Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Marines Can Crunches from PFT

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The Marine Corps service branch is known for its physical fitness. In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt famously said about Marines that “The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the filthiest minds, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!”

As other services update their physical fitness tests, it is now the Marine Corps turn. It’s change in the physical fitness test may surprise you.

The MARADMIN release in August of 2021 stated that planks will now be a mandatory component of the physical fitness test, replacing the old exercise of crunches. This replacement will be in full effect in 2023. The alternative of planks for crunches has been in place since 2019 when then Commandant Neller approved it to be so, although not many Marines have chosen this option over the crunches. Plank scoring adjustments will be made and go in effect in 2022. The minimum time to hold a plank will be one minute and 10 seconds, with the maximum points given for a plank held for 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

The reason for the change is simple – this is a move in injury reduction. While crunches are known to help develop a strong core (abdominal muscles), they are awful for the lower back often causing low back pain or increasing previously occurring low back pain. In addition, crunches require another person holding the feet down which can lead to potential injury to the lower leg. Maj. Lindsey Slyman, the programs and assessments section head, Human Performance Branch, Policy and Standards Division, Training and Education Command told a military newspaper that while there was no specific research on what the injury risk reduction would be “we do know that the crunches place stress on the spinal column, neck, and cervical spine due to the repetitive loading and increased use of hip flexors.”

Beyond risk reduction, the physiological evaluation of core strength is better tested with a plank than with crunches. The plank requires muscle activation of the lateral and central abdominal muscles, and given that they are required to be activated for a longer period of time, they provide a better test of endurance and strength of the core muscles.

For active Marines, getting ready for the plank addition to the PFT should happen now. Start slow and in small increments. Doing a plank for 30 seconds for a week straight will increase the strength and ability to increase the time the following week to maybe 45-60 seconds. If staying in a plank position is difficult, try alternating between elbows and up to hands to see if this will help pass the time in addition. The key with any plank is to keep the back flat to avoid any lumbar strain.  Check out YouTube if you need help determining how to maintain the appropriate posture, or ask your buddies at work.

Remember a Marine over the age of 60 held a plank long enough to break the Guinness World Record holding it for 8 hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds. Three minutes should be a piece of cake in comparison!

When You Have to Celebrate the Holidays at a TLF

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Ah, the fall and winter season. Fall is when the pumpkin memes begin and everything becomes pumpkin flavored. Not the typical time of year when orders hit. BUT orders do hit. People do move in the “off-season”. It may be off-season for moving, but there isn’t anything to prevent the holidays from coming.

While you may not be looking forward to celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving, or the winter holidays in a hotel, there are ways to celebrate it. It may look different, but it will still be the holidays.

Halloween

  1. Decorating: The craft store will be your friend with decorating. Paper is cheap! Draw pumpkins and have everyone “carve” a pumpkin. Hang them up on the wall with tape.
  2. Costumes: When you are living out of suitcases in a TLF, Pinterest will be your friend for costume ideas using the clothes you already have. Construction paper wings can turn a dress into a fairy costume, or a construction hat changes Pjs into a firefighter costume. It will take some creativity with the help of the Pinterest search engine, but it will certainly make some memories!
  3. Treats: Some TLFs have ovens, but if you don’t have one check your local grocery store for DIY cookie decorating kits. You might not need a giant bulk-store level bag of candy, but you can grab a couple of individual pieces of your favorite candy for the family from the store as well.
  4. Trick-or-Treating: Oftentimes the hotel staff in a TLF will plan something fun for kids staying in for Halloween. If they aren’t, consider a scavenger hunt for your kids. Set up a craft or treat stations throughout the hotel, leaving clues with where the next one will be.
  5. Music and Lights: If you are new to the area, you may not know about the local pumpkin patch. Perhaps you only have one car and are unable to go out for a drive. Or the reality is that your toddler won’t be awake past 8 so doing some time for the older kids or yourself won’t work for your current phase of life. Check out Youtube for videos from theme parks for fun “talking pumpkins” or lighted trails.  There are ghost hosts that can walk you through haunted rides to give your hotel room a spooky feel. All with the easy removal of said music or lights by turning off the television or computer. So feel free to turn up Thriller Nights.

