Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Veteran and Military-Affiliated Businesses to Support this Holiday Season

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Shopping with a purpose. This is how you can shape businesses and the economy. It may seem small, but putting your money where you think it is important does make a difference. When it comes to small businesses, it supports real people and families. It provides the continued ability to support their family. Supporting these veteran and military family-affiliated businesses do exactly that – support the military and veteran community. For some, this is a relaxing hobby, and for others, it is a way to share their talents with the world. When searching for a gift this holiday season for family, friends, or maybe even yourself, check out these businesses.

Heritage Candles LLC: Military spouse-owned business sharing her unique hand-poured, dye-free soy candles. If you are a fan of Disney, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Outlander, and pretty much any fandom you can imagine, she probably has made a scented candle for it. She even offers monthly subscription boxes for a fun surprise every month from your favorite fandom!

Milso Box: Monthly subscription box with varied themes. Each box showcases other military and veteran small businesses, so one purchase supports multiple businesses, all while taking a moment to treat yourself. Past themes have included Tailgate Box, Oktoberfest, and Summer Fair. Themes change monthly. Military spouse-owned. Purchasing a subscription means giving the gift of self-care a moment of enjoyment each month!

Daddy Dolls: When family members are apart for a long period of time, it is nice to have a huggable doll with their image on it. The one or two-sided dolls can be personalized with a voice message in addition to the image of their loved one. It doesn’t have to just be of Daddy, you can make a doll of any family member by uploading the photos and selecting the doll size and pattern desired.

Jane and Cope: If you are looking for lightweight earrings that add a lot of pop of color and style, then look no further than Jane and Cope. The military spouse-owned business continues to stun with varied designs of leather statement earrings.

Grunt Style: The veteran-owned clothing company with a military twist. The shirts use clever imagery and slogans that other military and veteran members will appreciate. The company also employs veterans so every purchase supports multiple veterans! Their tag line of “you don’t have to be a veteran to wear Grunt Style, but you do have to love Freedom, Bacon, and Whiskey.”

Troopster: Navy veteran Chelsea created Troopster so that not one service member is forgotten. The care packages come in varied themes, appealing to the various tastes of the troops. Boxes can be chosen and sent to a specific person or sent to anyone who may not receive mail.

Alpha Coffee: Veteran-owned and operated business providing premium coffee, creamer, and cocoa. With names like Smooth Operator, Double Barrel Black, and Task Force Victory, there isn’t much not to like. The coffee is delicious and a great way to energize.

Bottle Breacher: The USA-made, hand-crafted .50 caliber bottle openers were created by a Navy Seal. Now, the company employs veterans in addition to selling this product as a nod to military life.

Countertop Chemistry: The veteran-owned business is in the business of educating through fun. The monthly STEM boxes provide science lessons for children ages 4-12 in fun and engaging ways.  With 6-8 science experiments in each box allows for engaging time together without having to plan or shop for items for lessons.

Team Box Ops: The military spouse-owned company makes and sells moving box labels. If anyone knows moving efficiency, it’s a military spouse who has moved more often than they can count.

Smoked Bros: The veteran-owned and operated spice manufacturing company prides itself on making premium spice mixes with ethically sourced, quality ingredients. With the added bonus that every purchase supports the military, first responders, and underserved communities, a perfectly spiced entree never tasted so good.

Spouse-ly: The one-stop-shop website for veteran, military-affiliated, and fire responder-affiliated shops. From home goods to clothing to food to jewelry, Spouse-ly has it all. It is truly the ultimate shopping space where you can search multiple categories looking for anything you could possibly want to gift. A couple of the companies listed here are also found on Spouse-ly.

Small businesses are the business of doing what they love. For military and veteran families, these small businesses are often family affairs; each purchase supports and shows appreciation to the entire family. It provides a job to a military spouse, who, with frequent moves and lack of childcare, may not be able to continue a traditional job. A purchase supports a real person – you can see their picture on the website or social media sharing. They are in and of the community and share their talents with all. What will you purchase this holiday season? This year?

Adaptability Grants Increased for Veterans

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The Department of Veterans Affairs offers grants to disabled veterans to make their homes accessible. On October 1, 2022, this amount increased. The two grants offered through the VA are the Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant and the Special Housing Adaption (SHA) Grant.

SAH

The Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) program assists disabled veterans with building, remodeling, or purchasing an adapted home. The service-connected injury must be due to loss or loss of use of both legs, blindness in both eyes, loss or loss of use of one leg and loss of use of one arm or residuals of organic disease, loss or loss of use of both arms at or above the elbows or severe burn injury.

