Today is Military Spouse Day. Military Spouse. Two words, unbelievable meaning. To understand the true meaning of the title you must be part of the military community. To understand the true meaning of the title is to be in awe of some of the strongest and bravest men and women our nation has ever seen.
Being a military spouse is so much more than being a spouse. Friend. Caretaker. Supporter. Military families wouldn't be families if there wasn't a military spouse. The saying, behind every great man there is a great woman, is especially true in military families. I truly believe that behind every great military member there is an amazing military spouse. Male or female.
There was a recent survey done by Blue Star families that reveals that 94 percent of military families feel as if the country doesn't understand their challenge. The struggles include moving, finding schools, jobs and childcare. Most importantly, these challenges are faced when their spouse is deployed which can make the challenges significantly harder.
First Lady Michelle Obama took time to address this statistic yesterday during an interview with The Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service. She said that she was "surprised" and that the "administration is moving ahead with concrete measures to make military families' lives a little easier."
Measures include 2.9 percent increase in salary for service members and an investment of $80 million for career development and training for spouses. Obama also stated that she feels like the communities across the nation can also do something to improve the situation.
"There's also a separate call to the nation that has nothing to do with the government," she said. "It's what we do in our own neighborhoods that's also an important part of what this community of families needs to feel."
When asked about how she felt about the special day Obama said, "It's a wonderful recognition, but that's just one day. We should be doing it every day."
I couldn't agree with her more. As a military brat, I know that I could not have succeeded in a military family without my amazing mother. Military spouses are what I call silent service members. They may not wear BDUs but they have their own special uniforms. Invisible uniforms. They may not wear ranks or pins. They may not salute. They have never taken an oath to serve the military formally, but they did when they said their marriage vows.
And when their husband or wife goes into battle, so do they and so does their family. They endure the battle of keeping their family strong and positive. And just as their husband or wife spend every day protecting the men and women of our nation, they too set out on a mission of protection. To protect their families, to protect their fellow military spouses, to provide their families a sense of normal. To me, they are the unsung military heroes.
Thank you to all of the military spouses stationed throughout the world. Without you nothing in a military family would ever run smoothly or ever seem normal. Your sons, daughters, spouses and military community owe you everything. You hold us all together. And for that . . . you are our heroes.
*** Please take time to pause and remember all of the military spouses who lost their military service members this year. Thank you for enduring the greatest sacrifice any spouse can endure for our great nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your families today and always. ***
Showing posts with label military families. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military families. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
JetBlue Salutes Our Armed Forces
I'm always a big fan of giving shout outs to companies that give back to our military families. I was very happy to hear today that JetBlue is offering an amazing deal to active duty military throughout the month of May.
In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, JetBlue is offering active duty personnel $1* fares for domestic, nonstop flights, for a limited time, departing from the two JetBlue cities nearest to our nation’s capital: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Dulles, VA, and Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Richmond, VA.
Please click here to see the rules and regulations - including the date parameters. Act fast folks, these $1 deals are going fast.
Additionally, JetBlue is also donating $15,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project to further honor the nation's men and women in uniform.
The Wounded Warrior Project most recently received national attention at the Country Music Awards. They are an amazing non-profit organization that was created to honor and empower wounded warriors.
From military families across the nation, we thank JetBlue from the bottom of our hearts for their amazing deal and generous donation. We also thank the Wounded Warrior Project for helping our most deserving Americans and their families during the hardest times they may ever face.
In honor of National Military Appreciation Month, JetBlue is offering active duty personnel $1* fares for domestic, nonstop flights, for a limited time, departing from the two JetBlue cities nearest to our nation’s capital: Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Dulles, VA, and Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Richmond, VA.
Please click here to see the rules and regulations - including the date parameters. Act fast folks, these $1 deals are going fast.
Additionally, JetBlue is also donating $15,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project to further honor the nation's men and women in uniform.
The Wounded Warrior Project most recently received national attention at the Country Music Awards. They are an amazing non-profit organization that was created to honor and empower wounded warriors.
From military families across the nation, we thank JetBlue from the bottom of our hearts for their amazing deal and generous donation. We also thank the Wounded Warrior Project for helping our most deserving Americans and their families during the hardest times they may ever face.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Stimulus Pkg May Help Military Families Who Are Selling Homes
Ahh, moving. The one word that is at the top of every military brat's minds. Two or three year rotations. Inevitable. Exciting. Difficult. I could go on for hours. If you're in the military, or part of a military family, you truly know the drill. You also may be able to pack up your entire life in less than 24 hrs. We're pros.