Thanksgiving

  1. Decorating: Paper, paper, paper. Copy paper – construction paper – craft paper – these are all your friends. Paper is cheap and simple – you can dress it up or dress it down. Make placemats with them, cut letters for banners and even make name cards with them. Use what nature you have around you. If you are able to, collect pine cones for decoration for the table. Or mix it up entirely if you have moved to the beach and collect shells. Yes, there are standard fall colors – but when you are doing the holidays in a TLF, you can make it what you want.
  2. Prepared Food: Making the holiday meal is enjoyed by some, not so much by others. With the limitations of cooking space and dishes, it might be time to hit up the local grocery store for prepared dishes. There may even be some local favorites that you haven’t heard of before. If you are in a foreign country where they may not celebrate American holidays, consider this an opportunity to try the local fare.
  3. Consider Grilled: If you are TLF has a grill available, consider grilling. If you really want a turkey breast, consider grilling the turkey breast. If there are only a couple of grills at the hotel, talk to other families to see if they are interested in chipping in with a whole turkey if you really want. That way everyone is aware while you are manning the grill for several hours.

Hanukah, Kwanzaa and Christmas

  1. Fireplace: Candles are not allowed and fireplaces are not the norm in hotels, but you can stream a fireplace on Netflix! The streaming channel had several different types to choose from including an urban one to make it feel festive and distinctive.
  2. Music: Thank goodness for the digital age – holiday music of your choice is at your fingertips. And music stations abound on the cable in the hotel. Rock around your paper Christmas tree to whatever holiday music you enjoy.
  3. Dinner: Each hotel is varied on what the kitchen or kitchenette has available for cooking. Hit up the local grocery store for holiday favorites.
  4. Linens: So you don’t have your favorite holiday linens because they are in storage, or still in a box waiting to get to you – time to use paper as your linens! Get a roll of craft paper and let the kids go to town with stickers and crayons. Or consider adding your own designs to it. It isn’t every year that a family celebrates the holidays in a hotel after all.
  5. Holiday movies: Thankfully, most hotels have ports allowing for connections with Roku stick or have internet connections allowing for streaming. Stream your favorite holiday films from Netflix or Amazon and you won’t even miss your DVD collection!

Overall, the time in a TLF over the holidays is a time to make new traditions. It isn’t “normal” to have a holiday in a hotel, but it is different and can be fun! Make new memories of your holiday time with whatever it is you make it. Maybe you will decide to keep some traditions for the future – who needs a real holiday tree when you can make one with paper and decorate it with stickers anyway? It’s more space-efficient and cost-effective!

COLA Increases for 2022

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COLA, or Cost of Living Adjustment, which is an annual inflation-based allowance will be determined by the government in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2022. The fiscal year ends on September 30th. COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is measured by the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor measures the average change over time on the prices paid for certain categories, like select utility, automotive fuel, and food items as part of the CPI. The CPI is separated by geographic regions and done as one nation. Overall in 2021, the costs for goods and services have increased 5.4% in comparison to the previous year.

What does this mean for pay?

The CPI is used to determine federal employee retirement and social security pay. An increase in CPI means that military retirees and veterans who receive disability compensation will see an increase in their monthly amounts beginning in Fiscal Year 2022. The average monthly increase will be around $160 for military retirees and around $100 for veterans receiving disability compensation.

The increase is there to cover the increasing costs of living, but the increase can help cover healthcare costs as retirees pay for their healthcare.

How many military retirees and veterans receiving disability compensation are there?

Per the Department of Defense, there are 1.87 million military retirees and 5.1 million veterans who receive disability compensation.

When will the determination be made?

