Monthly Archives: February 2011

The New Parent Support Program (NPSP)

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

Are you a new parent? Are you feeling the weight? Feeling alone? There is no need to face the challenges of being a new parent alone — especially when that’s complicated with things like deployment and other military separations. Get the support you need!

SOURCE LINK

Having a new baby in the house is a pleasure and a challenge for most parents. But for military families who are separated from extended family, parenthood can pose special concerns. To help parents cope with the challenges, the military has developed the New Parent Support Program (NPSP). The program helps parents — including expecting parents — develop the skills they need to provide a nurturing environment for their children.

The NPSP is easy to join — and available on most military installations. The program’s services are free to active-duty service members and their families. You can enroll through your installation’s Family Advocacy Program (FAP) or Family Support Center. To find the NPSP nearest to you, go to the military installation locator at  www.militaryinstallations.dod.mil and select “New Parent Support Program” from the drop-down menu of programs and services.

If you don’t live near a military installation, there are similar programs for new parents available in many locations. Ask your pediatrician for help finding a new parent support program in your community or call Military OneSource at 1-800-342-9647.

Program benefits

The NPSP provides information, support, and guidance to expecting families and families with young children. The NPSP can help parents:

  • cope with stress
  • manage the demands of parenting — and sometimes single parenting — when the service member is deployed
  • build a support network
  • provide a safe and nurturing environment for children
  • find services in the local community

Types of support

The NPSP is staffed by nurses, social workers, or home visitation specialists. The program focuses on providing one-on-one support for expecting parents and new parents. However, some installations may offer parenting classes and groups. Services vary by service branch and by installation, but they can include:

  • Home visits. Private, in-home support for new parents is the main focus of the NPSP. As a new parent, you may feel more comfortable asking questions and expressing your concerns about parenthood in the privacy of your own home.
  • Hospital visits. Having a new baby is a challenge for most parents. Through the NPSP, a nurse or a social worker can visit you in the hospital to address issues such as breastfeeding, diapering, and infant care.
  • Referrals to other resources. Sometimes you may need the assistance of additional services offered through the military health care system, your installation, or the local community. NPSP professionals can help you find and take advantage of those services that suit your needs best.
  • Prenatal classes. Prenatal classes help parents know what to expect when the baby comes home from the hospital. Topics include feeding and nutrition, bathing, and preventive health care.
  • Parenting classes. Hands-on classes for the parents of infants and toddlers focus on a variety of parenting issues, ranging from discipline to feeding. Some installations offer classes for new fathers, helping them adjust to life with a new baby and take an active role in parenting.
  • Play groups. Structured activities in NPSP play groups help children improve their social and motor skills. The play groups also help new parents get to know one another and develop a support system within the military community.

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Posted in Spouse and Family

The Rumor Doctor does it again

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

The Rumor Doctor over at Stripes.com digs in and investigates another rumor he had heard to determine if it was true. There needs to be more senior leaders like this that demonstrate this type of humility.

Regardless of what you think of Gen Mattis this is a good story worth reading.

http://www.stripes.com/blogs/the-rumor-doctor/the-rumor-doctor-1.104348/did-gen-mattis-pull-duty-on-christmas-so-a-marine-could-be-with-his-family-1.134995

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Posted in Life in the Military

A Good Education

Posted on February 16, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

A former Sergeant, having served his time with the Army Rangers, took a new job as a school teacher; but just before the school year started he injured his back.

He was required to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. Fortunately, the cast fit under his shirt and wasn’t noticeable. On the first day of class, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school.

The smart-allecky punks, having already heard the new teacher was a former Ranger, were leery of him and decided to see how tough he really was, before trying any pranks. Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, the new teacher opened the window wide and sat down at his desk.

When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he picked up a stapler and promptly stapled the tie to his chest.
…..Dead silence… He had no trouble with discipline that year.

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Posted in Life in the Military

Tagged

Stress and Resilience in Military Families

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Marcus the Redshirt| 1 Comment

As discussed on You Served Radio last night:

One of the hallmarks of being a military spouse is the aid which is given without hesitation. Emily Mulvey, a Marine Corps spouse, is currently working on her doctorate degree and is looking for military spouses to take a servey focusing on stress and resilience in military families. Take a few minutes from your hectic daily routine for Mrs. Mulvey, I’m sure she would appreciate it.

