Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Budgeting: A Path, Not a Cage

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*This is a guest post contributed by Catherine Hershey.

Budgeting, much like exercising, only works if you have a clear and realistic path to success. This includes pushing your comfort zone while keeping up some of the things you rely on to ensure you follow-through. It is not responsible to expect yourself to transform from being a spending junkie or a Starbucks addict to a minimalist budgeting angel of peace in one day. It is a process which must start right now, right where we are. It is easy to put things off to the non-existent future saying “after the house is remodeled, then I will be stingy” or “After all my maid of honor duties are over, then I will spend only on necessary things” or “I’m just really having a bad day, I need a shopping spree and a night out. After today I won’t spend money”. Celebrating milestones, making your home comfortable and inviting, or pouring your creative mind into hobbies and passions, are all things that are important and worthy of your hard earned money on. My husband and I both have hobbies and interests which require a bit of spending. Instead of cutting these things out in the interest of saving money, our hobbies serve to fuel our motivation for cutting back the unnecessary spending. In order to make room for the fun things, it is important to have a tight hold on the every day expenses. But taking control does not happen overnight. It requires a path that will lead you on a fulfilling life-changing journey, one step at a time.

STEP 1: TRACK EVERY DOLLAR

Before you can figure out exactly how much life costs you and how much money is wasted, you need a visual representation of all the incoming and outgoing money. In our house, we have a large white board in a visible (yet private) area on which we have listed our spending in categories: Bills, Grocery, Eating Out, Car, Cash, Other. You may also consider adding categories such as Entertainment, Household, Travel, etc. At the bottom of the column we have written the total amount spent, the total amount earned, and the Margin (or difference) between the two. Every Friday, I pull up our bank statement on the computer and write down each transaction in a notebook in the appropriate column, then and update the whiteboard with the totals. At the end of each month, we input the totals into an excel sheet which tracks our averages in each category as well as the total amount earned and spent for the year.
This may seem like unnecessary work considering the existence of banking apps such as Mint that can do this for you. But I find that physically writing each one down helps me to feel like I have more control and more understanding of our current situation. Furthermore, doing this once a week, rather than seeing it every day on my phone, helps me to not obsess and stress over it.

Once you have a clear idea of where the money is going, you can see where spending can be trimmed, which brings us to step two.

STEP 2: IDENTIFY OVERSPENDING AND PROBLEM SOLVE

It is time to examine each column and determine whether there is unnecessary spending going on. For instance, our grocery bill was high for several months in a row. So I decided to get better at cooking and meal planning. My goal was to have 30 good recipes that everyone liked so I wouldn’t have to repeat any and we wouldn’t get sick of them. At the beginning of our marriage, I knew how to make three things. Every week I would try a new recipe (from the internet, or one of the cookbooks I have). Some were terrible and some required a few tries to get right, but we eventually found some keepers and my list steadily grew. Now, I am able to sit down and put together a whole meal plan once a week (accounting for our lunches and the kids’ snacks) and our grocery spending has become more consistent and steady. More importantly, the practice of trying a new recipe every week has become a habit which is steadily making me a better cook and our mealtimes are becoming more diverse and enjoyable. Hint hint: the commissary is a great place to find new ingredients for those diverse, cultural recipes you want to try!

Moving on to the next category, our Eating Out spending was high for several months in a row because my husband was eating out for lunch most days during the week. With some experimentation and creative thinking we finally figured out what kind of lunch I could send to work with him that would be appropriate for the kind of job he was doing and how much time he had for lunch. This saves us on average $50/week.

I did however notice there were still many Starbucks transactions, adding up to about $60/month. This was partly because my husband left for work at 6am every morning and partly because there was a Starbucks near the playground where I frequently took the kids for play dates. We solved this problem by setting the coffee maker every night to turn on at 5:30am the next day, picking up a flavored coffee creamer, and buying a $30 cold brewer. This way we always have several varieties of coffee available to us and are able to take a mug or thermos full when we leave the house. Our Starbucks spending went down to about $10/month.

We believe that budgeting is about problem solving and will take time. It should be treated as a life changing journey with some give and take. Some months you will be right where you need to be, some months you will drop the ball. Those months shouldn’t be discouraging, but a chance to learn what you can do better next time.  You can’t learn to be a good cook in one day, but if you try something new every week you will soon have a months worth of good recipes which will keep you from getting bored and eating out.