Since CPI is calculated using the entire previous year’s data, the completion of CPI calculations will not be completed until September 30th. Once the final calculation is completed with all 12 months of data, the final CPI will be released on the Department of Labor website. As of August 2021, the COLA was 5.4% and unless there is a drastic drop in costs, the CPI is expected to be around this number.  The COLA for the fiscal year 2022 that runs from October 2021 to September 2022 will be released in early October 2021.

Stay tuned for any updates on pay here as well.

Mental Health Resources for Service Members – Active and Retired – and their Families

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Mental health is part of your physical health. Being tired and run down can be from stress and worry, just as much as it is a physical ailment. In times of stress, getting in touch with mental health services is needed. In times of less stress, preventative maintenance through setting up your network or knowing where to go is useful. These are resources provided through verified resources to aide and support. Save this. Use them. Share them.

Through Tricare

Tricare has partnered with Telemynd for online counseling and mental health services – check out your local clinic or Tricare site for local links. No referral or authorization is needed for TRICARE Prime members and there are no copays or cost-shares for telemedicine care at time of this writing. You don’t have to have “a big issue” to work through to talk to them. The service is there to help address stressors, emotional distress, work or family issues, depression, anxiety and grief-related counseling. Telemynd has both counselors to provide therapy and psychiatrist to manage mental health disorders. Each state is different on the regulations for providers to be within state, so request a form through the Humana Military section of the Telemynd website to find providers you can connect to.

Base Resources

Military Family and Life Counselors (MFLC)  are at most bases and are able to talk to family members, including children if they are licensed as such, and active-duty members. Most schools on base have MFLC, as well as Child Development Centers. If you are connected to a school that has one, reach out to the base school liaison to see if they are aware of where the MFLCs are on base. This is a no-cost tool.

Phone Numbers

If you are not near a base, unable to leave your home, or simply want to talk – there are many phone numbers to call. There are specific numbers for veterans, one for women veterans and one for military-affiliated caregivers. All are ready to talk and trained to support each unique circumstance.

Veterans Crisis line: 1-800-273-8255, press 1

Veterans Crisis Text Line- send a text to: 838255

Veteran Call Center: 1-877-927-8387

Women Veteran’s Call Center: 1-855-829-6636

Caregiver Support phone line: 1-855-260-3274

Wounded Warrior Resource Center: 1-800-342-9647

National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: 1-877-424-3838

Military One Source

Military One Source is available in many ways. There is a website where you can research their counseling options, and they have two phone numbers.

CONUS phone number: 800-342-9647

OCONUS phone number: 800-342-9647 or 703-253-7599

Military One Source only has counselors at the time of this writing, so while they are trained and ready to support with any concern, they cannot provide any prescriptions for medications as needed.

Resources

Looking for resources to check out, people to reach out to and programming? There are many organizations available.

The Veterans Affairs has an entire website resource dedicated to mental health wellbeing – www.mentalhealth.va.gov

Hope for the Warriors is a nonprofit that specifically focuses on service members and their families involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom – www.hopeforthewarriors.org

The Semper Fi And America’s Fund has programming for supporting service member and families, helping with transition and integrative wellness – www.thefund.org (Semper Fi Fund)

The FOCUS program is there to help with stress, it’s actually in the name – FOCUS stands for Families OverComing Under Stress. The programs work with military children, families and couples with programming and individual counseling. Look for one near you here-  www.focusproject.org  The organization works on emotional regulation, communication, problem-solving, goal-setting and managing trauma and stress reminders, so is for preventative maintenance as well as intervention in times of crisis.

Find local validated resources that support recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for service members, veterans and their family members by looking here: www.nrd.gov

When you are feeling low, it is hard to know where to turn. These resources are here for anyone to reference or turn to. Military members, their family members and their children deal with strong and varied emotions, and you are not alone.

