have documented evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Evidence normally requires photographs, a confession and eyewitness testimony. Rumors are not evidence. The 3 Elements of Proof also requires that the government show that the individual’s conduct had some direct negative impact on the military. It is nearly impossible and time-consuming to prove that a service member committed adultery.

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Technically adultery is punishable by reprimand, dismissal and prison.

Knowing that it is nearly impossible to punish a service member for adultery, I think DOD should stop including adultery as an offense. Let’s leave adultery where it belongs– in the bedroom– and work on the true issues of today’s military community.

What’s your opinion of including adultery in the UCMJ? Share it in the comments section below.

How to Stay Informed on Food Safety Alerts

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Guide to Staying Informed on Food Safety Alerts and Product Recalls

Commissary shoppers should sign up for email alerts to stay informed on food recalls.

I learned the news from a recorded phone message. An East Coast grocery store chain was alerting me to the fact that the organic apple juice I purchased 2 weeks earlier was recalled by its manufacturing company. I was relieved to receive this informational food alert phone call.

But this instance of a food product recall led me to wonder about the rest of my family’s food purchased from our military commissary. How will I know if this food is recalled? And what should I do if I find a recalled item in my pantry or refrigerator?

Your Guide to Staying Informed on Food Safety Alerts and Product Recalls

  1. First of all, you need to understand how a food safety alert or product recall happens. The majority of food recalls are voluntarily initiated by manufacturers and distributors. For example, Kraft Foods Group issued a voluntarily recall of 7,691 cases of select varieties of regular Kraft American Singles Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product late last month. Strict federal regulation ensures that food manufacturing companies work diligently to actively recall any food with potential health risks.
  2. Next the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) will evaluate the potential severity of the recall. They will make sure that all reasonable efforts to remove or correct the problem are being made. This is when the recall notice is posted on websites for consumers and stores are contacted to remove the item from their shelves. Whenever a commissary has a recalled or withdrawn product in its inventory, the product is immediately removed from store shelves. Typically there is a sign posted on the empty shelves alerting customers about the food recall.
  3. Then it is the customer’s responsibility to check their pantries for recalled food products.
  4. If a customer has a recalled item, they should return that item to the commissary or grocery store for a refund.

One thing to keep in mind is that food recalls are not unusual. In a 12-month period from July 2102 to July 2013, there was more than 600 food recalls in the United States and Canada. The most typical recalls are due to contamination (such as E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella) and misbranding (undeclared allergens such as peanut, tree nut, milk, egg, soy, shellfish). Finally a food recall doesn’t mean that people have gotten sick from a particular item. Most times, there aren’t any reported cases of hospitalization, but the manufacturing company is exercising caution.

Are you worried about food alerts and product recalls?

Consider subscribing to email alert service through the FDA. These emails keep shoppers informed on timely FDA news and information.

Guide to Staying Informed on Food Safety Alerts and Product Recalls

Are you worried about food alerts and product recalls?

For the latest food safety alerts and product recalls affecting products sold at military commissaries, visit the Food & Product Recalls page at the commissaries website.

Money Terms Every MilSo Should Know

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6355840185_c3de79a0b7_oServicemembers and their spouses quickly learn that the military lifestyle includes a lot of acronyms and code words. DoD (Department of Defense), MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), Temporary Duty (TDY), Roger, Copy. The list goes on and on.

What military spouses don’t realize is the importance of knowing military financial terms.

There are so many different components to remember and understand that spouses should educate themselves too. Military members completely rely on MyPay to access their earnings, so you should consider setting up a limited access account too.

Below is a list of the must-know financial terms that will help military spouses digest and navigate through all the sections of the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) and military life.

