Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

How Does Tricare Work When You ‘Move Home’ for the Deployment?

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Fate has a peculiar sense of humor when it comes to military families.

Over the years, I swear no sooner had I

a) gotten settled in at a job I loved

b) found out I was pregnant

c) gotten settled in a job I loved and found out I was pregnant at the same time,

did my hubby call me up and say, “So, I just came down on orders for deployment.”

And while I had my share of long visits with family, I never made the choice that many military spouses make to move back home during a deployment. Being the one left to manage the homefront while your service member is down range isn’t dangerous, but it can be overwhelming. Medical issues, kids and just plain old loneliness make moving into your parents’ basement or a studio apartment up the street from your best friend very tempting.

In hindsight, moving back to a guaranteed support system and a familiar place would have probably lowered my stress level tremendously.

How Does Tricare Work When You "Move Home" for the Deployment?

Tricare makes it very easy to get medical care, no matter where you live.

If you are contemplating moving home during a deployment, you may be wondering how or if Tricare coverage will work for your family. Can you seek treatment in a location other than your duty station? What if home is on the other side of the county? What if it’s on the other side of the world?

Here’s what you need to know about Tricare coverage if going home makes the most sense for you.

Tricare has made it very easy to get medical care, no matter where you live. And no matter where you move, you’ll still be covered.

Most active-duty families are enrolled in Tricare Prime. More often than not, if you move to a location within the United States you’ll be able to stay enrolled in Tricare Prime, but there are a few caveats:

  1. If you live within 30 minutes of a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) and they have Primary Care Managers availability, you MUST use that facility for care. If they do not have a PCM availability, you will need to pick a PCM from an approved network of doctors.
  2. If you live more than 30 minutes, but no more than 100 miles away from a MTF and they have a PCM availability, you can apply to receive care there, but the decision is made at the facility’s discretion. If they do not have availability, you will need to pick a PCM from an approved network of providers.
  3. If there is no available MTF or network PCM, it may be necessary to enroll in a different Tricare plan. These might include Tricare Standard or Tricare Standard Overseas. To check to see which plan is available in your area, use the Plan Finder tool on the Tricare website.

As you might imagine, Tricare service providers don’t exactly have a crystal ball, so if you are planning on moving, you will need to let them know. It’s as easy as a quick phone call, but don’t forget to do it or you may find it difficult to receive care or worse yet, end up with a bill. Plan and treatment options are based on the address where you will be living (see the caveats above).

If you need some time to find a place to live that’s OK, just make sure you get any routine care before moving. You can seek urgent and emergency care out of region while you are moving, but things like physicals will likely not be covered while you are in transit.

When the time comes and you are ready to move back to be with your service member, don’t forget to let Tricare know you are switching back.

Did you decide to move home during a deployment? Did you have any issues with using your Tricare insurance while living away from a military base?

6 Ways to Save Your Child’s Mementos

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Before I got married, I lived in one house my whole entire life. For over 2 decades, I only had one place to include as my most recent address.

And all of my childhood memories were safely preserved in sealed plastic containers. From my beloved Beanie Babies and artwork to physical copies of report cards and my cap and gown, it was all there.

Now, I’m a military spouse and I’m lucky if we get to stay at one address for the full 3 years. I don’t have the weight allowance to save all of my children’s precious things. What’s a military parent to do?

6 Ways to Save Your Child's Mementos

Every child is an artist and a scholar.

6 Ways to Save Your Child’s Mementos

Shadow Box

A good friend recently shared a sweet baby keepsake: shadow boxes of the first year. In her boxes, she included:

  • the baby’s coming home outfit
  • Mom and baby hospital ID tags
  • a lock of hair from baby’s first haircut
  • pictures: ultrasound, newborn, 6 months, 1 year

I wish I had seen this before I passed my babies’ very small clothing along to friends. This is a fun way to keep those first moments and milestones with you, no matter where you go. Since everything is stored together, there is less chance of one item going missing.

You could repeat this process for other milestones in your child’s life, like sports, academics or art.

DIY Lovey

Even though other babies have worn my kid’s hand-me-downs, I’ve saved a few special outfits. Like the beautiful dress that my aunt bought for my daughter and the Eric Carle jammies that my son looks so sweet in. I don’t want to give these tiny clothes away, but I know we won’t use them again.

So I’m making them into stuffed animals! To be honest, I’m outsourcing this to my very crafty sister-in-law, but if you sew it’s possible to DIY this.

I’m excited to relive beautiful memories and gift my children with something they can treasure.