SHA

The Special Housing Adaption (SHA) Grant assists disabled veterans and service members with anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands or arms below the elbow, severe burn injury, or certain respiratory or breathing injuries.

The difference between the grants is based on the disability severity.

For 2023, the maximum SAH grant is $109, 986 and the SHA grant will increase to $22,036. The increase is based on the Turner Building Cost Index. The index measures costs in the non-residential building construction market in the United States. The index measured a yearly increase of 8.62%, which is reflected in the grant amounts.

Other programs to assist disabled veterans include

Temporary Residence Assistance Grant: The grant can be utilized for adapting a temporary living arrangement.

Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) grant: grant to assist with any home improvement for treatment or disability access for Veterans or Service Members. Those who have service-connected disabilities can receive up to $6800 in assistance and those with non-service-connected disabilities can receive up to $2000 in assistance.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) Adaptation Assistance program provides home adaptations assistance to those who cannot work due to their service-connected injuries and need adaptations for a vocational goal.

Check out this information from the VA with links on how to apply in addition.

Trees for Troops 2022

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The holiday season, whether you are ready or not, is coming. If you are looking for a fresh Christmas tree to get you in the holiday mood, look no further than the Trees for Troops program. Trees for Troops is the organization developed to specifically deliver holiday cheer with free fresh trees to military families. Cost is a limiting factor for some looking for a fresh tree, and the program’s goal is to give as many military members as possible a tree for the holiday season.

About Trees for Troops

Trees for Troops, a program of Christmas SPIRIT, has been about 20 years. In 2005, FedEx partnered with Christmas SPIRIT with the goal of bringing Christmas Trees specifically to military families, with 277,001 trees over the last 17 years. Since that time, 262,265 farm-grown Christmas Trees have been delivered to military families across the United States and overseas! FedEx assists in delivering these trees to over 70 military bases around the world!

How to Get a Tree

All donated trees will be picked up in early December and delivered to military bases over the following 2 weeks. To see if your base is getting a delivery, check this link for a map or check the list below. If you are located at or near one of the bases, make sure to follow their social media pages to find out when the giveaway will be done. Each base operates its giveaways differently, so do not expect each base to have the same timing or order.

All branches of the Armed Forces are represented in donation sites.

The following Air Force Bases will be receiving donations:

  • Davis-Monthan AFB – AZ
  • Luke AFB – AZ
  • March ARB – CA
  • Homestead ARB – FL
  • MacDill AFB – FL
  • Scott AFB – IL
  • Seymour Johnson AFB – NC
  • Cannon AFB – NM
  • Holloman AFB – NM
  • Kirtland AFB – NM
  • Nellis AFB – NV
  • JB Charleston – SC
  • Goodfellow AFB – TX
  • JBSA Sam Houston – TX
  • JB Langely-Eustis – VA
  • Fairchild AFB – WA

The following Army Bases will be receiving donations:

  • Fort Rucker – AL
  • Fort Huachuca – AZ
  • U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground – AZ
  • Fort Hunter Liggett – CA
  • Fort Irwin – CA
  • Fort Carson – CO
  • Fort Benning – GA
  • Fort Gordon – GA
  • Fort Stewart – GA
  • Hunter Army Air Field – GA
  • Rock Island Arsenal – IL
  • Fort Leavenworth – KS
  • Fort Riley – KS
  • Fort Campbell – KY
  • Fort Knox – KY
  • Fort Polk – LA
  • Fort Leonard Wood – MO
  • Fort Bragg – NC
  • West Point – NY
  • Fort Drum – NY
  • Fort Sill – OK
  • Fort Bliss – TX
  • Fort Hood – TX
  • JB Lewis-McChord – WA
  • Fort McCoy – WI

The following Marine Corps Bases will be receiving donations:

  • MCAS YUMA – AZ
  • MCAGCC Twentynine Palms – CA
  • MCLB – Barstow – CA
  • Camp Pendleton – CA
  • MCAS Miramar – CA
  • MCRD San Diego – CA
  • Camp Lejeune – New River – NC
  • MCAS Cherry Point – NC
  • MCB Quantico – VA

The following Navy Bases will be receiving donations:

  • NAS Lemoore – CA
  • NAWS China Lake – CA
  • Naval Base Ventura County – CA
  • Naval Submarine Base New London – CT
  • NAS Jacksonville – FL
  • NS Mayport – FL
  • NOTU Cape Canaveral – FL
  • NAS Pensacola – FL
  • NAS Whiting Field – FL
  • NAS Key West – FL
  • NSA Panama City – FL
  • Naval Station Great Lakes – IL
  • NAS JRB New Orleans – LA
  • NAS Meridian – MS
  • NCBC Gulfport – MS
  • Naval Weapons Station Earle – NJ
  • NSA Mid-South – TN
  • NAS Corpus Christi – TX
  • NAS Kingsville – TX
  • NASJRB Fort Worth – TX
  • JEB Little Creek-Fort Story – VA
  • NWS Yorktown – VA
  • NB Kitsap-Bangor – WA

The following Coast Guard Bases will be receiving donations:

  • Sector San Francisco – CA
  • Sector Jacksonville – FL
  • Pay and Personnel Center – KS
  • Sector New Orleans – LA
  • Sector Detroit – MI
  • Sector North Carolina – NC
  • Sector New York – NY
  • Sector Columbia River – OR
  • Station Houston – TX
  • USCG Base Portsmouth – VA
  • BBK Bangor – WA

Support Through Donations

The Christmas Spirit Foundation is able to provide Christmas Trees for military families thanks to donations. Donations can be done online and off here.  You can also select the Christmas Spirit Foundation as the organization you want to donate to through Amazon Smile. Through the Amazon Smile program, Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of what you purchase to the organization.

If you are living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, New Jersey or Illinois, you can purchase a tree to be donated by visiting select locations listed here.

Support Programs for Military Families for the 2022 Holidays

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The holiday season can be filled with mixed emotions for military families. Military members are deployed or participating in training, no matter the time of year. Military families may be new to an area. Traveling can be a large expense that cannot be done, especially if a military move with added expenses was recently executed. In 2022, there are many holiday programs that plan throughout the year to support military families. If you or you know a family who could use a program, read this and pass this on.

Operation Holiday Joy

The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) organization provides support and programs to active-duty military families throughout the year. The holiday program is no different. Operation Holiday Joy is a program that provides food and gifts to active duty and family members. Check the local branch for sign-up dates.

If you want to donate to the program or know someone who wants to, read more about donations here.

Operation Christmas Spirit

The organization adopts active duty and Gold Star families and provides them with gifts for the holiday season. The gifts range from gas cards to toys to grocery gift cards.

Unit nominations are accepted from the following bases:

– Camp Pendleton

– 29 Palms

– MCAS Miramar

– Naval Base San Diego

– MCRD San Diego

– Quantico

– Fort Sam Houston

– Lackland AFB

– Fort Carson

– Buckley AFB

– Joint Base MacDill

– Camp Lejeune

– New River Air Station

– Fort Belvoir

– Fort Bragg

To be an eligible active-duty family, families must be E5 or below, any rank with 4+ children, any rank with a justification of a need, or families with a legitimate need for assistance. Gold Star families with children aged 17 and under, Gold Star spouses, or guardians of Gold Star children are eligible to apply.

Applications are accepted here and are open November 1st -2nd and 15th and 16th.

Operation Homefront

Operation Homefront has two programs for military families. Holiday Meals for Military Families provide a holiday meal. Each location of Operation Homefront has different eligibility criteria and registration details. Check the link above to find an event near you and what eligibility criteria are required for your area. Some programs are open to all ranks and include veterans, and some areas are open to E1-E6 only.

Operation Homefront also has Holiday Toy Drive. Collection Bins are located at different businesses and at Dollar Tree collecting toys, and the toys are distributed based on volume.

Toys for Tots

Veterans qualify for support through Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots provides new, unwrapped toys to those in need. Apply to get a toy here.

USO

The USO has programs all year round for military families. To find a program near you, find the USO location near you here or check out the social media for the local USO. Each USO location is different, so the programming differs. It could be a meal as a family, a meal for service members, or toy giveaways. In the past, they have had programs where children can “shop” for their parents. Each of these programs is typically open to all, but check the eligibility criteria for each program and sign up early.

Operation Ride Home

The Armed Forces YMCA has a program called Operation Ride Home. The program offers up to $500 in airfare costs and $125 for vehicle travel. Flights must be booked through the ASYMCA coordinator, and use the Command Form to apply. Applicants must be E5 and below. There is no requirement to be married or have a family; it is open to single or married service members. Apply here.

Marine Corps League

Marine Corps League locations are operated by League members, so programming differs based on the Marine Corps League office. Look for programs through the National website for which programming may be available in the local area.

Soldiers Angels Adopt a Family

The Adopt-A-Family program connects businesses and organizations to support military and veteran family members by providing holiday gifts and a grocery gift card.

