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 31^st 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!

In late September, the DOD announced in a press release multiple programs and initiatives intended to offload the economic stress of recent price hikes across the board for military families. The initiatives specifically address the challenges in four areas: spouse employment, childcare, PCS costs, and basic needs for service members and their families.

Spouse Employment Initiatives

Military families have the unique challenge of often being a one-income family. The lack of employers understanding the nomadic demands of the military job has led to difficulties for military spouses to find employment. Or employment is forgone as it is difficult to find flexible work that accommodates the ever-changing, unpredictable military schedule. To specifically address these issues, specific initiatives are directed.

– The Secretary of the DOD has directed the DOD to accelerate the development of additional occupational licensure interstate compacts for multiple professions. Many professional positions require not just national licensure but state licenses. These add extra cost and delay time for the military spouse to get a job as they await licensing.

– The Secretary of the DOD has directed the DOD to use non-competitive, direct hiring authorities to hire military spouses for the DOD specifically and to expand remote work and telework options which allow for portable careers no matter where the military sends the family

– The Secretary of the DOD has directed the DOD to launch a pilot initiative to match military spouses with paid private-sector fellowships. The pilot initiative is slated to begin in January 2023.

– The Secretary of the DOD has directed the DOD to increase the number of partners in the Military Spouse Employment Partnership by 10% before January 2023.

Childcare/Parental Leave

Another hurdle for military families with children is finding childcare – and at that, affordable healthcare. The Secretary of the DOD has directed the DOD to:

– Invest in Child Development Program (CDP) facilities and infrastructure to expand the capacity for childcare

– Standardize a 50% discount for the first child of Child Development Program direct-care workers to attract talented staff to increase capacity. It was noted this would take effect in October 2022.

– Improve access to child care programs like Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood and expand the in-home child care fee-assistance pilot program in additional states

It was noted that the CDP families have extended their hours to account for the long hours of service members’ schedules.

It was further noted that the parental leave policies were expanded to the birth or adoption of a child for active duty and eligible reserve component service members. They also established a New Parent Support Program and updated policies for breast milk shipment for nursing service members on mandated temporary duty travel.

PCS Costs

The military move, or PCS, is funded by the government. In recent years, the lack of workers or available companies has led military families into Personally Procured Moves. Even with a government-contracted move, many items must be replaced with each move that the government doesn’t reimburse. A significant upfront cost of moving can be financially burdensome to many military families. Initiatives specifically to assist with the PCS process include:

– TLE permanently increased to 15 days for CONUS moves and up to 60 days if a service member is in a specified Military Housing Area with a housing shortage. This takes effect on October 2022.

– Increase Dislocation Allowance (DLA) for service members E1-E6 to offset the personal expenses. This takes effect on October 2022.

– Continue to develop improvements to the Military OneSource online moving and housing tools

Secure Basic Needs

All have felt the cost increase of housing and groceries, but for military families who are living in places where they are told, it can feel like an extra crunch. Moving during this increase in cost places a burden on military families. Per the press release, “to”help secure affordable basic needs, the Secretary has directed the Department to:”

-” Review the prospective 2023 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) tables to ensure that the recent changes in housing prices are taken into account

– Institute automatic BAH increases in 28 Military Housing Areas that have “experienced an average of more than 20 percent spike in rental housing costs this year above this year’s BAH rates.”

• 28 areas include:
  • Vandenberg AFB, California
  • 29 Palms MCS, California
  • Dover AFB/Rehoboth, Delaware
  • Patrick AFB, Florida
  • Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Orlando, Florida
  • West Palm Beach, Florida
  • Volusia County, Florida
  • Fort Myers Beach, Florida
  • Kings Bay/Brunswick, Georgia
  • Maui County, Hawaii
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Cape Cod/Plymouth, Massachusetts
  • Martha’sMartha’sneyard, Massachusetts
  • Brunswick, Maine
  • Coast Maine
  • Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
  • Helena, Montana
  • Wilmington, North Carlina
  • Northern New Jersey
  • Newport, Rhode Island
  • Providence, Rhode Island
  • Beaufort/Parris Island, South Carolina
  • Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Houston, Texas
  • Quantico/Woodbridge, Virginia

– Fully fund commissaries with a goal of at least 25% savings on grocery bills compared to the local marketplace

– Provide Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) to eligible service members beginning in January 2023.