Portfolios

Every child is an artist and a scholar. As your kids grow and progress through school, they will come home with tons of papers. When your child enters preschool or kindergarten, buy an artist’s portfolio with pockets. You could choose the big size, designed to hold a large sketch or painting, or select a smaller version.

Label each pocket with a grade and year. As your child brings things home, sort through and keep the most memorable items and projects. Stash the papers in the correct grade section.

When your child graduates high school or is ready to relive childhood, pass the portfolio along!

Photo Books

Take this idea beyond family photos and document your child’s work and progress every year. Just like with a portfolio, sort through the papers and projects to select the cream of the crop or most important items.

Take a picture of 3D projects, science fair presentations and your child giving speeches. Scan academic awards, beautiful artwork and other flat papers.

Upload these images and files to your favorite photo book service. Add in pictures of your child from the year too. You could include school pictures, sports teams, groups of friends or field trips.

Put everything together into one photo book for that grade (September to July/August) or year (birthday to birthday). It’s like their own personalized yearbook. You could even leave space at the end for teachers to write notes!

Growth Chart

Growing up, we had one particular doorway in our house where we recorded our height. It’s a great visual of our lives. Unfortunately, my kids don’t have one particular doorway. Instead, we have a fabric growth chart that hangs between their rooms.

After every milestone doctor’s visit, I mark their height, their age and the date on the chart. Another fun spin would be to add handprints or footprints to the chart. You could also include photos of your children on their birthdays or at milestones.

Fabric growth charts are easy to roll up and take with you! Other options are giant wooden rulers or peel and stick wall clings.

Memory Blankets

Whether it’s baby clothes, favorite childhood shirts or athletic jerseys, creating a quilt or blanket out of your child’s clothing is a great way to keep the memories without the bulk.

There are services that can make these blankets for you or you can DIY if you are crafty. Shirt or clothing blankets make great gifts and keepsakes. Make a baby blanket out of jammies and onesies from your little one’s first year. Collect all of their sports jerseys over the years and turn it into a blanket at high school or college graduation.

How do you save precious objects or mementos for your children? Share your best ideas in the comments!

How to Talk with Your Military Kid’s Teacher About a Deployment

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During deployments and long separations, as parents, we take on a lot more responsibility and stress. The same is true for our kids.

Our worries for our spouse’s safety are shared by our children. They are also taking on more responsibility at home. Your children are missing their parent and learning to navigate a one-parent household. On top of all of that, they are going to school 5 days a week and working extremely hard.

These stressors cause different reactions. For children, they could experience increased anxiety or depression. Your child may begin acting out, exhibiting aggression and anger or even retreating from socializing with friends. Grades could take a dip or a dive. Or your child might become obsessed with making everything perfect, from grades to appearance to emotions.

Often our children’s teachers are the first to notice these changes in behavior and academic achievements.

That’s why it’s super important to keep your school and teachers in the loop as your family preps for deployment. However, deployments and even long TAD/TDY assignments come with risks and need-to-know information.

How to Talk to Your Military Kid's Teacher About a Deployment

Teachers can be your biggest ally during deployment.

How to Talk with Your Military Child’s Teacher About a Deployment Without Violating OPSEC/PERSEC

Be Honest

At least as honest as you can be. You should share the basics:

  • The general deployment window, but not a specific date. Say: “My spouse will be deploying within the next 2 months.”
  • The general deployment length. Say: “We expect she will be gone for 6 to 9 months.”
  • Your plans for pre-deployment. Say: “We will be taking a trip before my spouse leaves. My children will miss about a week of school. Please let me know how they can best make up the work they will miss.”
  • The general homecoming window, as it approaches. Say: “We expect that he will return in a month.”
  • More homecoming details, as they are released and cleared by your unit’s public affairs office. Say: “We think she might be home in March.”
  • Your plans for the period right after the homecoming. Say: “I will email you the day before our scheduled homecoming. I will be keeping our children home for a day or so to spend time as a family. Please let me know how they can complete any work they might miss.”

It’s super important that you not share exact locations, troop movements or departure/return dates. The fewer people who know these details, the better. Share what you must, when you must, in order to make sure your child’s teacher and school are on the same page.

Include Others as Needed

It’s also important to include administration and school counselors, psychologists or social workers. You can share even less information to these people. Generally, they will only get involved if there is a major issue or concern. Your child might see a school mental health counselor, psychologist or social worker if there is a deployment support group at their school.

