November 6, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Military News, Spouse and Family
Soldier’s Angels was on top of things. This was posted to Facebook yesterday — please do what you can.
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Soldiers’ Angels is assessing the needs and–with our founder currently residing in Texas–standing by to offer physical and emotional support to our heroes and their families at Fort Hood.
RIGHT NOW: Collecting encouraging notes and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the injured or killed. Please send cards/letters and stuffed animals (and anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child) to:
Soldiers’ Angels
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
The post office has posted the APO mailing schedule. If you want to get those packages out on time, follow the guide below. We know there’s never a guarantee, but normally if you follow the calendar your package will arrive in time for the Holidays.
Click to view larger image
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November 4, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
The following annoucnement is from the Army’s Stand-To blog:
Military Family Appreciation Month: “Honoring the sacrifices of the military family”
What is it?
Military Family Appreciation Month is a time to honor the sacrifices of our military families. Army families of Active, Guard, Reserve, veterans, and retirees are giving back in a time of need and sustain and support the Soldiers who defend our Nation. Army Families are Army Strong.
What has the Army done?
Throughout the month of November, Army families serving around the world are being honored through a variety of observances and are being recognized for the commitment and contributions they make every day. Efforts to recognize the sacrifices of the Army family by Active, Guard, and Reserve leaders are being joined and supported by DoD organizations to include the Army Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Commissary Agency, and others. In coordination with the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, U.S. Army Entertainment, and the Army Multimedia Visual Information Directorate, a music video is being produced featuring the song “Life of a Soldier,” written and performed by Spc. Daniel Jens (America’s Got Talent) and Sgt 1st Class Sean Bennett (Nashville Star). The song is dedicated to Army families world-wide.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?
Through Army Family Covenant commitments, the Army will continue to build trust and confidence that the Army cares for Soldiers and families. At all levels, we will continue to recognize the continued support and sacrifices Army families make every day, knowing that the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their families, and sustaining Soldiers is critical to sustaining an all-volunteer force. Through the commitments represented by the Army Family Covenant, the Army will continue to standardize and fund existing family programs and services, increase accessibility and quality of health care, improve Soldier and family housing, increase excellence in schools, youth services and child care, expand education and employment opportunities for family members, and continue to provide families a strong, supportive environment where they can thrive.
Why is it important to the Army?
Army families are important as the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their families. They are a vital connection between Soldiers and the Army’s ability to remain strong. All Army families, Active, Guard, Reserve, veterans and retirees are giving back in this time of need. With thousands of Soldiers deployed, recognizing the daily sacrifices made by Army families has never been more important.
Resources:
My Army One Source
Army Entertainment
Defense Commissary Agency
Army Air Force Exchange Service
Army National Guard
Army Reserve
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By Claire
Posted in Military News, Spouse and Family
I know this has been on the table for sometime — it started a couple of years ago.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Military Officers Association of America (MOAA)President Vice Admiral Norb Ryan, Jr., USN-Ret, praised Congress for its action to approve the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act and send it to the President for signature into law.
“MOAA is proud to have worked with congressional leaders for two years on this important legislation to allow military spouses the option to elect the same state of domicile as their active duty spouse,” said Ryan. “We’re grateful for the leadership of Rep. John Carter (R-TX) for shepherding it to a successful vote in the House of Representatives on Nov. 2, and to Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Diane Feinstein (D-CA) for their efforts to win Senate approval earlier this fall. Their bipartisan efforts will make a huge difference for military spouses.”
The new legislation would let the spouse claim the servicemember’s state for voting, tax, and other purposes. Under current law, many spouses must change their residency when the servicemember is reassigned to a different state.
“This is fantastic news for our service families worldwide,” said Rep. Carter. “We should have done this long ago, but at least we are now on track to have a new law in 2009.”
“This legislation is one small way we can help ease the burden of military families, who make sacrifices everyday to support our men and women in uniform and to keep our country safe,” said Senator Burr.
“What a great way to kick off Military Family Appreciation Month,” said Joy Dunlap, MOAA’s Deputy Director of Government Relations. “Our thanks go to all the spouses and servicemembers – past and present – who spoke out on this issue.”
MOAA’s president spoke at the bill’s introductory press conference, and provided testimony, briefings, e-mails and phone calls to Hill staffers. Most recently, MOAA highlighted every legislator’s support status in the November issue of its Military Officer magazine.
SOURCE Military Officers Association of America
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
I was very saddened the other day to hear a young military wife openly talk about playing with fire. She’s not admitted to an affair, but she is talking herself right into one by trying to convince herself that she is entitled to affection and she deserves some sexual satisfaction while her husband is away.