Applications opened for military families on September 7th, 2022.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Service member is deployed, are rank E1-E6, and meet income requirements
  • Honorobly discharge Post-911 Wounded Ill, and Injured service members and veterans
  • HUD/VASH veteran families
  • All families must have a biological or step-child age 18 and under

Businesses or volunteers interested in adopting families will open October 5, 2022. 

If there is a program that isn’t listed, let us know so we can update and provide that information for others!

Defense Commissary Agency Announces Plan to Lower Prices

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Pocketbooks and bank accounts world-wide have felt the increase in the cost of living. Groceries are not immune to this increase in cost. The DOD announced an initiative to support military families in many ways to aid in the financial impact of inflation. The Defense Commissary Agency, DeCA, has announced its plan to help lower grocery bills for military members shopping at the military commissary.

The goal of DeCA is to provide at least 25% in overall savings as compared to other grocery stores for those eligible to shop at the commissaries with the additional funding. “The department’s added investment in our budget allows us to reduce commissary prices at the register about 3-5% on most items — particularly on food staples that struggling military families need most such as bread, eggs, milk and more,” Bill Moore, director and CEO of the Defense Commissary Agency, said.

The price differences are expected to hit before the holidays. Per ABC7LA, the cost of Thanksgiving meal will increase significantly this year, so a plan for savings before the holidays will help keep the cost of this traditional meal down. Per ABC7LA, the cost of frozen turkeys is up 32% in 2022 as compared to 2021, and butter and eggs prices are up more than 30%, with potatoes, sugar, and bakery products up 15%-17%.

The commissary specifically highlights three areas to assist in their “We’re Stronger Together” program:

  1. Promotion sales with bi-weekly flyers
  2. Better prices on popular and core items
  3. Healthy options with dietitian-approved recipes, meal plans and economical meal options

In addition, the commissary is rolling out new initiatives to provide increased availability to its patrons:

  1. Expanded hours of operation. It is noted that 56 stores have converted from six-day operation to seven-day operation, and seven stores moved from a five-day operation schedule to six-day operation schedule. In addition, 43 stores adjusted their hours per the community preferences.
  2. Working with military installations to pilot a bulk delivery program to barracks
  3. Expand online and curbside pickup grocery options
  4. Expand the grocery delivery program from the piloted 8 locations to the DeCA-wide

Twenty-five percent isn’t anything to laugh at. With grocery bills averaging $200-$300 per trip, that’s $50 to $75 in savings. That’s about 5 military-style haircuts! Savings in one area of the budget is a savings overall.

2022 Veteran’s Day Freebies and Discounts

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Every year our nation pays tribute to its Veterans and makes a special thank you to our Vets in a variety of ways. This year is no different. Veterans Day will be celebrated on Friday, November 11, 2022. Throughout the week and on Veterans Day many businesses will honor our Veterans by offering special freebies and discounts. We have compiled a list of several business that are participating. Check out our list of those offering freebies and discounts to the military and veterans as a way of saying thank you for your service.

Eateries

54th Street Grill: Active Duty and veterans get up to $10 off a meal on Veteran’s Day. Dine-in only. They do offer 10% off meals to the military on dine-in and to-go meals daily.

BJs Restaurants: All current active duty and veteran military get a free meal from their select menu on Veteran’s Day. Dine-in only.

Blank Angus Steakhouse: Order in or place a takeaway order, active duty and veterans get an All-American Steak plate with 8 oz Angus Beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli with garlic butter with a non-alcoholic beverage for $11.99.

Bob Evans: Active Duty and veterans get a free meal from their special menu on Veteran’s Day, dine-in only, and beverage not included.

Buffalo Wild Wings: Veterans and active duty military receive a complimentary order of 10 boneless wings and fries on Veteran’s Day.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.: Active duty members and their families receive 20% off food on Veteran’s Day at the restaurant, not valid at theme park locations. Year-round they offer 10% off food and merchandise.

CentraArchy Restaurants — Veterans and active-duty military members can purchase an entrée from the full menu at half price on Veteran’s Day.

Chili’s: Active Duty and Veterans can enjoy a meal on their special menu on Veteran’s Day. Dine-In Only.

Cicis Pizza — Active and retired military personnel get a free adult buffet on Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid for dine-in only, and beverages are not included.

Coco’s Bakery and Restaurant: All veterans and active-duty service members can buy one entree and get one free with proof of service on Veteran’s Day.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: Veterans and Active-duty military receive complimentary slice of Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola cake when dining in on November 11th. November is military family appreciation month, and the restaurant will be offering in-store specials throughout the month.

Denny’s: From 5 am to noon on Veteran’s Day, all active and retired military personnel can get a free build-you-own grand slam breakfast at participating diners.