Hi, my name is Emily and I am a Marine spouse working on my PhD in Clinical Psychology at The Catholic University of America (CUA). For my degree, I am conducting a survey that explores family life from the perspective of military spouses. We are interested in exploring how military families adapt and overcome the stresses associated with family life. I want to know how she (or he) feels her family is doing (i.e., the adjustment of herself, her military spouse, and her children).

The online survey is open to all Civilian Spouses of Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, and/or Wounded Warriors. Dual military couples or active duty service members will not be eligible to participate. The survey is anonymous and will take no more than 30 minutes to complete. To learn more about the survey, or to participate, please click: https://surveys.cua.edu/military/

Sincerely,
Emily Mulvey, M.A.
Doctoral Candidate
The Catholic University of America

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Posted in Uncategorized

Wanna Be Famous?

Posted on February 16, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

At least for 15 minutes? An LA-based casting director is currently casting a new Action/Adventure competition show called “The Assailant” for The Discovery Channel.

WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR: Highly specialized former military, special forces and/or law enforcement agents who are mentally and physically fit. In each episode, four contestants will have to re-enact actual missions that were executed by elite branches of the military – IDF, Spetsnaz, MI-6, Delta Force, Recon Marines, Green Berets, Navy SEALs, etc.

If interested, feel free to take a look at their website www.metalflowersmedia.com so you can become familiar with their slate of shows. These are the same people that have cast THE COLONY, BULLRUN, PITCHMEN, DUEL, AMERICA’S TOUGHEST JOBS and the upcoming INFRASTRUCTURE VIGILANTE.

Anyone who is interested can email Lauren Kalb at lkalbcasting@gmail.com or call me at +1 (505) 552-2780.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Berkeley to Terrorists: You’re Welcome Here!!

Posted on February 15, 2011 by CJ| 2 Comments

The Berkeley City Council is yet again showing why the entire city should be packed up and moved to Iran or North Korea. They’d be more comfortable there.

The City Council is scheduled to vote next week on a resolution that would extend a formal invitation to any detainees at the U.S. naval base who have been cleared of wrongdoing. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the city is eyeing two detainees – Djamel Ameziane, an Algerian chef, and Ravil Mingazov, a Russian ballet dancer.

You read that right – Berkeley WANTS Gitmo detainees here in America! Now, I’m willing to allow them their desires…IF they allow us to build a wall around Berkeley completely and allow nothing in or out!

Read the rest of this idiocy HERE.

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Posted in News

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His Medallion Came Home…

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

Some people may not understand the significance of this. The lady is married now… her sweetheart who was killed in Vietnam was not recovered nor were his personal items. She later married and now has a beautiful family and even grandchildren… and now the medallion she gave him surfaces. What an incredible moment of closure.

In Vietnam War love story, a medallion comes home

EXCERPT
PARIS –  It was a love token worn through the blood-drenched rice paddies and jungles of the Vietnam War.
For Henri Huet, the Virgin Mary medallion was his one constant link to Cecile, the woman he loved. The celebrated Associated Press photographer carried it in his pocket or hung it around his neck. It was engraved for her baptism and when he left for the war, she gave it to him.

On assignment, the military helicopter Huet was riding in got shot down over Laos. Huet was killed. The medallion the size of a penny disappeared into the thickness of a bamboo forest, where it slept for nearly three decades.

This past week, the gold medallion was again in the hands of Cecile, the culmination of an extraordinary journey that took it across epochs and continents — and whose mystery was unlocked by a long-lost trove of letters.

Read more

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Posted in Spouse and Family

My Brave Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2011 by Claire| 5 Comments

I went on the search for poems for Valentine’s Day for our troops. I know it’s hard to face a day that emphasizes time spent with your loved one when he or she is thousands of miles away. If you have a poem or a special tribute to share post it in the comment section. I would love to see it.

I found the following on the Army Mom Strong blog and wanted to share it:

My Brave Valentine

Love makes such a part of what you are
More precious are you than that Renoir

You’re the Valentine beyond each dream
The glow of your heart’s a true sunbeam

Your loving care reaches from afar
When I awake you’re my morning star

These words that I use so want to say
What you mean to me each night, each day

As you serve our country with heartfelt pride
I pray that God will stay near your side

Your loyalty brings a smile to me
And I know your love shines constantly

To those who march with you, they are grand
I send each some love from their homeland

There’s one more thing that I have to write
To keep in your heart both day and night

Please know that my love is so very true
My Brave Valentine, Oh Yes! That’s You!