With the housing market being the way it is, and the economy seemingly hidding under the world's imaginary covers (I'd hide there too for the record), many military families have begun to dread PCSing. Buying a house at a new station is always a risk, but sometimes that risk pays off, and then again sometimes it doesn't.
For all the families who are looking towards a PCS and have begun planning, here's some positive news I'd like to share from military.com. It's been reported that the new stimulus bill may be helping you out when it comes to selling your homes.
"The stimulus package includes $555 million in aid to compensate military service members who are given orders and must sell their homes for less than market value. The Department of Defense would reimburse the individuals for up to 95 percent of the loss if the homes were purchased before July 1, 2006. The department could also elect to purchase the homes for up to 90 percent of the fair market value."
As of right now, everything is in a holding pattern until the DOD figures out which "value" it uses as a benchmark - in today's market, or the market condition at the time of purchase. This could result in tens of thousands of aid being delivered to our military members who need it most! Fingers crossed, I'm hoping that this helps many of you and maybe even my family who weren't able to sell their home two years ago before PCSing.
With the housing market being the way it is, and the economy seemingly hidding under the world's imaginary covers (I'd hide there too for the record), many military families have begun to dread PCSing. Buying a house at a new station is always a risk, but sometimes that risk pays off, and then again sometimes it doesn't.
For all the families who are looking towards a PCS and have begun planning, here's some positive news I'd like to share from military.com. It's been reported that the new stimulus bill may be helping you out when it comes to selling your homes.
"The stimulus package includes $555 million in aid to compensate military service members who are given orders and must sell their homes for less than market value. The Department of Defense would reimburse the individuals for up to 95 percent of the loss if the homes were purchased before July 1, 2006. The department could also elect to purchase the homes for up to 90 percent of the fair market value."
As of right now, everything is in a holding pattern until the DOD figures out which "value" it uses as a benchmark - in today's market, or the market condition at the time of purchase. This could result in tens of thousands of aid being delivered to our military members who need it most! Fingers crossed, I'm hoping that this helps many of you and maybe even my family who weren't able to sell their home two years ago before PCSing.
Monday, February 2, 2009
New Sesame Workshop for Military Families April 1st
A few days ago the American Forces Press Service announced that the Sesame Workshop is airing a new special on April 1st that is aimed at helping military families cope with changes.
The AFPS reported that, "Actor/singer Queen Latifah and singer John Mayer will join Elmo to present, 'Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change.' The special carries a message for children whose parents suffered a physical or psychological wound in combat."
The show will be about a half an hour and is part of Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen and Connect" program that I have blogged about before. I'm a huge fan of everything that the workshop does, but I must say that their efforts geared towards military brats are by far my favorites.
For this special, Lookalike Products and Worldwide Pants Incorp. helped with the production. Worldwide Pants is actually David Letterman's production company and the late night talk show legend had some wonderful things to say about the military.
"The men and women of our military have made indescribable sacrifices," Mr. Letterman said. "The very least we can do is tell their stories, and to honor the bravery and strength of both the soldiers and their families."
Showtime is 8pm on April 1st - perfect timing if you ask me, as April is the month dedicated to honoring the military child. I'll be tuning in, and even though I have yet to see it, I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to the Sesame Workshop and all involved in the production.
The AFPS reported that, "Actor/singer Queen Latifah and singer John Mayer will join Elmo to present, 'Coming Home: Military Families Cope with Change.' The special carries a message for children whose parents suffered a physical or psychological wound in combat."
The show will be about a half an hour and is part of Sesame Workshop's "Talk, Listen and Connect" program that I have blogged about before. I'm a huge fan of everything that the workshop does, but I must say that their efforts geared towards military brats are by far my favorites.
For this special, Lookalike Products and Worldwide Pants Incorp. helped with the production. Worldwide Pants is actually David Letterman's production company and the late night talk show legend had some wonderful things to say about the military.
"The men and women of our military have made indescribable sacrifices," Mr. Letterman said. "The very least we can do is tell their stories, and to honor the bravery and strength of both the soldiers and their families."