  1. Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS): The accounting and financial institution responsible for paying military members, DoD employees and other governmental departments. DFAS is also responsible for retirement pay.
  2. Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): The amount given to a service member based on their location, rank and dependent status assessed from the regular housing market on or around the duty station. Formerly called Basic Allowance for Quarters (BAQ), it’s still in LES statements as such, but means the same thing as BAH.
  3. Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): The taxable amount given to designated families to fund non-housing costs depending on their location to supplement the area’s cost-of-living. Not all duty stations receive it and to find out if your location includes COLA pick your area here: OCONUS (overseas) or CONUS (continental United States)
  4. Basic Allowance for Sustenance (BAS): The money given to military members to offset the cost of food with all ranks within enlisted or officer getting one set amount unless overseas.
  5. Family Separation Allowance (FSA): Military members receive this when they are away from their duty station and family for a TDY lasting more than 30 days OR on an unaccompanied tour that brings them to another location.
  6. Hostile Fire/Imminent Danger Pay (HFP/IDP): It’s mostly given to military members deployed in dangerous situations and is determined on location and/or certified by the commander. Both pay categories are categorized together but still separate, read here for specifics.
  7. Hardship Duty Pay (HDP): Classified into 3 different categories: location, mission and tempo, it’s given to service members that are assigned to areas that offer lower than standard living conditions depending on the duty.
  8. Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP): It’s additional pay awarded to military members that have a non-typical duty or or even extended stay. Mostly given to those that volunteer for a particular service.
  9. Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP): Pay given to military members that holds a job considered hazardous like flight crew and/or parachute teams.
  10. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): The type of retirement plan given to service members that can be deducted from their pay. Similar to the civilian 401(k), it’s a great way to invest and is encouraged for service members.
  11. Date of Initial Entry to Military Service (DIEMS): This is the date that you first entered into military service and cannot change. It’s very important in calculating your retirement benefits when it comes time.
  12. Pay Allotment: Military members can utilize allotments to help with various payments that are required such as loans, rent or outside insurances. The funds are taken away straight from pay and given to the designated institution.
  13. Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA): There are particular deductions that are taken away from military members’ pay, such as Federal Taxes, Social Security and Medicare.
  14. Servicemember Group Life Insurance (SGLI): The deductions via military members wages that covers life insurance. If servicemembers have dependents, there is a separate deduction for family members. This covers life insurance during time in service.
  15. Survivor Benefits Plan (SBP): Signing up for a SBP typically happens at retirement and funds are deducted from retirement pay, which gives surviving family members an annuity (a specific amount per month based on the lifespan of the beneficiary) in the event the servicemember cannot receive it anymore.
  16. Retirement Plan (RET PLAN): Usually, at a minimum of 20 years, servicemembers are granted retirement pay. It should currently be on your LES statement. Depending on your plan of service, there are four different plans that the military can chose from: Final Pay, High-36 Month Average, REDUX and Disability. To decide the best plan, members should seriously consider their military path. This link calls out each plan in more detail: http://militarypay.defense.gov/retirement/.

There are a handful of civilian financial terms that are uncommonly known that you should know outlined below.

  1. Net Worth: Think of it this way, it’s all your total assets (the money that goes in your pocket plus other investments like if you own a home) minus liabilities (debt and/or overhead costs). The overall wealth of your family.
  2. FICO score: The FICO score is calculated using the figures from your consumer credit files on: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion as well as other factors based on your credit habits with your payment history as the number one contributor. That’s why it’s very important to pay bills on time, at it’s minimum and pay it off in a timely manner.
  3. Interest: It’s a designated percentage based on a figure that is given in a set amount of time typically calculated in savings plans and credit debt.
  4. Individual Retirement Account (IRA): Separate from a 401(k) or TSP, it’s an account put together by an individual usually via a bank or credit union that saves money for retirement. The funds that are collected are set-up to be tax-free or tax-deferred depended on the type of IRA. There are three types: Traditional, Roth and Rollover. It’s recommended to establish an IRA, especially if having a 401(k)and/or TSP isn’t available. Who wouldn’t love extra money at retirement that offers tax benefits?! Consult your financial adviser.

 

Did you know these military money terms? Did we miss any? Please share them in the comments section below.

What’s on Sale at the Commissary in September: Back to School Lunches Solved

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It’s that time of year where the kids are all heading back to school. While it might be a relief for some parents who spent the summer trying to fill the days with fun activities, a new stressor presents itself.

What’s for lunch?

Prepping school lunches can be a challenge. Will your children really eat the food you pack or will they trade it with friends? Will it end up in the trash? Don’t waste your money and time making lunches your kids won’t eat. Instead of worrying about this, talk to them. Ask them what they really like. My mom sent me to school with a bologna sandwich pretty much every day for one year. I might have traded it for PB&J.