It is noted that a 4.6% pay increase for service members is included in the President’s budget at the time of the press release.

Leaders at the DOD are aware of the financial burden on military families. These programs and initiatives have a goal to ease that.

October is designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a month dedicated to sharing and discussing the importance of breast cancer screenings and risks. While most people know there is an increased risk if a family member has breast cancer, there is also an increased risk to female service members. Military members have been exposed to burn pits and chemicals in both forward deployed arenas and on military installations within the United States. These chemical exposures have led to an increase of cancers – and not just breast cancer. Getting screened with physicals is key. There may or may not be symptoms of breast cancer.

Self-Breast Exams

While the American Cancer Society doesn’t recommend self-breast exams anymore, you are the only one who knows when something is different in your breast. Take a few moments weekly to check and be familiar with your body. Pay attention to how your skin looks or how it feels. When you put on your bra, check the skin for redness, pulling, or swelling of the skin or nipple. Admittedly, breasts that have gone through the physiologic changes of pregnancy and breastfeeding will have a “lumpy bumpy”. If there is any hard or tender bump, talk to your doctor about it.

Mammograms

According to the CDC, 65.3% of women over the age of 40 had a mammogram within the prior two years. It isn’t surprising that mammography is not something that women want to subject themselves to. There are cartoons depicting the true feelings of women who have mammograms on Pinterest and in newspapers.  The leaders in the field of breast health and prevention are not all aligned in their recommendations.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that mammography begin at age 40 and continue every one to two years until age 50, when the recommendation changes to annually. That is the recommendation for women of average risk.

The American College of Radiology also recommends mammography beginning at age 40.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for breast cancer screening recommends screening to begin at age 50 and occur every other year until age 74.

Talk to your doctor about your family history, your concerns, and your worries, especially if that concern includes actually getting the procedure. Chemical exposures for service members may mean earlier screenings.

Breast Care Centers

Not all women are the same. If you have a case family history of breast cancer, if you had a previous lump, or if you had previous breast surgery, your screening recommendation may change. Military members and their families have access to breast care centers at most of the large military bases like the one at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. The breast clinic’s dedicated purpose is to provide care from nurses, medical providers, case managers, radiologists, social workers, therapy, and any other services that would be needed in the treatment of any breast concern. Tricare Prime beneficiaries do not need a referral to Breast Care Centers at a military treatment facility (MTF). Tricare Select beneficiaries are able to follow up with civilian counterparts of breast care centers, but costs would be determined based on the co-pay amount or the amount paid within the year (WC). If your local MTF does not have a breast care center, ask where the nearest one is.

Further Testing

One of the functions of the breast care clinic is to help individuals determine individual risk of breast cancer and when to begin preventative services like mammography. If the risk is at a certain level, genetic counseling is typically offered through a Breast Care Center. If it isn’t, ask. Both male and female family members within the family would qualify for testing based on the risk assessment. In addition, you may be able to have a breast MRI in lieu of a mammogram.

Men Get Breast Cancer Too

While in a smaller number of cases, breast cancer occurs in men too. In fact, less than one percent of all breast cancers are in men, but men are more at risk to dying from breast cancer. Why? Likely because breast cancer in men is not a common talked about or thought about topic. If there are any nipple changes or hardness behind the nipple of the breast in men, they should seek medical evaluation.

There you have it. The intel and current (as of April 2019) guidelines in breast health. Your primary care provider (PCP) should be open to any other questions you have, so don’t hesitate to ask!