She is younger and part of the crowd we are coming to know as the “entitlement generation.” The entitlement generation does not understand certain things about the real world — the world outside of hover-parents who rescued them, schools who give out unearned “As” and video games that make them think they can be a real rock star. Outside of all of those things that color their view of the natural world are consequences. Someone has to pay the piper and when it comes to playing around with sexual fire, there are a lot of consequences to be had.
I have heard people say that an affair “just happened!” I don’t buy it. Affairs don’t just happen. Bad boundaries, many choices, and selfish motives are in that mixture. Yes affairs happen, and they take a lot of planning — whether that planning is conscious or just below the surface it is still an act of the will. Unlike video games, we can not simply re-boot life and start over when we mess up. We take those messes into our future with us. Some people do learn from their mistakes and once they were burned they never played the game again. Those people gained wisdom. They still had to deal with the consequences though.
You do not have to have a full-fledged sexual fling to lose your sexual integrity. Sexual integrity begins with the boundaries that you put around yourself and your household that clearly state “I’m married and I don’t even go there so leave me alone.”
I was once chided by male colleagues in the work place who said “Don’t tell the nasty jokes, Claire just walked in!” To which I thanked them for respecting my boundaries. Call me a prude, but my husband never worries about where my mind and heart are. You know what? The consequences of those boundaries are peace in my home, and a pure marriage bed. Those are things money can’t buy, but affection from any other source could destroy in a minute. No thank you.
Integrity, or “inner-grit” as a friend of mine used to call it, means that there is a congruency between your stated values and your actions. Hypocrisy is the opposite of integrity. Hypocrisy is a discord between the values and principles one claims to have and the person’s actions. It’s funny that we so often ascribe the title “hypocrite” to a person of faith who fails to live up to their values, but we don’t call adulterers and cheaters the same. They are hypocrites.
The most standard of wedding vows include a statement of undying love and fidelity to your spouse. I know there are variations, but for the most part — the vast majority of us promise to keep ourselves only for our spouse and we promise to do this even when times are crappy. We promise that money, illness, and difficulties will not cause us to falter on the vow of “forsaking all others.”
Keeping ourselves true to that vow starts with our relationship with others. Inappropriate emotional ties with people of the opposite sex when you are married is wrong. You are not entitled to sexual satisfaction. You made a vow. You made a promise. Your vow and promise is only as good as your willingness to sacrifice and work to keep it true.
Of course there are the consequences of adultery that must be taken into account if someone insists on playing the game. You can count on these things – maybe not all, but at least a few:
- loss of emotional and sexual intimacy with your spouse — a loss you may never recover due to broken trust.
- financial stress and strain after divorce since many marriages that suffer infidelity ever fully recover.
- the probability that you may cheat and divorce again if you do not deal with the reasons you cheated in the first place.
- the suffering of your child(ren) if you have them. No child goes unhurt in marital discord and divorce.
- increased risk for depression
- increased risk for suicide in the family
If we feel entitled to immorality then we must remember that we are also entitled to the negative consequences that are always tagged on with those choices. I can’t believe that a little selfish excitement is worth the payment that will be demanded by natural consequences.
If you are wife on the home front who is struggling with resentment and loneliness due to multiple deployments, then please reach out for good support. Find those around you who value fidelity, but who understand what you are feeling and going through.
Never fool yourself into thinking that you are exempt from temptation. You are human. You are going through massive stress and strain. There is no shame in any of that. Find a way to get the support you need in a way that strengthens your own character and builds your family up.
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October 31, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
Do you have a fun night of candy hunting planned with your little ones? If so, here are some tips for general safety as well as tips for avoiding flu contamination since this year the numbers are up a little.
The following general safety comes from the CDC:
- Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
- Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
- Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
- Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
- Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
- Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
- Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
- Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
- Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
- Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
- Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
- Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
- Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.
Flu Safety (various sources):
Don’t allow children to reach into bowls of candy, instead keep your hands clean and pass it out yourself — there is less risk for cross cotamination that way.
Keep hands away from eyes, nose and mouth.
Carry some antiviral/antibacterial liquid hand sanitizer or sanitizer wet cloths with you. Have your children clean hands in between homes if they use the doorbell, touch the door handle.
If your child has been sick be sure she has been without fever for a minimum of 24-hours before she attempts to go out anywhere. If she must miss out on the fun, come up with a creative way to cheer her up like having a small treasure hunt through the house looking for small toys and small amounts of candy.
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
I know that the opinions on the H1N1 vaccine is widely varied. I know my own feelings toward all of this is somewhat conflicted as well. Questions like “Should I get it? What about my kids?” really need to be explored with a trusted physician who knows you and your child’s health concerns, and if you read anything on the vaccine please be sure it is factual and not merely opinion.
There are a lot of legitimate questions about the vaccination, but I have also heard a lot of paranoid speculation that is unfounded as well.