If you need to share, you should:

  • Give the basics. Say: “My spouse is currently away on assignment for several months.”
  • Address the situation at hand. Say: “I wonder if my spouse’s absence might be one of the causes behind (concern). I would like to explore this further and find ways to support my child as a team.”

Request Discretion

When you share your family’s deployment with school faculty and staff, you also need to include a request for confidentiality. Even if your spouse is in a “safe” area, your family is still down a person and open to additional concerns at home. It’s very easy to let information slip out about troop movements, return dates, ship names and families that are missing an adult.

Ask your teacher, school administrators and mental health staff to keep all deployment information strictly confidential. Explain:

“My spouse will be away from home. This is need-to-know information that I am sharing with you so that we can work together to help my child through this challenging time.”

Occasionally, sharing information with other teachers can help your child’s teacher to find new solutions to challenges. Request:

“If you feel like asking another staff member for advice or solutions is necessary, I would ask that you let me know before you share information. If you can make such requests without sharing my child’s identity or other specific details, that would be great. If you do need to share personal information, I would like to be included in the email chain or be told what will be shared.”

Generally, help teachers and others to understand that what you are sharing is not for public discussion or knowledge. It is need-to-know only.

Teachers can be your biggest ally during deployment. Make sure to build your team beforehand. How do you include your teacher on your deployment success team? Share your tips in the comments.

6 Tips for Bringing Your Pet on Your Cross-Country PCS Road Trip

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Woohoo! PCS road trip! Load up the car, the kids and the pet. Before you get everyone buckled in, hit pause to make sure that your furry friends are ready to make the journey.

6 Tips for Bringing Your Pet on Your Cross-Country PCS Road Trip

Don’t try to sneak your pet into a non-pet-friendly hotel. Plan instead to book your overnight stays at pet-friendly hotels during your road trip. Some even offer military discounts.

6 Tips for Bringing Your Pet on Your Cross-Country PCS Road Trip

Plan Your Route

Decide which way you’re going to be going and take into account when you are traveling. During the summer months, going through the desert and deep south can be pretty hot. Going the northern route during winter might get chilly. While these factors don’t need to alter your trip, you should take them into consideration for pit stops and water breaks.

Book out your hotels in advance. Many hotels are pet-friendly and offer military discounts. However, a lot of hotels also charge significant fees for your pet to stay. La Quinta welcomes cats and dogs for free. Many Starwood and Marriott brand hotels are pet-friendly too.

Try to be reasonable about the distance you can really cover each day. Then look for hotels at or around that target distance.

Pick Out Pit Stops

During your road trip, you’re going to need to stop a few times a day. As you are traveling, try to check out your preferred route for good places to stretch everyone’s legs. Look for parks, state-maintained rest stops and similar places.

Keep in mind that pets cannot ever stay in parked cars. So food breaks need to trend more toward take-out and away from sit-down restaurants.

The same is true for longer stops on the route. Your major attractions should be places that are dog-friendly, have boarding facilities nearby or where you have a hotel room.

Health Check

Many pets are awesome on the road. Some are exactly the opposite. If you are concerned about your pet’s behavior or health on your road trip, pay your vet a visit. Also get refills of any medication, just in case you are caught in between prescriptions on the road.

You can ask about calming remedies to help with anxiety. You can also get information about best practices for food, water and keeping your pets cool.

If you are traveling with a non-traditional pet, your vet will be the best resource for you.

Car Safety

When you are traveling with a pet, it’s important to always secure him when the car is in motion. Use a pet seatbelt or place your pet in a kennel during travel. When using a kennel, it’s best to also secure this in your car.

To keep your pet hydrated, freeze water into their bowl or a pet bottle. Offer small amounts of food during travel, but don’t overdo it to avoid carsickness.

Before your big trip, take a few smaller trips to prepare. End at the dog park or another favorite spot. Offer treats and praise.

Loading the Car

When you’re driving, think about the seating arrangements and what you need to pack. Since you are PCSing, you will be loaded down with a bunch of your personal belongings and several suitcases.

Keep your pet’s essentials in an easy-to-access location and pack your hotel stay things in one bag that you will always be taking in with you. Only pack enough, plus a day or two, of food and treats for your pet. You can always buy more food on the way but will need all the extra space you can get during trip.

Remember to stash a few of your pet’s favorite toys in the kennel or in their designated space. This can give your pet something familiar to play with. It can also help occupy and calm your pet during the journey and in hotels.