STEP 3: SET GOALS

The fun thing about budgeting is there is no set amount that you should be spending in each category, that is totally determined by you. Combing through our lifestyle habits and finding where spending can be trimmed is an exercise that requires a lot of humility and self honesty.

But without something driving you to cut back the extra spending, you will continue bad habits and drown in guilt. This is why it is important to have long-term goals as well as monthly budget goals. Most of us have some sort of debt and this is a good motivator to cut back on spending. When you have figured out how much your spending can be cut down month to month, make big goals for putting that money towards paying off your debt and saving for your future. Because of the lifestyle changes I mentioned above, we were able to pay off our 6-year car loan in 3 years, and cut my student loans in half in 2 years. This kind of success is empowering! Once you achieve one of your goals it becomes easier to conceive the kind of future you want and draft the steps you need to take to get there.

Budgeting needs to be revised for the 21st century. The methods that our parents used are out of date and need some revamping. The envelopes full of money method is no longer effective, as most of our financial transactions are digital. It is time to embrace a journey of honest change rather than simply putting a cage around our money.

 

Payroll Mistake Leads to Military Spouse Teachers Owing DoDEA Money

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Debt letters are showing up at military spouse teachers’ homes around the world. The Department of Defense Education Activity or DoDEA, has been issuing debt letters for debts accumulated during a military spouse’s time teaching in the DoDEA system.

These debts are often inaccurate or completely unsubstantiated and they can come years after leaving the DoDEA system.

Being a military spouse comes with plenty of challenges. Finding and keeping employment is one of the biggest challenges. Many military spouses are unemployed or underemployed.

Teachers Receive Debt Letters from DoDEA

DoDEA teachers are reminded to routinely check their LES and make sure their pay is correct.

Choosing a portable career is important and teaching professions are one of the top fields military spouses work in. DoDEA schools are rumored to be excellent work environments.

Once you are in the DoDEA system, moving with your spouse and finding a teaching position becomes easier. You don’t have to get a new state license to teach with them each time you PCS. They also offer relocation assistance and competitive salaries.

One surprising thing many military spouses have discovered is that working for the DoDEA can also lead to debt, even before you start working for them.

M.J. Allen found this out the hard way. While waiting for her paperwork to be approved to begin a job, she started receiving debt letters. After going around in circles with them, she learned that she had been put on the school’s payroll even though she had not started teaching and they wanted their nonexistent money back.

Many military spouse teachers report receiving similar debt letters.

It’s become a running joke among DoDEA teachers that you don’t truly work for them until you’ve received debt letters. Why are military spouses not standing up to this?

Some choose to pay the debt off while others tangle with debt collectors. If you are one of the teachers that have received debt letters, know that someone is working on your side to fight this.

The Federal Education Association (FEA) is working on military spouse teachers’ behalf to crack down on these erroneous claims. They recommend all DoDEA teachers routinely check their LES, making sure their pay is correct. Keeping up with your pay and any deductions is important. These debt letters can come years down the road, even after you’ve left the DoDEA system.

There are a few things to pay particular attention to on your LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) because even though it is illegal, the DFAS routinely deducts money from DoDEA employees. They have been known to deduct funds even if the debt has already been paid back.

You can invoke your rights under the Debt Collection Act, Back Pay Act, and Negotiated Agreement but that still might not stop them from taking back your money or sending debt letters.

Be vigilant and check your LES for these things:

  • a negative amount in the “retroactive earnings” section
  • a notice on your LES of “debt deduction”
  • a note of “indebtedness” in the “Remarks” section

If you do find these things or receive debt letters, don’t pay them right away. The burden of proof of debt is on the government. You can seek help from the FEA.

Don’t be a military spouse that simply pays the debt off. Debt letters might just find their way to your mailbox again.

Many military spouses are outraged by this breakdown in DoDEA. Working for them can be mentally rewarding, but receiving debt letters can be tolling.

Don’t let your desire to teach turn into a debt headache that can last for years. Be vigilant in watching your pay and stand up for your rights if you do receive debt letters.

Do you work as a teacher? Have you received one of these debt letters from DoDEA?

Holistic Treatments Part of VA Medical

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**This is a guest post contributed by Chuck Baker. 

In the past I have briefly discussed holistic medicine, and efforts that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) had been taking to include such treatments in its care of veterans. Since then, the VA has made some additional efforts to include non-traditional treatments. Sometimes, civilian firms help lead the way.