Tips for Making Your Rental Feel More Like Home

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PCS season means military families have been uprooted again and are in new homes across the world. The homes come in various sizes of small apartments in Germany to four story townhouses in Alexandria. The varying sizes and layouts of the homes provide another opportunity to make the new house a home. When it is a rental, you have to consider what changes can be temporary and easily removed, or ask for permission from the landlord to make the changes more permanent. Here are some ideas.

Removable Wallpaper

Wallpaper that can be repositioned easily is a total win. It adds a temporary change that is easily removed while adding personalization. This is a total win in the kitchen if you do not have a backsplash – just peel it off when you go to leave and viola! – clean walls! Want to make an accent wall? Try it with wallpaper! Again, it is removed easily because of the type of wallpaper it is. This may not work on textured walls as well, so keep that in mind as you plan your changes.

Wall Stickers

Especially for children’s rooms or an accent area, wall stickers are great because they are like removable wallpaper – they can be repositioned easily, and are often small enough that it will stick to textured walls. They can add personality quickly, easily, and for a relatively affordable price all with the ability to change it up again when desired.

Curtains

Adding curtains adds privacy, savings on heat and air conditioning, and makes a house feel more like home. Now, not all windows are the same size and with moving into homes of varying sizes, the window sizes will change too. Try to use what curtains you had before if you can – if the window is smaller than your curtains, consider hanging up a curtain rod higher to give the look of a taller window. This isn’t always easier said than done, but it is certainly better for the budget to use what you have.

Outdoor Garden

Whether you have a patio, deck, or yard, having an outdoor space without the clutter of boxes or pictures laying against the wall helps in helping to make a house a home. Buying plants can add up over the visits to the home improvement store, so finding a Buy Nothing or Freecycle group is a great way to get cuttings of plants like succulents or herbs like Rosemary where plants can be regrown from the cuttings. A bonus that gardening is a known stress reliever is the perfect treatment for the post-PCS season.

Change up Kitchen Knobs

An affordable changeover in the kitchen is swapping out the kitchen knobs. If the knobs are broken or covered in years of grime that won’t come clean, it is sometimes less time-consuming to change out the kitchen knobs. It can brighten a place easily.

Remove Cabinet Doors

If you aren’t a fan of the cabinet doors in your rental, consider removing them altogether and storing them. Open cabinets and shelving are a trend right now. You can even add removable wallpaper to the back of the shelves to add more personalization.

Indoor Plants

Just like having a place to “escape” to outside, adding an indoor plant adds greenery, air, and light to the space. An indoor tree in the entryway makes it feel more welcoming.

Change up the Shower Heads

The standard shower heads in most rental homes are the basic contractor shower head. Adding a removable shower head makes for both a more enjoyable shower and an easier way to clean the shower.

Change up Light Covers

Apartment complexes and on-base housing alike have the same lighting fixtures. Mixing up the lighting with different light covers adds ambiance and personalization. If you totally remove the light fixture, make sure to save the old one in a spot you will remember so you can swap it out again before you move.

Change up the Light Bulbs

The standard light bulbs aren’t just bright and, in your face, but also draining on the electricity bill. Switch to LED bulbs that will make your pocketbook happier and prevent brassy lighting.

Under Cabinet Lighting

There are lighting strips that can be mounted by adhesive strips, which can be removed easily with the next move. These are typically battery operated so do not require any wiring or drilling, and can be easily turned on with a motion sensor or pressing. The lighting change adds ambient lighting and makes chopping or reading from a recipe book a lot easier.

What are your favorite ways to personalize your new rental?

Resources to Support Afghan Refugees

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In times of the unknown, military families stick up for each other. We understand the challenges of military life. We have seen our spouses come and go, leaving boots in the hallway, heard their worries and cares. When the announcement was made that the withdrawal from Afghanistan was happening, there was a flurry of emotions from service members and family members alike. For twenty years, many service members have deployed time and time again to Iraq and Afghanistan, building relationships with the people there. It is those relationships that brought about the desire to help the Afghan people and assist them while they leave their country as refugees.  