If your children will be eating during the trip, make sure that the food is pet safe. Chances are good that they will drop or “share” a few bites with Fido or Fluffy along the way.

Pro tip: keep plastic shopping bags in your car for potty breaks.

During Hotel Stays

When you arrive, make sure you are upfront about the pet staying with you. If you try to sneak an animal into a non-pet-friendly hotel, and they find out, there will be a hefty cleaning fee. The same can be the case even at pet-friendly places if they place you in a non-pet room.

As you move your essential things into the room for the night, try your best to team up. One adult can take the dog for a walk or sit in the room with the pet while the other adult ferries the luggage and kids.

Ask at the front desk about safe walking routes and places to avoid. You should also clarify whether the hotel has a pet waste disposal area or bags. If not, use some of those shopping bags.

Do your best to keep the pet noise to a minimum, especially at night. If your pet makes a mess, clean it up as best you can.

If you are planning to be out of the room, make your pet comfortable and secure. For pets that are noisy when you leave them alone, think hard about the hotel’s pet policy before you leave. Or try out ways to curb the noise before you leave.

Are you planning to fly instead of drive to your next duty station? Check out our article on air travel tips for pets.

Military Discounts for Water Parks, Swimsuits and Life Jackets

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Whether you want to spend the day at a water park, on a lake or in your backyard, we’ve gathered 21 great military discounts you need to know about to have a great time with your family.

Looking for a new swimsuit, life jacket or raft? Make sure you shop with a retailer that has a military discount. Plan on going to a water park? Check out our list below for a military discount before you head out the door.

21 Military Discounts for Water Lovers

Water Parks

Great Wolf Lodge offers a military discount through a program they call Howling Heroes. It provides up to 30% off on rooms and park passes for military families.

Big Surf Waterpark has military tickets for $19.99 instead of $32.95 but you can only purchase them in person; this military discount is not available online.

Dollywood’s Splash Country offers a great military discount of 30% off one day water park pass to all reservists, active or retired military, disabled veterans, and spouses and dependents with valid military IDs. These tickets must be purchased at the gate.

Splashin’ Safari at Holiday World has a military discount for anyone with a valid ID for $12 off full-price general admission tickets. They can also get $5 off guests that are under 54” as well as senior tickets, up to 6 tickets per visit.

Soak City at King’s Dominion provides a military discount to anyone with a valid military ID for single day tickets. These can be purchased online or at the gate. The park also hosts special military appreciation days where all those with a valid military ID get in free, such as on Memorial Day Weekend.

Wild Waves Water Park offers a military discount at the gate to those with a valid military ID.

Deep River Water Park is offering free admission for active duty, veterans and their families on any Monday or Thursday this year as well as on two Sundays, June 18 and August 13. You must print their coupon or show it on your phone along with your military ID to get in for free.

SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment has a program known as Waves of Honor. Instead of a military discount, they offer one day free entry to all active duty, reservists, and National Guardsman as well as up to 3 dependents each year. You need to register online or at the park to get free admission.

Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park offers a military discount of $7 off a one-day pass for any person with a valid military ID.

Wild River Country has a military discount of $5 off admission to those with a valid military ID. These tickets must be purchased in person.

Swimsuits, Life Jackets, Pools and Water Accessories

Aeropostale offers 10% military discount on purchases with a valid military ID.

Columbia Sportswear offers a 10% military discount online and in store.

Old Navy has a 10% military discount available to all those with a valid military ID.

Under Armor gives a 15% military discount in store with a valid military ID.

L.L. Bean provides a 10% military discount to anyone with a valid military ID at most stores.

Gander Mountain offers a 10% military discount to anyone with a current military ID.

Overstock.com has a military program known as Club O Gold where military families can receive 5% reward dollars on purchases as well as free shipping. You can purchase anything from life jackets  and swimsuits to swimming pools and boats on their site.

Bass Pro Shops has a military discount that starts on the 15th of every month and runs for one week. There are many items that are excluded from the discount. You must show a valid military ID to receive the discount.

Lowe’s offers a military discount of 10% off to anyone with a current military ID.

Home Depot has a 10 percent discount, up to a $500 maximum, to all active, reserve, retired or disabled veterans and their family members with a valid military ID.

Sam’s Club offers a $15 gift card to military families that purchase a membership. You’ll find anything from goggles and fins to rafts and beach towels to satisfy your water fun side.

There are many more water parks and retailers that offer military discounts. Make sure you remember to ask before paying full price for your water fun this summer.

Have you used any of these military discounts? Give a shout-out to your favorite store or attraction that offers a military discount in the comments section.