Before you tear them away from their iPads and tablets, look at this month’s commissary sales ad. Give them choices as opposed to the open question, “what do you want for lunch?” Lunchables, for example, are very quick and easy lunches. It’s all there; no need to worry or stay up late making lunch. In September they are on sale for $1.75 each. When was the last time you spent $1.75 on lunch? With this great savings, give them options. Do they want turkey, ham or roast beef?

Mix up lunches throughout the week so they aren’t eating the same thing consecutively. A Lunchable midweek is great when you get home late from school activities and you just want to go to bed. When you have more time, make a sandwich with Oscar Mayer cold cuts. It’s on sale for $2.75. Top it with a slice of American cheese ($2.50 this month) and complete the lunch with a Yoplait yogurt ($0.45), fresh fruit or carrots and maybe a snack cake. Your kids will be happy that they have lunches they’ll actually eat and you’ll be happy to save money at the commissary.

To make  your savings even bigger, take advantage of the Commissary Rewards Card. Ask your cashier for the free card and register it online. There you can clip virtual coupons and have them right on your key chain. You won’t have to worry about forgetting paper ones in the car again.Commissary Rewards Card

Combine these great September savings and the Commissary Rewards Card with case lot sales and you’ll be able to stock up on lunch items for the entire semester. The customer appreciation case lot sales, stateside only, started in August but many are going on in September. A list of dates by commissary are available online.

Your target before school starts: read the commissary sales ad, virtually clip coupons and venture through the case lot sales…maybe leave the kids at home and enjoy the trip.

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The Top 10 Best Military Vacation Secret Spots

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Acceptable. Fine. A bed. That’s normally how I describe temporary military lodges. As a military spouse, I don’t mind bunking there because it’s cheap, but I don’t brag about the amenities to my civilian friends. seward alaskaI brag about the price. That’s the majority of temporary military lodging. But there is something better.

It’s those cabins, townhouses and rooms with a view that are the best-kept secrets of the military.

They are the lodges that you know you should share with the newbie military spouses, but you don’t want to share your insider information. You are like a screaming toddler saying “it’s mine. It’s all mine.”

If you want super awesome military facilities, try the New Sanno in Tokyo, the Shades of Green Disney Resort, Hawaii’s Hale Koa Hotel or Edelweiss Lodge with views of the Alps. At these facilities you don’t get what you pay for. You get more than what you pay for. There is 1 small problem with these military perk places. Even though these hotels are exclusively for active duty and veterans, affordable doesn’t equal available. Often reservations need to be made a year in advance especially during the peak travel season. So instead of trying to wedge our way into the high-traffic military lodges, let’s take the road less traveled.

Let’s visit the top 10 military vacation secret spots that you will never read about in Travel & Leisure magazine.yellowstone