Showtime is 8pm on April 1st - perfect timing if you ask me, as April is the month dedicated to honoring the military child. I'll be tuning in, and even though I have yet to see it, I just want to send out a big THANK YOU to the Sesame Workshop and all involved in the production.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
First Lady Gets Military Families
I'm a fan of www.military.com and try to visit the site at least once or twice a week. On this most historical day, the day that Obama became the nation's 44th president of the United States, I visited the site and came across the First Lady's letter to Americans. I encourage you to read it.
Her letter seemed heartfelt and honest. The part that resonated with me the most was how she stated that she "particularly cherished visits with military families all across the country. And if there's one thing I learned, it's that when our servicemen and women go to war, their families go with them."
Her paragraphs about the military significance to our nation, and how she described our lives rang through to me. I honestly believe that she genuinely gets military families.
"So as I watch Barack take that oath, I'll be thinking especially about those members of our American family who stand guard across the world and the loved ones who await their safe return. Because even as we mark this moment in American history, there still will be empty seats at the dinner table; there still will be spouses struggling to juggle roles and responsibilities; there still will be children who mark the passing of a birthday without Mommy and toddlers who know their father only by a grainy video stream from a far-flung corner of the globe."
As a military brat, I was glad to read that. Whether I'm 12 or 20, my Dad's deployments still feel the same. Here's to hoping that starting today American can turn over a new leaf - - - and begin a new journey.
*the excerpts above were taken from www.military.com*
Her letter seemed heartfelt and honest. The part that resonated with me the most was how she stated that she "particularly cherished visits with military families all across the country. And if there's one thing I learned, it's that when our servicemen and women go to war, their families go with them."
Her paragraphs about the military significance to our nation, and how she described our lives rang through to me. I honestly believe that she genuinely gets military families.
"So as I watch Barack take that oath, I'll be thinking especially about those members of our American family who stand guard across the world and the loved ones who await their safe return. Because even as we mark this moment in American history, there still will be empty seats at the dinner table; there still will be spouses struggling to juggle roles and responsibilities; there still will be children who mark the passing of a birthday without Mommy and toddlers who know their father only by a grainy video stream from a far-flung corner of the globe."
As a military brat, I was glad to read that. Whether I'm 12 or 20, my Dad's deployments still feel the same. Here's to hoping that starting today American can turn over a new leaf - - - and begin a new journey.
*the excerpts above were taken from www.military.com*
Friday, January 9, 2009
US Army Apologizes for "Dear John Doe" Letters
I rarely discuss anything that is overtly negative about the military unless I feel like I can add interesting commentary to it. The truth is, I wouldn't be who I am today had I not been a military brat. And I'm very proud of who I am, and how I got here. And I'm proud of the military heritage our country has.
But I came across a few articles that caused me to sigh - let me tell you about the Army's latest situation.
On Wednesday, the Army formally announced apologies to the 7,000 relatives of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan that received letters addressed to "Dear John Doe."
The letters, which were sent from a contractor, had all the best of intentions. They were to inform these relatives of private organizations that offer assistance to those who have lost relatives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The letters were obviously supposed to have specific and personalized greetings - instead they read "Dear John Doe." To remedy the situation, the Army has publicly apologized and Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, has promised to send a personal letter to each recipient of the improperly addressed correspondence. That's 7,000 personal letters if anyone is counting.
The situation made me pause - I was sad for the families who received the letters but I also feel for the U.S. Army.
If I were to put myself in the shoes of a letter recipient I would have been very shocked. Even if it would have been memo style with the to section reading "To: Relatives and Families of Our Lost Soldiers" I would have been fine. I know there's a lot of soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice. My name is not essentially important to the Army. But "Dear John Doe"? I hope that the recipients did take note that the intentions of the letter were pure, helpful and were meant to be heartwarming. (I read the letter on CNN.com)
If I were the U.S. Army, I'd begin looking for a new contractor. I think they did the right thing by acknowledging their mistake and publicly apologizing to all of the families. I do hope, that Casey does write a personal letter to all of the recipients. But realistically, I know that's 7,000 letters and we're in the middle of a war. But I hope his staff helps and that he gets them out. Soon.
It's hard, in times of war, for everything to run smoothly. Our military - all branches - is stretched thin. It's something that Americans tend to forget. And in the grand scheme of things, it isn't something that should be blown out of proportion. But that's just my opinion.