Valerie Heath once sold telephone equipment to the military coast to coast. She met with active duty soldiers, and veterans who worked for the military. “I heard their stories,” she said. “I realized many of them needed help.” She had begun learning about various techniques to help individuals with emotional problems, and became an expert in Reiki and other therapies. Over time she felt that veterans who have difficulty connecting with traditional medicine could benefit from a holistic approach. Five years ago she opened Heaven & Earth Oasis in Los Angeles to offer holistic services. And in order to help veterans, she decided to offer her services at no cost to them.

Veteran Holistic Treatment

Today she has a staff of 10 holistic healers and several other volunteers. She relies on non-veterans who pay for her services, and on donations and large public events such as golf tournaments and lunches. And she said that while the VA has begun to offer more and more of what her group does, it has a long way to go. Looking into the types of remedies offered, it seems that there are almost as many alternative treatments as there are veterans. For example, Heath offers Reiki, DNA Theta, water therapy, chiropractic therapy, massage, acupuncture and biofeedback, all practiced by certified and licensed professionals.

In Southern Nevada, a spokesperson for the VA said qualified veterans are often treated with auricular acupuncture, kinesiotherapy, osteopathic manipulative therapy and a wide variety of related services. His comments mirror what Heath reports about VA facilities in California. She said the VA has been offering similar treatments for veterans in the Golden State. And her organization helps to fill any void. “Thanks to our donors, U.S. servicemen and women are receiving at no charge, the most effective, professional holistic healing methods to help them recover, re-enter society and re-engage in productive work.”

According to the Army Times, National Guardsmen are a growing element of those who could benefit from holistic treatments. Guardsmen are quickly dropped from active duty once their deployments are over, and often leave the service with unfinished medical treatments. The quick out-processing means they are dropped in the lap of the VA with less than approved appropriate medical disability benefits. That’s where organizations like Heaven & Earth Oasis often come in, helping to fill a gap until Guardsmen can be officially signed with the VA. Heath explained that “I’ve worked with military and veterans groups for twenty years, and became aware that veterans need the most help to heal physically and emotionally,” she said. “For this reason, I was gripped by a determination to do something for them.”

*Chuck Baker is a free-lance writer specializing in veterans and military topics.

Don’t Miss Your Commissary’s Sidewalk Sale

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by Amanda Marksmeier, Guest Contributor

I have a confession to make. I am slightly obsessed with TLC’s “Extreme Couponing” and thanks to TV streaming services I can binge watch as many coupon clipping episodes as my heart desires. For those not familiar with the show, it follows couponers through the process of clipping, creating lists, searching deals, down the grocery aisles culminating in the final check out where viewers share in the nail-biting excitement to see just how much money was saved.

I know reality TV is far from real. I know most of these extreme savings are almost impossible to achieve for the average shoppers. I have tried my hand at couponing, price matching and searching for the best deal but let’s face it, it requires a lot of time, math and patience to master the art of extreme couponing. Between working, carpooling, cleaning, care for the kids and my other half I don’t have the time to invest.

For those of us too busy for extreme couponing fear not, we can still save big at the upcoming commissary sidewalk sale!

“Thank You For Your Service”

The Defense Commissary Agency, which operates more than 250 commissaries worldwide, is saying “Thank You For Your Service” to their patrons by hosting commissary sidewalk sales throughout the months of April and May.

These sales coincide with April’s Month of the Military Child and May’s Military Appreciation Month.

Weather permitting all commissaries, stateside and abroad, will host a two- or three-day sidewalk sale event beginning April 16 and running through May 31. Visit your commissary’s website to see the exact dates of the sale in your area.

What’s on Sale?

My favorite part of “Extreme Couponing” is the stockpiles. If you are a fan of the show you know what I’m talking about. Garage shelves lined with hundreds of bottles of detergent, boxes of dried pasta and tubes of toothpaste. I can remember one episode where a teenage boy had a stockpile of feminine hygiene products. Why, you ask. Because he got them all free!

While I don’t condone hoarding products you don’t need, creating a stockpile of products your family uses not only saves on trips to the store but also can save tons of cash!

The sidewalk sale will be slashing prices on food sold by the case. Think canned food items. These are great to stock up on while on sale. Imagine purchasing a couple of cases of peas, carrots, and corn. You’ll have veggies for months. In addition to case sales, you can also take advantage of mix and match sales on products such as barbecue sauce, cold cereals, dry pasta, yogurt and more.

Mix and match sale items include a variety of products like fruit snacks, crackers, pastries, popcorn and potato chips, perfect for school lunches.

Summer is coming which means the kids will be home all day. Start preparing now by loading up on juices, teas, and snacks, with these low prices you can get your little one’s favorite summer treats!