New Electronic Health Records System Coming Soon for Military Families

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If you’ve ever transferred between military treatment facilities (MTFs), you know how frustrating it can be reciting your complete medical history over and over.

New Electronic Health Records System Coming Soon for Military Families

This new medical records system will mean less paperwork for providers and patients. You won’t have to fill out a medical history form each time you see a new military doctor or dentist.

Before February of this year, MTFs did not have a computer system that allowed them to share medical and dental records easily. It was a very frustrating process for medical professionals and patients alike. You could find yourself repeating your information from a first responder to a nurse and then again to a doctor. If you got sent to another clinic, you might repeat that information yet again.

Luckily, a new electronic health records system, known as MHS GENESIS, was introduced this year.

What is the MHS GENESIS system?

MHS GENESIS is the new electronic health records system that will keep track of health information for the Military Health System (MHS) through secure technology.

It is an integrated medical and dental electronic health record that will be able to give medical professionals an electronic record of your health information. Basically, it is an electronic copy of all your medical and dental information.

It will eventually be accessible to all medical professionals at any military treatment facility. With MHS GENESIS, you will no longer need to recite your medial history to your new doctor every time you PCS. You also won’t need to pick up your medical records or dental records before you move. Your provider will be able to see your family’s entire medical and dental history in one place.

MHS GENESIS will also mean less paperwork for providers and patients. You won’t have to fill out a medical history form each time you see a new military doctor or dentist. MHS GENESIS will have information stored on all care that has been provided for you. This also means that there will be less of a chance for inaccurate information given or received. You will no longer need to try to remember the dates of previous surgeries or vaccines for example.

More than 800 subject matter experts came together to create MHS GENESIS. This includes medical professionals such as doctors and nurses as well as computer system professionals such as information technologists. MHS GENESIS will replace all of the systems that are currently used; that’s more than 50 systems that will be narrowed down to one single system. This includes replacing DoD health care systems such as: AHLTA, Composite Health Care System, inpatient, and parts of the Theater Medical Information Program-Joint.

More than 9.4 million Department of Defense beneficiaries and about 205,000 Military Health System professionals around the world will benefit from using MHS GENESIS.

MHS GENESIS Patient Portal

The MHS GENESIS Patient Portal launched in February. It is a secure website that provides access for you and health care providers to your medical information. Through the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal you can:

  • Review your current health information
  • Schedule medical and dental appointments for both yourself and your dependents
  • Request prescription renewals
  • Send and receive secure messages with your doctor or nurse
  • Review medical notes and certain lab and test results
  • Complete the pre-visit dental health history questionnaire
  • View, download or print health data
  • Receive alerts from the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal to schedule wellness exams

When is MHS GENESIS available?

MHS GENESIS is being rolled out in waves, starting with several small military treatment facilities in the Pacific Northwest. In February the system launched at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.

“We are following a path of going from our smallest to our largest deployment, so we can again take the lessons learned from each deployment so we can make the next deployment even more successful, efficient, and streamlined,”

said Stacy Cummings, the program executive officer for the Program Executive Office, Defense Healthcare Management Systems.

MHS GENESIS was scheduled to go live at Naval Hospital Oak Harbor in May; Naval Hospital Bremerton in June; and Madigan Army Medical Center in July, but at the time of writing this article there have been no updates given.

Those that have used the system have said it is a flexible and user-friendly system. The plan is to have MHS GENESIS in place in all MTFs by 2022. This will connect 55 hospitals and more than 350 clinics worldwide. They will announce when each location will go live as that time approaches.

You can access the MHS GENESIS Patient Portal here once it is available to you.

Veterans Affairs Embraces MHS GENESIS

In June Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin announced that the VA would be adopting the same electronic health records system, MHS GENESIS. This will be great for service members that transition out of the military and receive medical care through the VA.

What are your questions or concerns about the MHS GENESIS health record system?

Have You Noticed Price Changes at Your Commissary?

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Prices have already started shifting at the commissary under the new variable pricing strategy. Have you noticed a difference? The change began earlier this spring when the commissary tested the new program out in 10 stores.

Now the variable pricing strategy is being implemented across the country. Don’t worry; you’ll still see great savings.

Have You Noticed Price Changes at Your Commissary?