If you are feeling lost and looking for a way to volunteer, here is a resource list. There are many location-specific opportunities to donate and volunteer, as well as general volunteering. These are organizations that have recently been organized or are shifting their purpose to assist in this new climate. Not every one of these resources was able to verify through CharityNavigator.org but this might be due to their newness and the paperwork to be listed as a 501c3 may still not be completed at the time of this writing.

There are many tasks ahead to assist with refugees including remote administrative, computer tasks, assisting with finding temporary housing, and foster parenting to name a few. Check out helptheafghans.org/volunteer-now to find opportunities

Soldiersangels.org is looking for in-kind donations and care packages.

Catholic Charities is working with refugees across the United States. Check out what their needs are within the Refugees section of their website at catholicchartitiesusa.org. They have posted local chapter needs on their websites as well.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service support refugees in their entrance into the United States. Check out the “Refugee Resettlement” tab on lirsconnect.org.

The UN Refugee Agency has supplies and people located where the refugees are and have shared their needs.

The Semper Fi & American’s Fund is collecting funds to assist Afghan Interpreters and their needs. Check out semperfifund.org to learn more about what you can do to help.

International Rescue Committee, UNICEF Afghanistan, and the Office of Refugee Resettlement have resources for where to donate and what to donate for the varying needs of the Refugees across the world.

California

The Afghan Support Project at Pars Equality Center is looking for those who can help with legal assistance.

Rescue Lives is looking for assistance with placing refugees in the LA Metro area.

Jewish Family and Community Services Easy Bay offers services to refugees in support, immigration legal services and resettlement.

DC Metro Area

The Lutheran Social Services is assisting in securing housing for families, setting up homes, providing meals and items in addition to help enroll children in school and getting families settled. They need help with donations, volunteer and advocate. The LSSNCA has three resettlement sites in the area at the time of this writing at Hyattsville, MD, Fairfax, VA and Dale City, VA.

Pennsylvania

The Nationalities Service Center in Philadelphia is looking for donations and volunteers to help set up homes and provide meals to refugees coming to the Philadelphia area. Check out nscphila.org to learn more of what they are looking for including partner organizations that are looking for donations as well.

Texas

Refugee Services of Texas is assisting Afghan refugees coming to the Texas area. They have direct donation lists and Amazon wish lists for incoming families on their website at rstx.org

Virginia

International Neighbors is helping settle refugee families in the Charlottesville, Virginia area to settle in the local area. They are looking for donations and volunteers.

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has a link on their website for ways for local Wisconsin families to get involved in helping families settle in Wisconsin.

As resources are shared, this list will be updated. Share any resources below.

All Active Duty Spouses Can Complete the DOD Survey for 2021

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There is an old adage among service members, “If the [enter service branch here] wanted you to have a family, they would issue you one.” This phrase comes from the idea and feeling that military families are low priorities. Each service branch is different in what program offerings of support are offered to military families. The Department of Defense (DOD) is the broad organization over all the service branches – the Department of the Navy which includes the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Air Force which includes the United States Space Force, the United States Coast Guard, and the National Guard Bureau. The DOD announced the launch of its biennial Active Duty Spouse survey in July of 2021.

Committed to Families

Per a press release from the DOD, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Patricia Montes Barron stated that “We are committed to taking care of our military spouses, and these surveys will allow us to engage in deeper dialogue with them and help us prioritize solutions that meet their most pressing needs.  We’re proud of the progress we have made on important spouse issues, especially around stress, relationship support, and employment. We now there is more to do, and these survey results will help guide our next steps.”

Survey Results Make a Difference

While it can be difficult to see or feel the tangible changes that the survey results provide, there are real differences that can be made by answering the survey truthfully. One such impact has come in spouse licensure changes. There are now programs allowing for coverage of new licensure for spouses with each move. This program came directly from the 2019 survey which “brought attention to the increasing lengths of time for spouses to find a job after a permanent change of station move” said Director of the Center Retention and Readiness in the Office of People Analytics Dr. Paul Rosenfel.