©2010 Roger J. Robicheau

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Posted in Spouse and Family

Obama Announces Troop Support Initiative

Posted on February 14, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment

A couple of weeks ago, President Obama and the Secretaries of each major cabinet announces plans on how the federal government would work to take care of veterans. It’s about time. The troops have been promised so many things from this administration on which they are still waiting. Electronic records being just one. And while many future promises aren’t being fulfilled, many past promises are being broken. Medical care being just one.

A Washington Times editorial written shortly after the president made his announcements asks what took so long when the rest of the country has been feverishly picking up the government’s slack in caring for this nation’s wounded and surviving family members. It doesn’t take an Oprah appearance to see that our government is – and has been for many years – screwing our troops.

The president praised his own administration’s “unprecedented commitment” to the issue. The commander in chief added that first lady Michelle Obama would appear on “Oprah” to “urge every American to join a new national campaign to support our military families.” The first couple’s newfound interest in this worthy cause is welcome, but private initiatives that are making a difference deserve equal attention.

Six years ago, Marine Cpl. Vishnu Gonzalez was shot by a sniper during his second tour of duty in Iraq. Having nearly died from his wounds, he spent years convalescing in hospitals. This warrior emerged paralyzed from the chest down, with limited use of his hands and dependent on a wheelchair to get around.

A Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization called Homes for Our Troops came to his aid. The charity was founded in 2004 to help those who have been severely wounded in service to the country in the war on terrorism. The organization donated the money to build a wheelchair-accessible home for him, his mother and his sister. Another nonprofit, Hope for the Warriors, contributed funds to help buy the lot on which the house was built.

One of the fundraisers who helped Mr. Gonzalez was Kristin Kosch, a high school senior from Mahwah, N.J., who raised nearly $150,000 over three years working with Home for Our Troops. Kristin got involved with the effort through her brother Matthew, who had seen an article about the challenges facing another wounded warrior in their town. Matthew circulated a letter at his school asking for donations and succeeded in raising $4,000 in contributions – a few dollars at a time, mostly from other students. Matthew currently is attending Villanova University, where he is active in the Naval ROTC program and soon will be commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps.

A high schooler was doing more for our troops than the government that sent him to end up in that condition is. Medical care is but ONE aspect of taking care of our troops. Why are there so many homeless troops? I’m willing to bet that a major contributor is the fact that this country’s government thinks that taking care of combat veterans is a simple matter of ensuring they have free (or cheap) health care. All that care does no good if they live in an environment that isn’t conducive to their situation.

Now, I’m not a big proponent of more federal spending to provide yet more services to people, but our wounded troops have EARNED with their blood, sweat, and tears (literally) what they deserve. It’s just a shame that we have to rely on patriotic Americans to do what should have been done all along already.

You can read the rest of the Washington Times editorial here.

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Posted in Military News

Battlefield: LA

Posted on February 13, 2011 by CJ| 2 Comments


I have not seen this movie, but was contacted by the studio and asked to share information about the film. While I get these offers often and usually ignore them, this movie actually interests me. Emily and I try to see a movie about once a month on average. Depending on the circumstances, we’ll go and see more than one, either as a family or just the two of us. Part of the fun of watching movies in the theaters is seeing all the movies coming out soon. One of those that has interested me is Battlefield: LA…

The only this movie could be any cooler-looking is if they were destroying San Francisco instead, but it’s a movie anyway, right?! Regardless, the coolness of the movie isn’t that California is being destroyed by aliens, but that libs are forced to rely on the very military they fight every other day.

In Battlefield: LA, the real stars of the movie are the troops. They place themselves in harm’s way, running towards the fight while everyone else is seen running from it. THAT is why I like to watch movies like this where California is under attack. Unfortunately, there probably won’t be a Battlefield: LA Part 2 – Berkeley Honors the Troops. Am I the only one that enjoys the irony of California lib cities being saved by the military?

Oh, I forgot, the movie comes out on March 11, 2011.

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Posted in Uncategorized