Michelle Hooper, a customer service ambassador at the Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, Commissary, scans prices. Luke won the 2015 Defense Commissary Agency’s Director’s Award for the Best Superstore. (DeCA photo)

If you missed the big announcement, last year the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorized a significant change in how the commissary determines the price of goods. Previously, the commissary set prices at cost plus a 5 percent surcharge. That surcharge money was used to maintain commissary facilities and to build new ones, such as the $38-million commissary at Fort Belvoir.

DeCA, the Defense Commissary Agency, which operates the commissaries, is funded by taxpayers’ money with a budget of $1.3 billion annually. Washington has been trying for years to get the commissary to be more self-sufficient and rely less on federal funding.

This year they are finally attempting to do just that. Variable pricing is one of their strategies. The commissary will also be introducing store brand products as well.

What is variable pricing?

Previously, the products at the commissary were sold at cost plus the 5 percent surcharge. Under variable pricing, the prices of goods will no longer be that simple.

Instead, many factors are taken into consideration when setting the price of products. This includes the market price, cost of obtaining the item, how well the items sell and more.

This isn’t something new the commissary came up with or that those in Washington fathomed. It is how commercial grocery stores determine their prices. The commissary is now embracing a similar pricing system.

Prices have always changed at the commissary based on the cost the commissary incurs for items from manufacturers. Many factors cause manufacturers to change the price they charge, such as weather and their cost of doing business.

Prices will now fluctuate with the market instead of simply with the manufacturers. While some prices might be going down, others might go up. Overall savings at the commissary will not change however.

How much will each region save?

Commissaries are grouped into regions. Market research is conducted in each region to determine the prices goods will be set at. This includes comparing the prices of about 1,000 products locally as well as the estimated 38,000 products that are checked nationally.

The cost of living varies across the country and with that is the cost of food. Researchers then are tasked with comparing the prices of items at different grocery stores across individual regions to determine the best price to set commissary products at. As the cost of living is higher in some areas and lower in others, so too will be the savings level in each region.

These savings will range from 17.6 percent to 44.2 percent over commercial grocery stores depending on which region you are in. Below are the regions and the overall savings expected.

Region            Savings %

New England            21.4%

South Atlantic          19.9%

South Central           18.1%

Pacific                       20.9%

Mountain                  17.6%

North Central           20.2%

Alaska/Hawaii          32.6%

Overseas                    44.2%

Which region am I in?

Now that you know how much savings each region is expected to save, you may want to see which region you are in. Commissaries aren’t in typical geographical groupings, as Virginia is included in the New England region as opposed to the South Atlantic for example.

To find out which region your commissary is in, look for your military installation on this map. Are you in the region you expected? How do you feel about the savings percentage your region is expected to get?

Next time you go to your commissary, check the prices and see if you can tell a difference.

Have you noticed a change in prices at your commissary? Which items did you notice have a price difference? Tell us in the comments section.

Healthy Meals You Can Make When You’re Living in a Hotel

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With suitcases and PCS orders in hand, many of us will be spending our summer nights trying to keep ourselves and the kids entertained, be it a movie night or at the hotel pool.

Healthy Meals You Can Make When You're Living in a Hotel

You can keep your family fed and content while living in a hotel. Here are our tips for healthy eating when you are living in a hotel for an extended period of time.

The normally easy chore of figuring out what to eat, however, often becomes a debate over which fast-food joint or sit-down restaurant to dine in. But for those of us watching our budgets and our waistlines, what we wouldn’t give for a wholesome, healthy home-cooked meal.

What if I told you it was possible to save money and still eat healthy, even without the convenience of a full kitchen?

Keep the family fed and content while living in a hotel?

You can do it. Here’s how.

Assemble Your Make-Shift Kitchen

First, a little preparation is necessary. If you know that you’ll be away from home and want to try to avoid eating out every night, consider buying or bringing an electric griddle and crockpot. Between the two of them, you can cook just about anything.

You’ll also need a large tote that you can push under the bed or store in a closet as your make-shift pantry. Stock it with non-perishable must-have items like cereal, a handful of your favorite spices (we like garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper), a box of your favorite baking mix, a couple cans of cream-of-something soup, canned beans and other vegetables, your favorite sweetener (sugar, stevia or maple syrup) and olive oil.

Toss in a good kitchen knife, a couple of wooden spoons, some resealable kitchen bags and a cutting board, and you’re all set.

Bonus points if you have a small blender or food processor (like a Ninja) and can manage to bring it along. It can make things like homemade salad dressing, salsa, smoothies or even a margarita.

Bonus tip: If you do stop for a quick bite to eat here and there, consider keeping any unused condiment packets. They come in handy and generally don’t require refrigeration.