Friendly’s: A complimentary cheeseburger, fries and soft drink are on offer for lunch or dinner to active-duty and veterans on Veteran’s Day. Dine-In Only.

Golden Corral: Offering free dinner to active-duty military, veterans, retirees, National Guard, and Reserves on Military Appreciation Night, November 14th. In stores.

IHOP: From 7 am to 7 pm on Veteran’s Day, active duty military and veterans can enjoy a free “Red White and Blueberry Pancakes,” The “Red White and Blueberry Pancakes” comes with three pancakes with strawberries, blueberry compote, and whipped topping.

Luna Grill: Veterans and active duty military can get 10% off their purchases on November 11th for dine-in and to-go orders.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Veterans, Gold Star Parents, and Gold Star Spouses are offered ½ price entrees on Monday, November 7th at their restaurants. It is typically a busy day, so reservations are highly recommended.

Mission BBQ: Veterans and active duty members get a free sandwich on November 11th.

Outback Steakhouse: The steakhouse chain is offering a free bloomin’ onion and Coca-Cola product on Veteran’s Day to active-duty, veterans and spouses.

Red Robin: Join the Red Robin Royalty program, and active duty and veterans can enjoy a complimentary Red’s Tavern Double Burger and Steak Fries anytime between November 1 and November 14th  for either dine-in or to-go. Register by November 1st.

Sheetz— On Veteran’s Day, Sheetz will offer veterans and active-duty military personnel a free half turkey or ham sub and a regular size fountain drink. A free car wash is also being provided by Sheetz!

Smashburger — Get a free CLASSIC SMASH when you show a valid military ID in-store on November 11 at participating locations.

Starbucks: Free tall coffee or tall iced-coffee to active duty military, veterans, and military spouses on Veteran’s Day.

Texas Roadhouse: The steakhouse will be handing out dinner vouchers at their stores’ parking lots on Veteran’s Day from 11am to 2 pm. Veterans and active-duty military members can redeem their vouchers when they open for dinner through the voucher’s expiration of May 30, 2023.

TGI Fridays — Veterans and active-duty military personnel get a free lunch on November 11 from 11am to 2pm from a select menu at participating locations. In-restaurant only.

Wawa — Veterans, active-duty military members, and their family members get a free cup of hot coffee on November 11.

Wendy’s — Active-duty military and veterans get a free breakfast combo on November 11 at participating locations from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Entertainment

The Akron Zoo: All veterans receive free admission to the zoo during the Veteran’s Appreciation event and their family members receive 50% off admission.

Colonial Williamsburg: Active-duty, Reservists, National Guard, Retirees and Veterans receive complimentary admission once annually for themselves and up to three direct dependents on Veteran’s Day Weekend, proof of service required

Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Tampa: Active-Duty military, Reservists and National Guard are offered complimentary one day admission for the service member and up to three direct dependents. Veterans can receive up to six discounted tickets. Verification of service is done online through ID.me.

The San Diego Zoo offers free admission to active-duty military year round.

Sea World San Diego: Active-Duty military, Reservists, National Guard and Veterans are offered complimentary one day admission for the service member and up to three direct dependents.

Sea World Orlando: Complimentary one-day admission is offered to Active-Duty military, Reservists, and National Guard and up to three dependents.

Mount Vernon: Complimentary admission to Mount Vernon for all active duty, former, or retired military personnel on Veteran’s Day.

Apparel & Retail

Columbia: Columbia employee stores in Oregon, California, and Kentucky are open to active, retired, reserves, veterans, and dependents. Military personnel and their families also receive 20% discount on Veteran’s Dayat all Columbia and outlet stores. They do offer a 10% discount to military year round at their stores and outlet stores.

Great Clips: Free haircut for military personnel on Veteran’s Day or receive a free haircut card to use at a later date.

Office Depot:  25% discount is offered for veterans and active duty military and their dependents for qualifying regular and sale-priced purchases during the designated period.

Staples: Staples will offer 25% off all in-store purchases to active-duty personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans, and their immediate families at all U.S. locations from November 6 through 12 with a valid military ID. Some exclusions apply.

Target: Active Duty, Veterans, and their families can register on Target Circle to get a 10% coupon off an entire cart. There are restrictions, so read the fine print. Coupon can only be used once during the designated dates of October 30 – November 12, but each person with verification can get a coupon.

Chains that offer discounts year-round:

Apple offers 10% off their products year-round to veterans and active duty military using their online verification. Check your local military exchange too, because it may be cheaper to buy on base without tax than with the discount.

AT&T offers military and veteran families a 25% discount off their wireless plan.