  1. Marines’ Memorial Club, San Francisco, Calif. Guest reviews on Yelp said “This is our second home away from home when we visit SF. The staff is very accommodating and attentive to your needs, service is top-notch, the location is perfect, the facility is excellent and makes you feel right at home.” Did I mention there is a free happy hour and free breakfast? It’s my No. 1 choice for a hotel in downtown San Francisco.
  2. Seward Resort, Seward, Alaska. Alaska is one of those places that I don’t want to be stationed at, but I would love to visit. The Seward Resort offers a way for my family to visit Alaska without the 3-year orders. The website brags “Are you looking for an exciting and affordable way to see the Last Frontier? You’ve found it! We’ve got the best of Alaska in our backyard: world-class fishing, spectacular glaciers, an abundance of wildlife, and recreational opportunities galore!” Recreational opportunities galore. You know it’s got to be good. Perks? Free cross country ski rental and wine exclusively made for the resort’s guests.
  3. Del Mar Beach Resort at Camp Pendleton, Calif. One Yelp reviewer wrote “Want a little getaway??? This is your spot. Located right on the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base with great prices! The winter rates are 25% off! I stayed here this past weekend and was very pleased. I stayed in the Luxury Villa where you have access to a patio with grill and a bonfire. A full complete kitchen.” I’ve stayed here before and it’s a great facility. It’s perfect for families who want to be near Legoland.
  4. Rocky Mountain Blue at Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colo. Located 1 hour from Denver, this is a must-stay military lodge for service members who loved to hit the slopes. From ice skating to Nordic skiing, snowmobiling to snowshoeing or sleigh rides, Keystone has it all. Going in the summer? No problem. The website outlines a variety of activities. Wagon rides, anyone?
  5. Fourth Cliff Family Recreation Area, Humarock, Mass. According to its website, Fourth Cliff Family Recreation Area is a 56-acre seaside resort located in Humarock (Scituate) on Massachusetts’ South Shore. Fourth Cliff is in a superb location, sitting high on a cliff at the end of a peninsula, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the scenic North River on the other. It offers an excellent opportunity for solitude and relaxation.
  6. Soldiers’, Sailors, Marines’, Coast Guard, and Airmen’s Club, New York City, N.Y. If you want history, you must make a reservation at this “Home Away From Home” from service members and their families. This club has existed for more than 90 years and provides hospitality and accommodations for 15,000 Armed Forces personnel annually. One Yelp reviewer wrote “It’s not the Ritz, but you cannot beat the location for this price. We paid $70/person per night (based on your rate/rank) Just blocks away from the Empire State Building, we felt like we were right in the middle of the action.”
  7. Yellowstone Country Trailers, Mountain Home AFB.  Want to stay 2 miles from the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park? The Air Force maintain 11 trailers at Flagg Ranch Campground. “These trailers are self-contained, include cooking and eating utensils, and are ready for your enjoyment,” according to its website.
  8. Pacific Beach Resort, Pacific, Wash. In the shadow of the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, Pacific Beach Resort offers a Navy-run hotel and cabins lining the bluff along with a full-service restaurant and conference center. Bikes and mopeds are available for rent at the shore.
  9. Fort Tuthill Recreation Area, Flagstaff, Ariz. If you love the outdoors, then you need to stay at the Fort Tuthill Recreation Area. The accommodations range from yurts with wrap-around decks to 2-story, 3-bedroom cabins. The backyard has a fire pit, deck and a picnic table.
  10. Lake of The Ozarks Recreation Area, Linn Creek, Missouri. Nicknamed LORA, this 360-acre facility is designed to provide a relaxing environment for military families. LORA offers cabin rentals, full and partial RV hook-ups, rustic campsites, a lakefront pavilion, a swimming beach, boat docks, a full-service marina, boat and Jet Ski rentals, boat/RV storage rental, parking, picnic areas, a launching ramp, fishing and a small convenience store.  It’s open yearround.

Have you stayed at any of these military facilities? What’s your favorite military lodge?

Tips for Delicious Granola Bars, Easy Trail Mix

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My husband and I LOVE to hike. We met while he was stationed at Fort Drum and spent a lot of time exploring nearby parks and camping. Now, at Fort Belvoir, we’re still spending a lot of time outside exploring and enjoying everything Virginia has to offer!

Our snack of choice while hiking is a tasty granola bar.

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It’s so easy to handle in just one hand and all the different ingredients are held together by chewy goodness that keeps it mess-free. In celebration of National Trail Mix Day (Sunday), I thought I would share our favorite homemade granola bar recipe and tips on making an easy trail mix.

Quick No-Bake Granola Bars

What you’re going to need:

  • Cookie sheet
  • Parchment paper or Wax paper
  • large sauce pot
  • Spatula

Ingredients
-⅔ cup honey
-¾ cup creamy peanut butter (if allergic, you can use almond butter)
-¼ cup light brown sugar
-1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 cups quick or instant cook oats
-2 cups rice cereal

Optional
-½ cup chocolate morsels
-½ cup shredded coconut

I add in chocolate and coconut! If you don’t like chocolate or coconut (or both), just leave it out of the recipe for a chewy on-the-go treat that’s still very tasty. Feel free to add any of your families’ favorite treats to nibble (i.e. M&Ms, Pretzel bits, or anything else you can think of) instead of chocolate or coconut.