Plan Your Meals

This is kind of an eat-at-home staple chore, but if you’ve decided to choose homemade while traveling, it’s even more important. The key is planning meals that won’t require a lot of refrigerated ingredients. Even still, be prepared to shop every few days, if not daily.

Not sure what to plan? Here are some easy, no-cook recipes to inspire you.

Breakfast Options

If you have access to a refrigerator, a half-gallon of milk and a wholesome, vitamin-packed cereal can make breakfast a snap. Pair it with a banana and half of an English muffin with a bit of peanut butter and you’ve got the kind of balanced breakfast all the cereal commercials boast about.

No refrigerator? Consider buying the small, vacuum-sealed boxes of milk or powdered milk from the baking aisle. The small quantity of each box makes it easy to only use what you need.

Not a cereal person? Go continental. A couple of fresh-baked bagels or croissants, a little hard cheese and fruit makes for the perfect morning meal.

Wants something a little more special? Try some overnight oats. Just mix equal parts of oats and milk or yogurt. Then add fruit, spice and sweetener: add pumpkin puree, a drizzle of maple syrup and a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice (like this recipe) or try slicing in bananas and a couple of tablespoons of hazelnut spread. Mix the ingredients in a cup or bowl and leave in the refrigerator overnight (6 to 8 hours) and presto-chango, you’ve got a hearty, healthy and delicious breakfast with absolutely zero cooking!

Simple Entrees That You Can Prepare in Your Hotel Room

If you’re anything like me, warmer temperatures bring the desire to eat light. Thankfully, lighter fare lends itself to easy preparation.

If you have your electric griddle, try cooking up a couple of chicken breasts (or purchase a rotisserie chicken), dice it up and toss it in a bowl with a chopped head of broccoli, some sunflower seeds and a handful of sliced grapes. Add a little bit of sour cream, yogurt or mayo and you’ve got a delicious chicken salad that goes great on a sandwich or is perfect for topping your favorite crackers.

Are you a seafood lover? Fresh seafood is what summer is all about at my house. Fresh fish or shrimp is quick to cook or you can even drop it in a resealable bag with some citrus juice and spices. Cooking is not required. Check out this recipe for no-cook shrimp, Mediterranean style.

Easier still, skip the meat and look to beans for your protein like in this delicious Southwest Salad. Just chop, toss and dig in.

Do you have any amazing meals that you’ve prepared in a hotel room? Submit your recipes to MilitaryShoppers’ monthly recipe contest today.

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

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Ahhhhhhh, summer! A time to kick back, relax and go insane when your children say, for the millionth time:

“I’m bored.”

Instead of listening to them complain about their free time, send your military kids to camp this summer. And do it on the cheap at these free or discounted summer camps.

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids?

8 Free or Discounted Summer Camps for Military Kids

Operation Purple Camp

These are special camps just for military kids. They are held in a variety of locations around the country throughout the summer. Different camps run at different times and spots go quickly.

If you want to get your child into an Operation Purple Camp this summer, the time to act is now! Be sure to read the FAQs about who is eligible and the application process. While applicants are accepted mostly on a first-come, first-served basis, priority goes to kids with a parent deployed within the last year.

Armed Services YMCA

The Armed Services YMCA is a great resource for military families year-round, but it’s especially awesome in the summer. Through Operation Outdoors, the Armed Services YMCA helps to get military children enrolled in summer camps across the country.

To find out more about camp opportunities near you, contact your local ASYMCA branch.

American Wanderer Summer Camp

This camp is a super deluxe all-inclusive way to explore National Parks across the United States. Campers ages 11-17 can travel in “cabins on wheel” to different sites throughout each one-week session.

Military discounts and scholarships are available.

Camp Corral

This is a summer camp that is open to all military children, with priority given to the kids of wounded, injured, ill or fallen service members. With locations from California to Florida, Camp Corral can reach a great number of military children and families. Spots are limited, so be sure to register your child early.

Military Teen Adventure Camps

For teens ages 14-18, the typical summer camp experience might start to get old. That’s where these adventure camps come into play. With locations in several states around the country, military children can enjoy exciting new experiences with their peers.

These camps aren’t limited to the summer either. There are camping opportunities throughout the year! Find out more about the camps by location or date.

Camp Yellow Ribbon

Military children go through a lot. This Wisconsin camp, hosted by Easter Seals, aims to help ease that burden. Camp Yellow Ribbon is open to all military children! Find out more or register today.