Stay hydrated with sales on water, juices, sodas, sports drinks, milk and more. My family buys milk two gallons at a time so I will be taking advantage of the deals on milk. Fill your freezer with frozen family meals for those busy weeknights or during the deployment slump when you don’t feel like cooking.

Some of my favorite get-togethers are themed dinners. Who doesn’t love an Italian night or Taco Tuesday? International foods such as Italian, Asian and Hispanic items can be purchased at discounted prices during the commissary sidewalk sale.

Storage, freezer, sandwich and snack bags will be on sale as well as paper products and cleaning supplies. Now is your chance to load up on laundry detergent – it will come in handy when your service member returns home from the field or deployment!

If all the food and paper products aren’t enough savings, health and beauty items will be included in the commissary sidewalk sale as well. Oh, and did I mention diapers and wipes? Diapers, second to formula, is the largest expense families incur with babies. On average it costs a family over $500 a year to diaper a baby. Cut some of that cost by stocking up on diapers during the commissary sidewalk sale.

Need more savings? Some commissaries will be partnering with nearby exchanges for additional promotions and sales.

According to the USDA, a family of four spends on average $200 a week on groceries. The sidewalk sale is a way for military families to reduce their weekly spending by creating a stockpile of non-perishable and bulk items.

So what items will you be picking up at your commissary’s sidewalk sale?

Amanda Marksmeier is an Army wife and mother of four. She works as an employment specialist assisting the military community in achieving their career goals. Amanda is also a contributing writer for a quarterly employment journal and has written for several military affiliated blogs.

Why the Commissary Bagger Topic Struck a Nerve

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Bagger-free checkout lanes at your commissaries are quite the hot topic.

In response to a recently published article about these checkout lanes, many readers wrote comments with their opinions on having baggers or not. Don’t panic if you didn’t read the article yet. DeCA, the Defense Commissary Agency that oversees commissaries, is not doing away with baggers at this time. They are simply adding bagger-free checkout lanes at commissaries because customers asked for this option.

We asked for your opinion on having your groceries bagged and there wasn’t a shortage of answers.

DeCA does a lot of listening. When customers make suggestions for changes at the commissaries, they really do take them into consideration. DeCA’s vision is to

Understand our Customers and Deliver a 21st Century Commissary Benefit.

They want to know what patrons would want to see changed or improved upon at their commissaries. When they had shoppers ask for bagger-free checkout lanes, they responded. Commissaries across the country started offering bagger-free checkout lanes alongside the traditional checkout lanes.

Commissary managers receive input from shoppers on a daily basis.

Why the Commissary Bagger Topic Struck a Nerve

DeCA is always listening to your suggestions. They want to improve your shopping experience at the commissary.

One of the popular requests is to increase the natural and organic section. Many Americans are becoming more health conscious. They read nutrition labels and want to know that what they are buying is healthy. There are grocery store chains that offer large natural and organic sections and some that have made the transition to offering only these products. If commissaries want to compete for customers, they’ll need to meet these needs.

Along the same lines, there are millions of Americans that have special diets. Food allergies are prevalent. Patrons have said that they would do more shopping at commissaries if there were more options available for these special dietary needs.

Dairy allergies for example are very common now. While commissaries offer dairy-free products, their selection is still very limited. Shoppers have asked for a larger selection to include dairy-free cheese, yogurt and sour cream. Customers have also said that there are very little wheat- and soy-free options in the frozen foods department.

Another suggestion that has been made to help commissaries keep up with today’s shoppers is to add online ordering for curbside pickup. Many grocery stores now offer this option. Online ordering, like Click2Go, is a huge convenience to be able to order your groceries and simply pick them up.

If the commissary wants to attract more shoppers, online grocery shopping is a sure way to get them.

What many patrons who have suggested this do not know, is that there are commissaries already testing this out. The pilot test done at these commissaries turned out to be so popular that the program is going to continue at those facilities. Hopefully, DeCA will roll that option out to more commissaries in the near future.

One last request is to offer home delivery of groceries from commissaries. Many people have turned to Amazon Fresh and Peapod for their needs. Having groceries sent right to your home would certainly be a 21st century shopping experience.

Home delivery would be a huge undertaking for commissaries of course, but it would bring a large customer basis to the wonderful commissary benefit that veterans have earned. Shopping at the commissary is a great benefit that many veterans and their families are not taking full advantage of. Adding home delivery would increase the number of people using the commissary benefit.