But I came across a few articles that caused me to sigh - let me tell you about the Army's latest situation.
On Wednesday, the Army formally announced apologies to the 7,000 relatives of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan that received letters addressed to "Dear John Doe."
The letters, which were sent from a contractor, had all the best of intentions. They were to inform these relatives of private organizations that offer assistance to those who have lost relatives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
The letters were obviously supposed to have specific and personalized greetings - instead they read "Dear John Doe." To remedy the situation, the Army has publicly apologized and Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, has promised to send a personal letter to each recipient of the improperly addressed correspondence. That's 7,000 personal letters if anyone is counting.
The situation made me pause - I was sad for the families who received the letters but I also feel for the U.S. Army.
If I were to put myself in the shoes of a letter recipient I would have been very shocked. Even if it would have been memo style with the to section reading "To: Relatives and Families of Our Lost Soldiers" I would have been fine. I know there's a lot of soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice. My name is not essentially important to the Army. But "Dear John Doe"? I hope that the recipients did take note that the intentions of the letter were pure, helpful and were meant to be heartwarming. (I read the letter on CNN.com)
If I were the U.S. Army, I'd begin looking for a new contractor. I think they did the right thing by acknowledging their mistake and publicly apologizing to all of the families. I do hope, that Casey does write a personal letter to all of the recipients. But realistically, I know that's 7,000 letters and we're in the middle of a war. But I hope his staff helps and that he gets them out. Soon.
It's hard, in times of war, for everything to run smoothly. Our military - all branches - is stretched thin. It's something that Americans tend to forget. And in the grand scheme of things, it isn't something that should be blown out of proportion. But that's just my opinion.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Heart the Military
As a military brat, I am ALWAYS a fan of organizations who support the military and I do my best to blog about ones that make me smile.
My parents are stationed at MacDill in Tampa, FL and while I was on my holiday mini-break I unexpectedly got to experience my first NFL game. For the final game of their season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released 250 free tickets for military families and their friends.
My family and a few of our friends went to the game. I must say, I was fairly impressed. With what you ask? Okay, so yes the stadium is amazing and I was floored by their REAL pirate ship . . . but what most impressed me was the love they showed the military members.
The honorary captain of the game was a solider who had just returned from a tour in Iraq. As the national anthem was sung, a giant American flag danced across the field.
On the final note, a military cargo plane and two military choppers graced us with a fly by. The crowd erupted in cheers.
While the Buccs lost the game to the Raiders (it was close though!) the coolest part of the entire experience was hanging out on the pirate ship. My dad's connections got us right up there (yeah for my fam, I love when we get to be VIPs!) and we had an excellent view of the game and even got to throw beads into the crowd.
Here are a few photos from the big game!
The SHIP!
The back of the ship . . .
My boyfriend Dan and I on the ship . . .
My parents on the ship . . .
And here we are tossing beads into the crowd . . .
Many thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You made my first NFL game an amazing experience and you gave 250 military members and their friends a wonderful Christmas present!
My parents are stationed at MacDill in Tampa, FL and while I was on my holiday mini-break I unexpectedly got to experience my first NFL game. For the final game of their season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released 250 free tickets for military families and their friends.
My family and a few of our friends went to the game. I must say, I was fairly impressed. With what you ask? Okay, so yes the stadium is amazing and I was floored by their REAL pirate ship . . . but what most impressed me was the love they showed the military members.
The honorary captain of the game was a solider who had just returned from a tour in Iraq. As the national anthem was sung, a giant American flag danced across the field.
On the final note, a military cargo plane and two military choppers graced us with a fly by. The crowd erupted in cheers.
While the Buccs lost the game to the Raiders (it was close though!) the coolest part of the entire experience was hanging out on the pirate ship. My dad's connections got us right up there (yeah for my fam, I love when we get to be VIPs!) and we had an excellent view of the game and even got to throw beads into the crowd.
Here are a few photos from the big game!
The SHIP!
The back of the ship . . .
My boyfriend Dan and I on the ship . . .
My parents on the ship . . .
And here we are tossing beads into the crowd . . .
Many thanks to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You made my first NFL game an amazing experience and you gave 250 military members and their friends a wonderful Christmas present!
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