Channel 3 Kids Camp

This is a camp just for military kids in Connecticut! Celebrate America and being a military child, over the week of July 4th at this camp. This camp has been around for several years and is part of Operation Purple!

Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps

These camps go beyond the summer by pairing high-school-aged military kids with younger children. They develop the bond during a summer session. Then they continue to connect throughout the school year in a mentor/mentee relationship.

The Semper Fi Fund Kids Camps are designed to help military kids learn coping skills and develop lifelong bonds to support each other. For more information, contact SffKidsCamp@semperfifund.org.

Ask for a Military Discount at Your Local Summer Camps

If your child isn’t attending one of these military child-specific summer camps, there are other options. Reach out to programs where you live and ask about military discounts. Some programs might not advertise their military deals or may offer them on a by-request basis.

Has your child attended any of these camps for military kids? Would you recommend them? Why or why not? Did we miss a great camp? Tell us in the comments!

What to Do if Your Dentist Isn’t Accepting United Concordia

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On May 1, 2017, Tricare dental coverage for active duty, Guard and Reserve families will transition from MetLife to United Concordia.

What to Do if Your Dentist Isn't Accepting United Concordia

Do you know if your dentist will be an in-network dentist under United Concordia? Check with Tricare today to find out.

Along with this change comes many great new benefits, but unfortunately not all dentists will be accepting United Concordia. This means you have some choices to make when it comes to your family’s dental care provider. Below are the things you need to know to make an informed decision.

Should You Drop Your Dentist if They Drop Tricare When United Concordia Takes Over?

First of all, this change only affects active duty, Guard and Reserve families. Delta Dental will continue to administer dental coverage for retirees and their families and that program is not changing at this time. For those that are part of the change, an increase in benefits and lower premiums come with the transition to United Concordia. In fact, no benefits are being reduced.

One important addition to United Concordia taking this contract is that the annual maximum benefit, which was previously $1,300 will now increase to $1,500. Under MetLife, sealants required a 20% co-pay. With United Concordia, sealants will be free.

Tricare dental is a voluntary program. You have to enroll your family if you want to use it. Previously, when a child turned 4 that was registered in DEERS, they would automatically be added to the family dental plan if that family had enrolled in one.

Under United Concordia, on the child’s 1st birthday they will be automatically added to the family dental plan. That is an important thing to consider if only a spouse was on the dental plan paying single enrollment. On the child’s 1st birthday that would automatically move the plan to a family enrollment and along with that comes a higher monthly premium.

Premiums are going down under United Concordia. You can view the chart at Tricare.mil. While premiums for some programs are going down a small amount, others will see significant savings. A single enrollment for the dependent of an active duty service member currently pays $11.68 a month, but as of May it will decrease to $11.10. That isn’t much of a savings, but an active duty family plan does have a better rate. That premium drops from $34.68 to $28.87 under United Concordia.

That’s all great, but what if the dentist you visit no longer accepts your insurance once United Concordia takes over in May?

Some dentists will no longer be accepting Tricare dental since reimbursement rates are much lower for them with United Concordia.

Dr. Adams, a dentist in Hampton Roads, Va., sees his share of military families, but says he will be losing money if he continues to do so come May. According to him, the reimbursement from United Concordia will be 15% lower than it was with MetLife.

What should you do if your dentist drops Tricare?

You can visit any dentist you want with Tricare dental, but it might cost you more. There are 330,000 network dentists with United Concordia. You can therefore, stay with your current dentist and pay out of pocket or you can search for a new dentist. You can search for a dentist online or call United Concordia customer service at 1-844-653-4061.

It is important to check if your dentist is in network. If they are not, but accept some payment from United Concordia, they might bill you for the difference in what United Concordia does not cover. Don’t get stuck with a bill. A dentist that is in network cannot bill you for any difference in payment.

Any member of your family can see any dentist; you don’t all have to go to the same practice. If there are multiple providers, you will need to check that the one you are seeing is in network. There can be several dentists in an office, each choosing to accept Tricare or not.

The dentist you choose to see may not know everything that is covered by United Concordia. You can log into your account online to see what is covered before authorizing any procedures. You will not have to file a claim if you see a dentist in network; they will do it for you.

Sticking with a dentist that is in network can save you a lot of money. Call your dentist or check online to see if they will be in the network come May.

If not, ask friends for referrals to other dentists and try someone new. If you are set on staying with your current dentist, make sure you ask how much procedures will cost before you authorize them.

For more information about the United Concordia dental contract, visit Tricare.mil.