Big Lots has announced they will offer a year-round 10% discount for active duty and veterans who are part of their Big Rewards program.

Colonial Williamsburg: Active-duty, Reservists, National Guard, Retirees and Veterans can purchase an annual pass for themselves and up to three dependents for 25% off.

Dell offers an additional 10% off personal computers and electronics on their website by emailing militarydiscount@dell.com.

Hometown Buffet and Old Country Buffet offer a 15% discount to all military personnel in uniform or with a valid ID. They also offer Military Monday with a special discount for active duty, reserve, and veterans plus up to 3 family members for dine-in orders.

Home Depot offers a 10% discount in the store all year long.

Kohl’s has a “Military Mondays” program offering a 15% discount to active duty, veterans and their immediate family on Mondays.

L.L.Bean offers 10% off for active duty, veteran and reservist personnel of the U.S.  Armed Forces. Verification of service is completed on their website.

Lowe’s offers a 10% discount in store. You can link your military service to your Lowe’s card.

LuLulemon offers a 15% discount off in-store purchases to military members and military spouses. This is a change from previous years of 25%.

Michael’s offers a 15% discount to those registered as military in their Michaels account – this includes family members. If you don’t have an account, you can show your ID at the register for the discount.

Microsoft offers up to 10% off select products to active, former and retired military personnel and their families.

Old Navy and Gap offers a 10% discount daily in stores to active, retirees and family members with valid ID.

Outback Steakhouse offers a Heroes discount of 10% off for veterans and active duty off their dining check.

Pottery Barn offers 15% discount to military and veterans and their families for in-store purchases. Check your local store to see if this offer can be utilized for curb side pick-up as well.

Rack Room Shoes offers a 10% military discount every Tuesday when shopping.

T-Mobile offers hefty discounts on their wireless plans to active duty and veteran families.

Verizon also offers a discount on wireless plans which is dependent on plan type and number of lines.

Before you head to enjoy these discounts, make sure you have your CAC card, DD214 or other proof of service as required and check the location of the place you will visit to determine if they are participating.

If you have found a Veteran’s Day deal or discount, let us know!

Turkeys for Troops

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The financial burden felt by military members across the world is felt even more during the holiday time. The grocery bills increase with larger meals and visiting family or friends, and the cost of holiday gifts or out-of-the-area travel leads to larger than normal expenses. One of the larger expenses is the holiday meal. There are several programs developed for military families, specifically with a gift for a turkey and/or holiday meal.

Turkey for Troops from the USO

Many branches of the USO have holiday meal programs. For instance, the USO-Metro offers holiday meal baskets to active duty service members ranked E1-E6 stationed in the area. Registration for their program opens mid-October, and those chosen will be notified the first week of November. The program also includes crafts and family activities. Check your local USO here.

Operation Homefront

The Holiday Meals for Military Program from Operation Homefront provides holiday meals for military members with deployed service members.  Holiday meal sign-ups are open NOW, and can fill quickly, so make sure to check out the eligibility criteria and sign up if you meet the criteria. Some programs are open to all ranks and include veterans, and some areas are open to E1-E6 only.

To volunteer to help with the program, click here.

Those who want to provide corporate sponsorship can click here.

Churches

Many churches around large military bases have programs for military families. Watch for flyers or posts on local social media for alerts. This is a way for the local area to share and show support for military families, so be sure to keep an eye out and share with your local unit.

Housing Agencies

If you are living in military housing, keep a watch out for giveaways or programs from the military housing agencies for meal giveaways. Partnering local organizations sometimes reach out to the housing agency on base because they have a direct link to military families to provide a giveaway.

Holiday Events

Another link to military families is the holiday events that are held on installation.  The local community will sometimes connect with the service branch community services or Fleet and Family Services for giveaways during the holiday event. Pies, turkeys, or holiday groceries are sometimes given away. If you are planning to attend a holiday event on base, listen to the schedule for the event.

TRICARE Open Season is Here

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The annual period where you can change your health coverage for the next calendar year is open from November 14 – December 13, 2022. Any changes made to enrollment during this period will be effective starting January 1, 2023. Anyone currently enrolled in or eligible for a TRICARE Prime or Select healthcare plan option is able to change enrollment among these plans.

3 Options During Open Enrollment:

  1. Stay in your plan. For those eligible, to stay in your plan you do not need to do anything.  
  2. Enroll in a plan for the first time. If you are eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select but are not currently enrolled, open enrollment is the time to do so.
  3. Change plans. During open season, you can change from TRICARE Prime to TRICARE Select, or vice versa. You can also switch from individual or family enrollment. 