Sources: ACOG, ACR, USPSTF, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Whether you have recently moved, or have been living in your area for a year or two, the reality is that having children changes your date life. You cannot be spontaneous because you have to schedule and set up a babysitter. Dating your partner, whether married or not, improves communication and the relationship. When you are confident in your relationships, you are less prone to stress and have more confidence. The benefits of dating are clear, it’s having the time and ability to go on dates.

What about a date at home? This requires a little planning ahead to gather supplies in some cases, but the key is to plan for uninterrupted time together. After the kids are in bed, and with cell phones or anything distracting off to the side – it is time for some alone time. Plan a few of these dates this fall for some fall-themed fun.

Movie Night

This one requires the least amount of planning except knowing what you want to watch and making sure you have your chosen film available for streaming or able to download.

If you are both fans of horror films, this may be the thing for you. When the kids are in bed, time to turn on a horror film. You can even set up Bluetooth listening on some devices now so you can use headphones instead of the sound shaking the entire home or waking up those sleeping children. Turn on The Shining, the Halloween series, or I Know What You Did Last Summer via your favorite streaming device.

Fall is the time for football for many families. If you are looking for a football movie, check out Remember the Titans, Blind Side, Rudy, and Friday Night Lights.

If a fun mystery movie is more your speed, check out Sleepy Hollow or Murder on the Orient Express.

My personal favorite for fall because of the murder-mystery but can be watched all year is the 1985 film Clue. The film is based off the card-game and has a star-studded cast that will leave you laughing throughout.

Puzzle Night

While not specific to fall, a puzzle date night is great when the temperature is cooling, and you are looking for a fun way to spend time together indoors. If you have a puzzle at home you have been waiting to build, this is the perfect time to build it together. Perhaps you are not normally a puzzle family  – check out your local Buy Nothing pages or ask on neighborhood pages if anyone has puzzles they want to give up. Or, plan ahead and find one of interest to purchase online or find in a thrift store. Doing a puzzle together allows for flow of conversation, building on communication all while working on those skills needed to build puzzles.

Reading Together

Like the days of radio, reading together out loud is a fun way to spend a date at home. By choosing a book by Agatha Christie, you can solve a whodunit together. Take turns reading and make up fun voices for each character. It is a fun way to spend time together, laugh together and solve together. And there won’t be any radio commercials for Ovaltine while doing it (Oh yes, A Christmas Story).

Pumpkin Painting or Carving

Consider a pumpkin competition of painting or carving. Each adult getting one pumpkin to design and go to town! Or make it a team effort and work on a more intricate design that you may normally choose for a family or bigger gathering for pumpkin carving.

Game Night

Spending time together playing a game like Scrabble or even the more lengthy and complicated Risk, are fun ways to spend time together. Use board games you have at home to make it a free date at home or check out your local Buy Nothing pages for anyone giving away games. Or hit up your local thrift shop for fun games (just make sure that all the pieces are there before purchasing).

Cook Off!

A fun way to mix up a date night at home is a cook off. If you have young children or babies with early bedtimes, making dinner together is a fun date. Since it is just the adults you can make it a relaxing meal together. Or maybe make your favorite meal that you can’t normally do due to time constraints. This could be a fun way to spend time together, plus have a meal. A pretty fun date, and all at home!

This may be difficult if you have older children who have later bedtimes. If that is the case, make it a dessert bake off. Find a fall recipe you want to try and make it a competition – make two different spins on it. Or make it a teamwork exercise by making it together. Once made, enjoy a yummy treat together.

Cozy Fort

While building a fort with couch cushions may seem like an activity for younger kids, adults can totally make one too! And maybe even with better construction materials. Build a cozy space together. Maybe put pillows and a blanket on the floor and hang a blanket for a tent of sorts. It’s a perfect place to read together, or maybe play a game.

Either game night or reading night can be done together at an outdoor firepit if the temperature allows. It can be a fun way to step outside the typical home environment and add ambiance with fun lighting.