DeCA is always listening to your suggestions. They want to improve your shopping experience at the commissary. Many additions and changes have been made over the years thanks in part to patrons talking to the management team at commissaries.

If you have a suggestion, speak up. Your voice could be the one that makes the changes happen.

What changes would you like to see at your commissary? Tell us in the comments section.

What You’re Missing When You Don’t Use Your Commissary Rewards Card

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Do you have a commissary rewards card?

I do and I completely forgot to use mine this week when I went grocery shopping at my commissary.

At the checkout, the cashier asked if I had a commissary rewards card. When I told her I forgot about it she said that’s unfortunate because some of the things I bought had coupons on it. Well at that point I really felt like I had missed out.

I went home and put my groceries away. Then I logged onto the commissary rewards card site to see which coupons I missed. Sure enough, Charmin, Bounty, Swiffer and Tide were all on it and worst of all, I missed out on a $4 off coupon for Zyrtec.

I don’t want that to happen again so I downloaded the commissary rewards card app right away. If I had that app on my phone already, I could have clicked those coupons right there in my commissary and saved money instantly. That’s money I could have spent on coffee on the way home. Lesson learned.

I use to be really good about clipping coupons. I would make my grocery list for the week and see what coupons matched up with what was on the grocery list. I also use to Google coupons for bigger items and print them to take with  me.

That was before I had kids and had the time to do it.

One day I discovered the commissary rewards card and that card made saving money quicker and easier. With the commissary rewards card you don’t have to clip coupons or print them. You simply tap the coupons you want and they are added to your card. At the checkout you just hand your commissary rewards card over to the cashier and they swipe it. Easy savings.

The commissary rewards card app makes it even more convenient. When I use the commissary rewards card, I always log on with my laptop. Now that I have the app, I can do it anytime and anywhere as my phone is pretty much always with me.

I don’t purchase the newspaper to clip coupons anymore, but I do see coupons pop up when I’m on my laptop from time to time. I also get them in my email occasionally. It’s great that I can still use those along with the commissary rewards card. You can’t use double manufacturer’s coupons at the commissary, but you can save money by using other coupons you find with the coupons you get through the commissary rewards card.

If you don’t have a commissary rewards card, it’s simple to get one. Just ask the cashier at the checkout and he or she will give you one for free. It’s easy to register it and get started using it right away as well.

Pro-tip: Walk up to a cashier at the beginning of your shopping trip to get one. You can register it while you shop and quickly look through the coupons to see what matches up with the items on your grocery list.

You don’t have to go through every item if you don’t want to. You can search by category or by specific product. If you go ahead and do this, you can save money right away.

Do you have a commissary rewards card? Are you saving money each shopping trip or are you missing out? There are great savings opportunities with the commissary rewards card and it is quick and easy to use it.

If you don’t have one, I recommend that you pick one up on your next stop to the commissary.

Want more information about the commissary rewards card? Read this article by clicking here.

Origami? Isn’t that for Children?

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**This is a guest post contributed by Mikaela Whitney. 

I’m a Para jumper, I don’t need to know arts and crafts

People don’t give origami enough credit. It literally saves lives in the military every single day. The usage of origami- paper folding can be found in parachutes, air bags, and tents. How does someone take a big item and store it efficiently? Origami. How can a parachute be folded to open properly? Origami. How do the transformers go from giant robots to cars? Origami. There’s so much more to origami than paper boats, cranes, and hats and almost any Military personnel can put it to use.

Robert J. Lang has been seen talking about space exploration and incorporating origami into science for years. Understanding how something large can be folded up and unfolded without compromising the structural makeup of something can lead to revolutionary science that’s based around thousand-year-old arts and crafts. In years past, origami has been able to inspire real-life examples of this practice, including space lenses for telescopes the size of football fields. There have been solar panels that open and close using this origami inspiration. NASA is also designing star shades to block unwanted light that could allow telescopes to see further in areas blocked by starlight.

I’m no Para jumper or engineer

So, you’re not jumping out of helicopters or designing revolutionary military equipment. Why should you learn origami? If you can think of something, an animal, a chair, a flower, you can probably find an origami instructional video on it. Maybe you’re being stationed in Japan. Knock them dead when you can not only fold a paper crane, but you can make an origami Yoda from Star Wars. On a train? Fold origami. On a plane? Fold origami. On a bus? Fold origami. You might travel all the time, it’s a great way to sharpen your skills and challenge your brain. If you’re good at geometry and general mathematics, you might even be able to design your own. You can even make origami tanks with standard printer paper. I mean who doesn’t like tanks? You could even make your favorite fighter jets, biplanes, and helicopters. There is a model for everyone. Even if you’re horrible at origami I can find even one model anyone can fold. Take a square paper and fold it off center diagonally so you have all four points pointing up. You just made the one-fold Stegosaurus.