Spouses can do the Survey Here

Some spouses were randomly selected for the survey, to provide a scientifically significant sample. This year, all active-duty spouses are invited to complete the survey via the Department of Defense Office of People Analytics survey portal here.

Survey Results

The previous year’s survey results and other infographics are available on Military One Source. Once the 2021 survey is completed, the results will be available on Military One Source as well.

Do Your Part

If you are a military spouse, make your voice heard by going to the survey and completing it honestly. Share the survey link with your friends and within your community. Consider sending it to Fleet and Family Services, or your service branch’s specific Family Services area, to see if they can share the link. The more spouses who answer will increase the volume of the voices heard.

Commissary Sidewalk Sale Happening in September

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The DeCA Commissary is a staple on military installations. The grocery store is the go-to for stocking up on all the post-move essentials – it has the same brands no matter where you live around the world providing consistency in what to expect. It’s nice to have a little break in the cost too.

In addition to the goal of lower-cost items on offer in the Commissary every day, the Commissary Sidewalk sales are a great place to find deals on favorite items.  OCONUS stores may offer different promotional offers. CONUS commissaries will have items for sale throughout the store including snacks, beverages, and cleaning items.

What are the planned promotions for CONUS Commissaries?

August 30th – September 12th

  • Commissary store brands of diapers
  • Up to 46% off select cereal
  • Up to 37% off select coffee
  • Up to 27% off select lunch Meats
  • Over 50% off select Kids Lunchbox Drinks
  • UP to 26% off home care cleaning items (think post PCS clean)
  • Over 50% off dairy snacks for breakfast

September 1 – September 6th

  • Labor Day Sales on Soda

September 2 – September 6th

  • The bakery will have a sweet item on sale

September 13th – September 26th

  • Up to 28% home care cleaning items including paper towels and laundry items
  • Over 30% off dairy snacks for adventures on the go
  • Up to 29% off select cereal and breakfast bars
  • Up to 31% select tea
  • Up to 28% select juice boxes
  • Up to 25% select sports drinks
  • Over 35% off select light bulbs

September 22 – September 28

  • The bakery will offer a sale on select fall cheeses

September 27th – October 10th

  • Up to 28% select home care cleaning items
  • Over 50% off select dairy snacks for school lunches and adventures on the go
  • Up to 42% off select cereal and granola bars
  • Up to 26% off select lunchmeat

On average, the commissary saves patrons 25% annually, and these sidewalk sales offer savings sometimes over 50% off the usual price, depending on the category.  Local commissaries will post their sales ad in the stores and on their websites.

Will you head to the Commissary for their Sidewalk sale?

A to Z: The Basics of Understanding the Military Acronyms

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Being part of the military comes with a whole new language. The military acronyms. This language is meant to provide a means for quick and efficient communication among the military community.  If you have ever felt like you needed some sort of insider knowledge to decode what is said, here is an abbreviated GOAT for you – Glossary of Acronym of Terms. But just for fun, this isn’t just the real acronyms – but also what you will frequently hear them referred to. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means, but will surely make you laugh or chortle, and explain the LES.

AAFES – Army and Air Force Exchange Service – aka the bougie exchange, especially when in OCONUS locations where families are present

ADFM – Active Duty Family Member. This is what DEERS refers to family members as. Family members are numbered as well by a FMP (Family Member Prefix). Spouses are generally 30. Second spouse 40, etc. Children are numbered based on seniority – 01 for first child, 02 for second, etc.

AMC – Air Mobility Command. This is who operates military flights CONUS and OCONUS, and for families for moves overseas.

BAH – Basic Housing Allowance. This monetary allowance is allotted by rank for the military member – it is divided by with and without dependents by rank and zip code.

BAS – Basic Allowance for Subsistence. This monetary allowance is to cover the service member’s meals. It is not meant to cover family member’s meals.

BCGs – Birth Control Glasses. This loving acronym refers to the lovely large black-framed glasses with abnormally thick corrective lenses that anyone who must wear glasses gets while in training.