Enrolled Retirees enrolled in TRICARE Prime or Select have annual fees that increase annually.

Can you make changes outside of open enrollment?

In order to make changes outside of open enrollment, you must have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). A QLE includes but is not limited to a relocation to a new location, marriage, birth of a child or retirement from active duty. A new pregnancy no longer counts as a QLE. Within the 90 period from those events, you can make enrollment changes as eligible.

FEDVIP Enrollment

FEDVIP is the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Eligibility for this program runs from November 14th – December 12, 2022. This is program is a supplemental program on top of the vision coverage offered through TRICARE and dental coverage currently offered through United Concordia. Check eligibility and compare plans here.

What are the TRICARE plans?

There are several TRICARE health plans. Active Duty military and their families living at most military bases are eligible for TRICARE Prime or TRICARE Select. Read more about each plan to know what you are eligible for and what it covers.

The basic plans are TRICARE Prime and Select, with branches off of those based on locations.

TRICARE Prime – Active Duty are automatically enrolled in this program. For families, this program provides are with a military or network provider without copays except in cases of using point-of-service options. Primary Care Managers provider care and referrals as needed to specialists.

TRICARE Prime Remote – Command-sponsored active duty and family members whose sponsor’s home and work addresses are more than 50 miles from a military hospital or clinic.

TRICARE Prime Overseas – Command-sponsored active duty and family members living overseas are seen by military or network providers.

TRICARE Prime Remote Overseas – Command-sponsored active duty and family members living in remote locations overseas including Eurasia-Africa, Latin America, Canada and areas in the Pacific.

TRICARE Select – Family members and retirees are seen by Tricare-authorized providers chosen by them, and no referrals from a primary care manager are required. A deductible, cost share and enrollment fees may be required.

TRICARE Select Overseas – Family members can see any overseas provider without referrals. A deductible, cost share and enrollment fees may be required.

The following healthcare plans can be enrolled in outside of open enrollment if eligibility criteria are met per the links provided below.

TRICARE For Life – TRICARE eligible beneficiaries who have Medicare A and B.

TRICARE Reserve Select –  Qualified Selected Reserve members and their families are eligible for this healthcare plan.

TRICARE Retired Reserves – Retired Reserve members are eligible to purchase this healthcare plan.

TRICARE Young Adult – This premium-based insurance is available for adult children through age 25.

US Family Health Plan – Enrollment is available to those who live in an area where this care is available. Outside of the enrollment period, you can make changes to your health plan when you or your family have a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). Examples of QLEs include marriage, birth of a child, retirement, or a move.  Changes can be made within 90 days after the QLE

States With Tax Breaks on Military Retirement

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Since the spring of this year, 6 more states have added benefits for military retirees by exempting military retiree pay in some capacity. Not all states offer full exemption. When reviewing which states offer exemptions, know the details in regards to age or gross income amount.

As of this writing, California and the District of Columbia are the only areas that do not offer any tax exception on military retiree pay.

Alabama: Retiree pay is tax-free

Alaska: There is no state income tax for the state of Alaska, so retiree pay is tax-free!

Arizona: Retiree pay is tax-free after the 2021 bill was passed.

Arkansas: Retiree pay is tax-free

California: Following federal rules, California does not currently offer tax exemption on military retiree pay.

Colorado: Retiree pay under the age of 55 can exclude up to $10,000 income from their taxable income, those age 55064 can exclude up to $20,000, and those age 65 and up can exclude $24,000 of income

Connecticut: Retiree pay is tax-free

Delaware: Up to $2,000 of military retirement is excluded for those under age 60 and $12,500 for those 60 and older

District of Columbia: Following federal rules, DC does not currently offer tax exemption on military retiree pay.

Florida: There is no state income tax for Florida, so retiree pay is tax free.

Georgia: Retirees who are over 62 or permanently disabled may be eligible for an exclusion of retiree pay.

Hawaii: Retiree pay is tax-free

Idaho: Retiree pay is tax-free for those over age 65, and over 62 for disabled retirees.

Illinois: Retiree pay is tax-free

Indiana: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2022.

Iowa: Retiree pay is tax-free

Kansas: Retiree pay is tax-free

Kentucky: Up to $31,110 is tax-free.

Louisiana: Retiree pay is tax-free

Maine: Retiree pay is tax-free

Maryland: The first $5,000 is tax-free and once age 55 or older $15,000 is tax-free.