I’m Retired Military or a Dependent/Spouse

Alright, so you’re no longer active, or you were never in the Military, that’s alright. There’s still plenty of reasons you should pick up this new skill. When I was in school I was horrible at geometry. Shapes and angles made my brain hurt. It was only until I viewed geometry from an origami standpoint that I was able to teach myself about right angles and symmetry. I was able to visualize the math in a 3D real-world representation of what was in front of me in the text book. School projects were always a breeze. “We need someone who can draw for this art project” is a sentence I heard a lot in school. I can’t draw, but I’ve done school projects in origami and got good marks for creativity and originality. Use it to make props for your science fair too. Did a science experiment about rats? Don’t lose him in the school cafeteria, make an origami rat for the display. It will be a one of the kind hit.

Maybe you’re out of school like me, your family or spouse is in the military and you pick up some paper while shopping on base and you think “well, what can I do with this?” With Standard printer paper or colored printer paper you can easily begin the exploration into the origami world. From a rectangle if you fold the bottom corner to the opposite edge at a 45-degree angle you should create a right triangle plus some extra paper. Trim the extra paper to reveal that if the triangle is unfolded you’ll have a square ready to fly—to be a crane. Another way is to line up two rectangle papers, one horizontal and one vertical. Line it up corner to corner. You should be able to see the square now. Draw a line where the extra paper is and cut it to reveal your square, or two if you do both papers.

I have recently used origami to make a one of a kind statement piece in my house using scrapbook paper, a piece of wood and a clock movement. There is some extraordinary modular origami out there you can use to make jewelry, household decorations and Christmas ornaments. You can even sell them to make money! If you made an origami modular ball shape with paper and put it over an LED bulb lamp, you now have a one of a kind lamp shade. If you buy some clear ornaments that open and you placed your favorite origami model inside, you just made one of a kind ornaments you could sell. Tiny origami in glass bottles on necklaces, you can sell it. Teach classes at a craft store and keep the profits.

Maybe you have small children who have been running around the house and you can’t get them to stay still. Make them an origami hat and paper sword so they can be pirates. Or teach them some origami too. Children love origami because there are a lot of models designed with them in mind. I once babysat a girl whose attention I held the whole time I was watching her, by showing her some origami. I made her flowers fish and paper claws. Children get so captivated by origami they start learning it to, you can learn with them as a bonding activity, or make them a boat or crane and watch their face light up in amazement. I have handed kids an origami box before and they were anything but impressed. Then I told them the box is magic. I unfolded a few flaps and the box became a rose. The expression they make when origami goes from a box, to a rose, back into a box is heartwarming. The model is even simple enough to teach a preteen. They will love to make them for their friends and share their new skills

Origami can be great for passing time, going into space, saving lives and making a couple extra dollars.  Try origami it doesn’t take a genius to get started—just put one-fold in front of the other.

Trump Releases Transgender Troop Policy

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President Donald Trump recently released his policy directive regarding the continuing service of transgender troops in the U.S. military.

Under recommendations from Secretary of Defense James Mattis, the Trump administration has ruled that transgender individuals are generally disqualified from military service except under certain circumstances.

Transgender Troops Are Out Under New Policy

Mattis outlined the new policy recommendations in a February 22 memo. Transgender individuals are disqualified from military service unless they have not been diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Troops must also be willing to serve in their biological gender. Changing gender identity is no longer allowed under most circumstances.

Troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria or with a history of this diagnosis are generally barred from military service. However, they may serve if they have been deemed stable for 36 consecutive months in their biological gender prior to joining the military.

Transgender troops may also remain in uniform if they were diagnosed after joining, but remain in their biological gender and maintain deployability status in that gender.

If a service member was diagnosed between the Obama administration’s policy change in July 2016 and the adoption of this new policy, they may continue to serve and receive medical treatment for their diagnosis. This small subset of transgender troops may continue to serve in their preferred gender.

Trump Releases Transgender Troop Policy

The reaction to Trump’s policy on transgender troops is split along party lines.