BZ – Bravo Zulu. This phrase is used to celebrate an accomplishment or say “great job!” to a fellow service member or work counterpart.

CDC – Child Development Center – this CDC is not to be confused with the other organization of the same acronym which is on the news often. The CDC is the base daycare for children from 6 weeks to preschool.

COLA – Cost of Living Allowance. This is a stipend provided to service members who live in areas with high cost of living. COLA is typically offered to service members who live overseas to help cover the additional costs of living in these higher cost areas. There are areas that provide CONUS COLA. Areas within CONUS that provide COLA as of this writing can be found here.

CONUS – Continental United States

DEERS – Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System. This is the system that registers all service members, and their family members. When a service member becomes married, they must go to DEERS with the family member to put them in the system. When a family member is born, the family member must be registered in DEERS within 90 days. DEERS registration is what is pulled for TRICARE coverage.

DFAC – Dining Facility…because we need four letters for a two-word building.

DFAS– Defense Finance and Accounting Service – this is a big one, this is the acronym service members see in their bank accounts.

DITY – Do It Yourself, usually referred to as a DITY move. However, this acronym has fallen out of vernacular and is now a PPM – Personally Procured Move. Either DITY and PPM are interchangeable.

DOD – Department of Defense

ETS: Expiration of Term of Service. Also known as EAS – or Expiration of Active Obligated Service. This is the end of the enlistment period, or for officer the ETS is the period before career designation (service dependent).

FOB – Forward operating base. These bases are located in deployment locations, and are usually large enough to have hot water showers!

FUBAR – F***** beyond all recognition. AKA not a job well done.

HEDIS– Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set – the HEDIS metrics are something that you may hear of if you are seen at medical on installation, or be asked a specific question at visits due to measures that are being monitored.

LES – Leave and Earning Statement – the pay stub that military members receive. It looks like a crazy chart, and there are actual classes to help discern its meaning.

MRE – Meals Ready to Eat. These meals punch a day’s worth of calories into one little brown pouch will prevent the service member from needing to use the facilities in the field to #2. But those pan coated chocolate discs look awful familiar!

MTF – Military Treatment Facility – the military hospital or main clinic that provides medical services to active duty or military families on board installation.

OCONUS – Outside the Continental United States/ outside the contiguous United States – aka overseas locations where service members are stationed. Alaska counts as OCONUS, as is Hawaii, since it is not within the “lower 48” states.

OHA – Overseas Housing Allowance. This is self-explanatory – the housing allowance provided to service members living in overseas locations. In lieu of BAH, military members receive OHA when living OCONUS. Getting the hang of these acronyms?

OPSEC – Operational Security. If you have heard the phrase “Loose Lips Sink Ships” then you are families with OPSEC. The idea is to not share dates of moving troops overseas, or military secrets on social media or with people outside the immediate need to know.

Package Store – It is also referred to as the Shoppette or a Class 6. Not an acronym, but this phrase refers to the store on base that sells alcohol.

PCM – Primary Care Manager. TRICARE Prime is a HMO like insurance – meaning all referrals must go through a PCM. If you have TRICARE Prime, get to know your PCM well, and how to get in touch with them.

PEBD– Pay Entry Base Date – this is seen on the LES. This date is the most recent entry on duty without a break in service.

POA – Power of Attorney – this document is essential for family members of the active duty service member when they are deployed. There are General and Special Power of Attorney’s – ask your service’s administrative section or legal services to learn more about these and when to have them.

POV – Privately Owned Vehicle as opposed to a Government Owned Vehicle (GOV) or a contracted vehicle.

SA – Situational Awareness

Scuttlebutt – while not an acronym, this term means conversation around the water cooler or occasionally is used to refer to the water cooler itself.

SOCOM – Special Operations Command

TDY – Temporary Duty Travel, aka Temporary Additional Duty (TAD) – this is the term that military members often say when they travel on business, because after all, it is on duty.