Massachusetts: Retiree pay is tax-free

Michigan: Retiree pay is tax-free

Minnesota: Retiree pay is tax-free

Mississippi: Retiree pay is tax-free

Missouri: Retiree pay is tax-free

Montana: Following federal rules, DC does not currently offer tax exception on military retiree pay.

Nebraska: As of 2022, all military retirement is tax-free.

Nevada: There is no state income tax in Nevada.

New Hampshire: There is no state income tax in New Hampshire, there is tax on interest and dividends.

New Jersey: Retiree pay is tax-free. Honorably discharged veterans qualify for a one-time $6,000 tax deduction in the year after discharge.

New Mexico: As of March of 2022, the Governor of New Mexico announced a three-year income exemption for armed forces retirees starting in 2022. In 2022, $10,000 of military retirement income is exempt. In 2023, this amount increases to $20,000 and to $30,000 in 2024.

New York: Retiree pay is tax-free

North Carolina: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2021.

North Dakota: Retiree pay is tax-free

Ohio: Retiree pay is tax-free

Oklahoma: In 2022, a state Senate press release shared that military retirement income would be fully tax free. Prior to 2022, the greater of 75% of retirement pay or $10,000 was tax exempt.

Oregon: Any military service before October 1, 1991 may be able to deduct a portion of retirement pay. Any military retirement for service after that is taxed normally.

Pennsylvania: Retiree pay is tax-free

Rhode Island: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2022.

South Carolina: As of May 13, the South Carolina Governor signed H. 3247 into law while made military retiree pay 100% exempt from state income tax. Prior to this change in 2022, those under the age of 65 can deduct up to $17,000 of retirement pay while those 65 and older can deduct up to $30,000 when income outside of military retirement was earned.

South Dakota: There is no state income tax in South Dakota.

Tennessee: There is no state income tax in Tennessee, there is tax on interest and dividends.

Texas: There is no state income tax for the state of Texas.

Utah: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2021.

Vermont: As of 2022, up to $10,000 of military retiree income was tax free for those with gross income less than $50,000 for single filers or $65,000 for joint filers.

Virginia: As of 2022, up to $10,000 military retiree pay is tax free for those 55 and over. In 2023, this amount will increase to $20,000. In 2024, the amount will increase to $30,000. In 2025, the amount will increase to a final amount of $40,000.

Washington State: There is no state income tax for the state of Washington.

West Virginia: Retiree pay is tax-free

Wisconsin: Retiree pay is tax-free

Wyoming: There is no state income tax for the state of Wyoming.

Trick or Treating on Base: Know the Rules

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Halloween is coming! According to the Census Bureau, an estimated 73.1 million children under 18 in the U.S. may trick-or-treat this year. That is a lot of candy and foot traffic.

Know the Dates and Time

In an effort to keep Halloween trick-or-treating festivities on the weekend, many military bases may shift trick-or-treating to the Saturday before the actual Halloween date, especially if the 31st falls on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. This allows military members to participate if they are home and allows for an earlier start time. It allows for increased patrol coverage by the military police, as the weekends allow for more flexibility in their support.

Check out your military installation social media page for the times that trick-or-treating will run so you can be prepared and have your kids ready to participate.

Off-Limits

On most military bases, trick-or-treating in the barracks or dormitories (depending on the service branch) is not allowed. Office buildings are also typically off-limits.

Preparing for Trick-or-Treaters

If you want to open your home for trick-or-treaters, base recommendations include:

  • Keeping the porch area well-lit
  • Keep the light on during trick-or-treating hours, so children know the home is participating
  • Clear the porch and sidewalk of any possible tripping hazards (this includes sweeping away wet leaves)
  • Be prepared to answer the door to trick-or-treaters
  • Secure pets to avoid them from running out the door or potential scaring trick-or-treaters

Know the Basics

The basic rules for trick-or-treating apply:

  • Homes with lights on indicate that the home can be visited for trick-or-treating
  • Children and adults with them should carry glowsticks and flashlights (with new batteries) and wear reflective wear to ensure maximum visibility
  • Stick to sidewalks
  • Avoid walking close to luminaries or candles
  • Make sure costumes are fire-resistant
  • Don’t wear costume pieces that block your vision
  • Cross at cross-walks

Drivers

Drivers driving through base neighborhoods should drive 10 mph below the posted speed limit due to increased pedestrian traffic and carefully enter and exit driveways or alleys through neighborhoods.

It should go without saying if you are going to a Halloween party and having an alcoholic drink, designate a sober driver in advance.

The key to trick-or-treating on base is to follow the installation’s social media or check their website for dates, times, and specific information. If you are living on base, the base housing office will typically send out specifics. Once you have secured that all your safety plans are intact, have a great time!