Mattis based his changes on a new transgender policy study conducted by Department of Defense officials and military leaders. This study generally contradicts the findings of a 2016 Rand Corporation study. The earlier study indicated that there would be minimal impact on military readiness and morale caused by the service of transgender troops in their preferred gender identity. The new study found that allowing troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria to serve or join the military would be detrimental to military readiness and morale.

“(T)he Department concludes that accommodating gender transition could impair unit readiness; undermine unit cohesion, as well as good order and discipline, by blurring the clear lines that demarcate male and female standards and policies where they exist; and lead to disproportionate costs,” the DoD report reads in part.

Transgender Policy Changes Were Rapidly Reversed

Under the former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, transgender individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria were allowed to transition to their preferred gender identity. This policy was implemented in stages. As of July 1, 2016, currently serving transgender troops were allowed to openly serve without fear of discharge based on their gender identity. The final policy change of allowing transgender individuals to join the military in their preferred gender was set to roll out on July 1, 2017.

However, after a series of tweets from Trump in July 2017 and with coordinating action from Mattis, this policy was halted for a 6-month review process. This review led to the creation of the current administration’s policy on the military service of transgender troops.

Based on the Rand study, between 1,300 and 7,000 transgender troops are currently serving in the U.S. military. Per the new policy, only those troops willing to serve in their biological gender and who have not been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, except under specific circumstances, will no longer be allowed to serve or join.

Trump’s Ban Faces Legal Battles and Mixed Public Reaction

Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the Armed Forces is already facing legal pushback. The Human Rights Campaign and Washington State are moving ahead with their federal lawsuit against the ban. They are joined by legal challenges in California. These legal battles continue earlier challenges that lifted the block on transgender individuals enlisting earlier in 2018. Based on these legal battles, Pentagon spokesperson Army Maj. David Eastburn noted that these policy changes would have little impact immediately.

Reaction to the change in policy has been generally split along party lines.

The Family Research Council, a conservative think tank, praised Trump’s decision in a series of tweets.

Congressman Ted Lieu wrote, in an opinion piece for Fortune magazine, that he believed these policy changes to be “stupid” and “unconstitutional.” Lieu is a veteran.

Troops and their families impacted by this decision are disturbed by these policy changes.

“The Trump administration’s continued insistence on targeting our families for discrimination is appalling, reckless and unpatriotic,” said Ashley Broadway-Mack, president of the American Military Partners Association and spouse of an active duty Army officer.

What do you think of Trump’s policy on transgender service members?

Commissaries and Exchanges Start Linking Promotions, Sales

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DeCA and AAFES are working together to maximize their reach by linking their promotions and sales during April.

One hundred qualified patrons will win $300 in free groceries from their on-base commissaries. Altogether $30,000 in gift cards will be given away to commissary and exchange patrons during these promotions.

Joint Promotions Benefit AAFES, DeCA Patrons

This decision to link promotions between the commissaries and exchanges, including online exchange sites, follows an earlier move that allows Military Star Card members to use this card in either location. Prior to this, patrons could not use their Military Star Card at the commissary.

In order to enter the Fill Your Fridge Sweepstakes, patrons must make 2 purchases each at the exchange and commissary between April 1 and April 30. This contest is open to Military Star Card users worldwide. Shoppers can make qualifying purchases at Army and Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard exchanges; ShopMyExchange.com; MyNavyExchange.com; ShopCGX.com; exchange concessionaires and the commissary.

This promotion makes the connection between quality nutrition and scholastic success for military children.

“Nutrition is foundational to military children’s educational success, and $300 in free groceries from your local commissary would certainly help build on that foundation,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, exchange senior enlisted advisor, in a press release. “We are honored to partner with the commissary to recognize the contributions of military kids worldwide with this sweepstakes.”

The Fill Your Fridge Sweepstakes is being held in conjunction with the Month of the Military Child. This annual event held during April honors the sacrifices of military children.

Military exchanges support military children year round through their You Made the Grade program. Military children receive a coupon booklet in exchange for an overall “B” average on their report card.

AAFES and DeCA Support the Month of the Military Child

In further support of the Month of the Military Child, there are additional events and promotions at both exchanges and commissaries on military bases around the world.

A coloring contest will be held at participating commissaries throughout the month of April. Patrons can inquire at their local commissary for more information about this contest.

There are also several ongoing sweepstakes beyond Fill Your Fridge. Exchange patrons can enter for these sweepstakes by logging into their ShopMyExchange account. Prizes include toys, backpacks and exchange gift cards.