Instructions
1. Line parchment paper or wax paper on the bottom of your cookie sheet.
2. Heat large sauce pot and add honey, peanut butter and brown sugar till all combined.
3. Mix in vanilla extract then add oats.
4. Add the chocolate morsels and just half of the shredded coconut (¼ cup).
-If desired, add ingredients of your choice instead of chocolate and coconut.
5. Slowly fold in rice cereal with spatula to avoid smashing.
6. When everything is combined together, pour mixture on the parchment paper or wax paper and mold it into a rectangle that is about half an inch thick. Press down the rest of the shredded coconut on top.
7. Cool in fridge for an hour or until it’s solid. Then slice it up in your desired size and wrap in plastic wrap.

*Important note: if you want to add more of your choice ingredients (in addition to chocolate and coconut or instead of) than what the recipe yields, use a little more honey and peanut butter to make sure it holds together nicely. I really like it when everything is stuck together, so it doesn’t break apart while you’re hiking.

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Easy Trail Mix

There is so much freedom in putting together your own trail mix. Depending on your family-size or preference, just add equal amounts of each ingredient. Here are some of the most commonly used items that can help you mix together the best trail mix for your family!

  1. Nuts
  2. Favorite cereal
  3. Pretzels
  4. Dried fruit
  5. Seeds (pumpkin or sunflower)
  6. Popcorn
  7. Something for your sweet tooth (i.e. mini marshmallows, chocolate chip, M&Ms and/or peanut butter chips)

*Only add a fraction of the ingredients for your sweet tooth. If you add a cup of everything, just add ½ cup of the sweets.

What would you add to your granola bar recipe or include in your trail mix?

Need Money for Food? You May Qualify for FSSA

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Facts on FSSA for Military Families

FSSA applicants must submit accurate paperwork annually.

The Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) is a financial support program that few active duty military families utilized or know about. This Department of Defense program is designed to help service members reach financial stability so that they will no longer be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , formerly known as food stamps.

Eligibility for FSSA is based on the family’s income and household size. There must be at least 1 dependent living in the home to qualify. If the household income is not 130% above the poverty line then the family may meet the requirements. There is an online worksheet that can be used to determine eligibility. Note that you do not have to qualify for or be utilizing SNAP at the time of application for FSSA.

In order to prove your income level the sponsor must provide a copy of his or her LES, pay stubs for other working family members, current bank statements and previous tax returns. To verify your household size you need the service member’s Page 2, a list of dependents as shown in DEERS and social security numbers. Once the application is completed online and the service member has their commanding officer sign off on it, the amount of FSSA will be determined and paid. This amount will be no more than $1,100 a month and therefore, there are other things to consider when accepting this financial support.

Facts on FSSA for Military Families

Enjoy family time and worry less about money.

While this allowance is non-taxable, it can change your eligibility for other financial support programs such as subsidized school lunches, WIC (Women, Infant and Children nutritional support program) as well as earned income tax credit.

The purpose behind FSSA is to provide military families with enough financial stability that they will no longer need SNAP specifically, but hopefully this will also help families alleviate the need for some of these other programs.

Each command is required to have a FSSA Coordinator so if you have questions or simply prefer filling out paperwork in person rather than using the online worksheet, they are available. You can also get detailed information on FSSA at the Fleet and Family Support Center, Army Community Services, or Marine Corps Community Services.

Re-certification must take place 30 days after a change in household income or family size as well as when there is a change of duty station. It may be more convenient to use the online worksheet if you find your family situation changing frequently. The loss or addition of a spouse’s job for example will change your income level as will advance in pay grade for the active duty member. At minimum, each year the family will need to be re-certified.

Payments will not automatically stop due to a change of duty station or situation; it is the member’s responsibility to inform the FSSA Coordinator of this change. A change of as small as $100 in income must be reported within 30 days. If this or any other change is found and not reported there are repercussions such as disciplinary action and wage garnishment.

A Department of Defense official recently said that 668 full-time active-duty members and activated guardsmen and reservists are receiving FSSA.

All of these facts are not meant to scare or deter military families from applying. The application process and re-certification are quite simple. This is simply an explanation of the program in detail so that families know about the program and how to apply for it.

FSSA Facts for Military Families

How would you feel checking out at the commissary without your SNAP card? Relief? Less anxiety?

How do you feel about the FSSA program? Have you used it?