TSP – Thrift Savings Plan – the retirement plan offered to service members. Make sure you understand what the breakdowns for this means.

The X – a term for the military Exchange. Often a Navy Exchange or Marine Corps Exchange because of the large “X” in their signs.

If you want to know even more acronyms associated with your or your families branch of service, inquire at the family services office to see if there are classes on offer to help discern the military terms. Learning what these abbreviations mean can help with insight and a sense of belonging with the understanding. Want to have it all at your fingertips now, refer to the DOD Dictionary of Military Associated Terms for up to date acronyms.

What to Replace with Each Move

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PCS season is full of changes and to-do lists. One list you may not realize you need to have is the list of things to toss before you move and what to buy once you arrive at your new duty station. Reduce, reusing and recycling is nice to do with each move, especially to save the budget as moving is not cheap, but not everything can be moved. If you are moving yourselves – save yourself the time and space in your moving boxes by not packing these things. If you are having the government pay for and coordinate the move, save yourself the hassle of some these gross and weird things from being packed in a box with your dry pantry goods – trust me, it has happened.

Let’s go to the rooms with the biggest offenders. What things do you need to toss the last day in your previous duty station, and just replace when you move into your new home?

Bathroom

The bathroom is a key room to set up when you arrive at your new post. It is a room where an overflowing toilet can do some real damage – so having all the necessary items just makes sense. But you also don’t want a dirty and wet toilet brush that was just used to the clean the toilet, in with your towels or kitchen spices. Here is the down and dirty on what to replace in the bathroom:

  • Toilet bowl brush – as said above – it just makes sense. And you will want to have it for one final cleaning in your old home before moving into your new one.
  • Plunger – Murphy is no friend of PCSing – he calls when you are ready to move out of your home. Prevent an overflowing toilet by keeping your plunger to the last minute, and getting a new one at your new home. No need to bring those across state lines.
  • Shower curtain liners – if you are moving into a home where a shower curtain is needed, those thin, clear plastic liners that you spent a few dollars on a Target (pronounced: Tar-jay )do not need to come with you in your moving boxes. Keep them on your shower until the last minute so you can take showers for as long as you are in the home. It’s worth the few dollars to replace them on your next Target run in your new home.
  • Bath mats – This is an iffy one – if you are using your shower until the last day, and your boxes leave before then, you don’t want to be without a bathmat and you also don’t want to pack a wet one. If you have a bathmat you love, consider packing it while it is dry and using an old towel for your bath mat.
  • Trashcan – Unless your trashcan was fully protected by a plastic bag, all that trash from the bathroom…yuck.

Kitchen

  • Trashcan– Do you want to bring the coffee grounds and banana peel that didn’t quite make it into the trash bag fully? Nope. And just pulling the trashcan off limits should prevent packers from packing the bag of trash into a box, right?
  • Mop– Again with packing the wet things! If you are using your mop to clean your old home then you don’t want it packed, but you also don’t want it packed wet. Just save yourself the trouble and get the commissary special mop – it’s under $10 and saves you the headache of finding a potentially moldy mop on the other end.
  • Sponges– Oy! With the poodles already! Okay..you get the point though – wet things – bad to pack. Just toss the $1 sponge and get a new one – don’t try to dry it out to pack. And whatever you do, don’t pack a moist sponge and then pack into a plastic baggie unless you want to see a really colorful and crazy science experiment on the other end.
  • Broom– One tool you will want to clean the house one last time before you move out, and if packed in a dark box for a few months may attract all sorts of critters. Best to just pass that broom onto an incoming neighbor and get yourself a new one at the next duty station.

PCSing for everyone is a little bit different. Overall, military families want to make moving as smooth as possible. That often means reusing something from a former home in a newer home into a new way. While that is commendable – some items just shouldn’t make the move. Some to toss, some to pass onto an incoming neighbor – and just purchase or get on the free groups at the next duty station.

What things do you purge and purchase again when you PCS?