Additionally, military children 18 years old and younger, can earn a free snack at select military exchange food courts. On April 18, military children should wear purple to their military exchange food court to qualify for a free treat. This could include side item, fountain beverage or dessert.

More Cross Promotions in the Future

Working together, DeCA and AAFES have the potential to increase the benefit to their customers. Through the Military Star Card connected Fill Your Fridge Sweepstakes, patrons have the chance to win nutritional food. The additional sweepstakes for toys, backpacks, and gift cards offers patrons an additional way to show support for military children this month. Military children can also earn rewards for good grades year round!

AAFES and DeCA’s new cross-promotions show support for military children. In addition, expanding options for patrons to use Military Star cards at both locations increases the shopping options on base.

Exchange and commissary patrons should anticipate further collaborative promotions and sales.

What do you think of the collaboration between the commissaries (DeCA) and the exchanges (AAFES) for the Month of the Military Child?

What Happens When My Wife Goes TDY

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by Eric Gardner, guest contributor

As families sit around the dinner table it’s a wonderful time to catch up on the day’s events or reminisce about the past.

One of the favorite topics at my house is all the “fun” things my daughters and I do when my wife is away on TDY orders, deployments or training.

While I’m never completely sold out by my girls; it’s really only because some of those unique nuances of anarchy when Mom’s gone are a normal way of life for us.

We’re always swimming in the deep end of life watching for that next crazy wave to head our way.

In the unpredictable world of the military lifestyle our families are kept constantly on their toes. Our modern nomadic spirit keeps us in some phase of pre/post deployment bedlam, or we find our days intermingled with various stages of the training cycle.

To say our family dynamic is kept in a volatile state of constant flux wouldn’t do it justice.

When compared to the length of a career, these short sprints of time help to sort out the new roles everyone will have to take on. Everyone rows in our family. If we all work together it will make the challenges pass that much faster.

However, each of us understands that it’s a real adjustment for the entire family whenever they are missing one of their members. Doubly so when a service member is away.

What Happens When My Wife Goes TDY

The fun activities act as a distraction to the one resounding fact; Mom isn’t with us.

As a stay-at-home dad I get my fair share of jokes leveled in my direction. They are usually tied to Stan Dragoti’s classic film “Mr. Mom.” To be honest I don’t mind the comparison to Michael Keaton’s character because there are so many moments I can relate to.

Perhaps not so blatant a comparison as vanquishing the family vacuum; I’m pretty proficient.

Or sword fighting the popcorn maker; well maybe that one.

However, when those TDY trips would come up we enjoyed the neighborhood poker games and the lumberjack persona was a very in style look.

It’s not that the life of the military spouse is all fun and games. The adaptations we make to support our service members are more in keeping with trying to ensure the train is still moving forward even if that means only one wheel is on the ground at any given time.

Oftentimes pizza or fast food become the “splurge” to help ease the stress of separation. When my girls were younger the island of dishes in the sink would typically consist of every plate, glass and utensil we owned before I would devote energy to get the kitchen back to normal. Bedtimes would get extended, storytime would last forever, and our supply of ice cream would vanish soon after it was brought home from the commissary. An outing to Chuck E. Cheese and later Dave and Busters were entertaining and helped pass the time.

But all these “fun” things only acted as a distraction to the one resounding fact; Mom couldn’t be there.

Schedules, routines, patterns are things that help us survive the mayhem that is the military lifestyle. But like Jack in Mr. Mom, we will always be bombarded with new challenges, yet I really strive to emulate his attitude of perseverance to the daily insanity that was all around him.

Whether it’s the unique approach to stitching up torn clothing with a stapler, wearing a plaid shirt with striped pants — a favorite of my youngest when Mom’s gone — or rocking out to Taylor Swift with the volume so loud the neighbors 5 houses away can hear it.

All of these crazy moments are for one reason – to try to fill the void, we feel when our service member isn’t home with us.

As you can imagine when we’re all back at the dinner table once more, our “fun” may look a little different but we enjoy it so much more because we’re finally all together again.

Eric Gardner was raised in a military family and lived around the world. Following in his father’s footsteps, he joined the U.S. Army as an Infantry Officer. Since the end of his wartime service he has shifted gears and is now a stay-at-home father. In his role as an active duty Army spouse, he has become an author. As the creator of the XIII Legion Series he has enjoyed great success, and enjoys meeting other entrepreneurial spouses as well as fellow authors. You can see more from Eric Gardner at his Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thirteenthlegion.series, and http://www.facebook.com/XIIILGN or follow him via Twitter @13thLegion.