The CDC has a lot of good, matter of fact, information about the vaccination — including information about the fears of the neurological issues that are linked to the old H1N1 vaccine.
I encourage you to read the CDC FACT SHEET, and talk to your Dr. You should have the vaccine available to you very soon, if you have not already had the choice of taking it yet.
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 21, 2009) — H1N1 vaccinations are expected to be available in November for active-duty servicemembers and their families, according to the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command.
The best protection against both seasonal influenza and H1N1 — better known as swine flu — is vaccination, Army medical officials said. They said vaccines are safe, effective, and have minimal risk profiles.
Army medical authorities urge everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine to be immunized as soon as it becomes available.
Vaccine for active-duty personnel will be coming directly from the military vaccination suppliers and should begin to be available the first week of November, according to NARMC. Vaccines for family members will be coming from state health departments and may even be available prior to active-duty vaccinations, officials said.
Vaccinations for active-duty members and families are coming from the same manufacturers, but from different suppliers, authorities said. Vaccine supplies will arrive at different times, making it likely that servicemembers and family members will receive their vaccines at different times, officials said.
Initial supplies will be provided to those at highest risk: Pregnant women, household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age, health-care and emergency medical services personnel, all people from 6 months through 24 years of age, and persons aged 25 through 64 years who have health conditions associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza.
Sufficient novel H1N1 vaccine should be available for everyone by the end of the year, officials said.
In the meantime, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommend that all hospitals deny entry to visitors who are sick with H1N1. Military medical authorities discourage those with symptoms of influenza from visiting hospital patients.
Symptoms of influenza include fever together with sore throat, cough, runny nose or other upper respiratory symptoms that resemble “chest colds.”
Medical authorities say the fever should be gone for at least 24 hours before considering any visit to a hospital patient.
Source Link
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October 29, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
The 2010 Military Spouse of the Year is accepting nomination for 15 more days. Nominations are open for all spouses of members in all branches of the US Armed Forces. Please see the following for how you can nominate your favorite military spouse:
We’re looking for the best in the community. The leaders, the volunteers, the spouse who commits her time or his voice to our causes.
For the third straight year, Military Spouse magazine will name the “Military Spouse of the Year” (MSOY) on Military Spouse Appreciation Day. As past winners have, the Military Spouse of the Year will represent the sacrifice, patriotism, professionalis and altruism that embody this community of 1.1 million current and 20 million former military spouses.
Nominate yourself, your best friend or the person you admire most.
Please see their website for nomination instructions and applications.
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October 22, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
Chronic pain is something that a lot of returning Veterans and their families know a lot about. Those who have combat related injuries often have chronic pain, and sometimes just the daily grind in a war zone can cause injuries that can also have a lasting, negative impact on a Veteran’s quality of life. This, of course, also deeply impacts the family members in that Veteran’s family.
Chronic and acute pain is a family matter. It affects the patient first and foremost, but the suffering extends to those who love him/her. They feel it through an empathy response and they often stand by feeling helpless.
The McGinnis family knows what pain is, and they have fought to come to a better place in the lifelong struggles of being a combat amputee family. Derek McGinnis has written a book called “Exit Wounds” where he recalls his struggle for life after being wounded in Fallujah and his struggle for peace when he came back home.
Derek writes on the Exit Wounds site:
Invisible Injuries
“Pain ripples through all parts of your life and the lives of those around you….Although these wounds cannot be seen, like a scar or a lost limb, they can be as painful and disabling as any mortar wound or shrapnel injury.” — Derek McGinnis, Exit Wounds
“Exit Wounds: A Survival Guide to Pain Management for Returning Veterans and Their Families” is the title of McGinnis’ book. There is also a special section on the American Pain Foundation’s website dedicated to reaching out to military veterans and it too is called Exit Wounds.
The site has resources for both Veterans and those who love them! Please take time to visit the site today and share the information with those around you.
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By Claire
Posted in Spouse and Family
A good friend and wife of a Veteran with a TBI told me about the following:
AVBI is providing a medical alert dog tag and a tri-fold credit-card sized identity card in a small carrying case, to American Veterans who have suffered brain injuries. For veterans who may be r endered helpless due to seizure or other medical condition(s); the dog tag will alert medical personal to the identity card for further information. The identity card not only contains medical conditions and pertinent information; it lists common impairments and can be used to help a brain injured veteran better communicate their difficulties, particularly in times of stress.
Veteran’s who have suffered a brain injury (or a family member) are encouraged to APPLY NOW for an AVBI ID. Please fill out the on-line application and then submit.* Once we receive the application we will mail to the veteran, FREE of charge; 1 medical alert dog tag w/chain and a tri-fold card in a clear plastic pouch (pictured below).*If you have any questions or difficulty filling out the application email AVBI.
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