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.

Pentagon Lifts Media Ban on Coffin Photos

About an hour ago MSNBC reported that the Pentagon has lifted the media ban on coffin photos of our fallen military members. I will not restate on how I feel - I've already done that in a prior post.

Apparently, the families will now be allowed to decide if the media can photograph their loved one's homecomings.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the announcement today.

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Country Superstars to Play on European Bases

Ah, I love it when musicians show love to military members and their families. Especially when those members are overseas. I remember seeing countless Tops In Blue shows growing up and it was a night I always looked forward to - and the stars were all military personnel who never landed on the Billboard charts.

Today I learned that a favorite group of mine (besides Tops In Blue) will be heading to Europe next month and is taking time to stop at few military bases!

Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush) is a hot item in the country music arena and we've seen them on every awards show in the last few years - performing, attending due to nominations and even taking home a few sweet awards. They just won a Grammy! In the last two years they've seemingly exploded onto the scene and the fan base has swelled.

So to all those stationed in Europe, here's a listing of where they're stopping:

March 6 - Aviano Air Base, Italy (7pm)
March 7 - Naval Air Station Sigonella (9pm)
March 8 - Naval Support Activity Naples (7pm)
March 14 - Ramstein Air Base, Germany (7pm)

As always, the concerts on base are open to all military id card holders and are free. First come, first serve.

I hope that those concerts bring a big smile to all of the attendees faces. Being stationed overseas can make you physically ache for the U.S. and you guys so deserve a piece of home - even if it's in the form of a concert.

Special thanks to Sugarland for giving their time, talent and tunes to the military community stationed in Europe!!! The military community hearts you and "all they want to do-ooo-ooo-oo" is listen to YOU! ;)

Navy Seeks Home for 2 Secret Vessels - Seriously. Want It?

So, the Navy has a pair of top secret vessels that it no longer wants to keep . . . but wants someone else to put it on display. Is that someone you?

In today's WSJ, an article appeared on the front page by Barry Newman that talked about the vessels.

Here are the lines that made me smile . . .

"One is called Sea Shadow. It's big, black and looks like a cross between a Stealth fighter and a Batmobile. It was made to escape detection on the open sea. The other is known as the Hughes (as in Howard Hughes) Mining Barge. It looks like a floating field house, with an arching roof and a door that is 76 feet wide and 72 feet high. Sea Shadow berths inside the barge, which keeps it safely hidden from spy satellites. The barge, by the way, is the only fully submersible dry dock ever built, making it very handy -- as it was 35 years ago -- for trying to raise a sunken nuclear-armed Soviet submarine."

Stealth fighter and a Batmobile. Nice. I love the way that Newman wrote this piece. I wonder if the Navy gave him the description or if he came up with it on his own.

For the record, if I had space in my front yard, I'd totally bring these bad boys home. And take good care of them of course. I wonder who will end up with them? Whoever does, I'd pay to tour them!

Farmer of Dead South Korean Rabbits Wants Money from USAF

Okay, it's Friday and for that I am very happy, but the topic of the post is in fact REAL. This story so warrants a Friday afternoon.

In the Pacific edition of Saturday's Stars and Stripes an article titled, Korean farmer: Jet noise killed 100,000 rabbits, will appear. I kid. You. Not.

For the record, I've been to South Korea plenty of times. But I've never seen a rabbit. Ever.

The article states that "thousands of bunnies in Kunsan have literally been scared to death by aircraft noise, according to rabbit farmer Lee Ho-kyung."

And for his losses this farmer wants to get paid. By the USAF. Here's the deal - he's had a 17 year run of raising rabbits and his farm is very close to the 8th Fighter Wing's runway. (It should be noted that South Korea’s 38th Fighter Group also shares this runway.) And in those 17 years, according to him, he's lost 100,000.

He's quoted in the article saying that the "infertility rates are up 30 percent" among his rabbits and that the "mother rabbits kill and eat their babies right after the babies are born because of the piercing noises from U.S. aircrafts."

Lee has filed a compliant and requested 250,000,000 Korean won (about $170,000) to cover the cost of relocating his farm.

I can only say one thing. Wow. That's it. Oh, and this is crazy! Just thought I'd bring some entertaining reading your way to help brighten your Friday. For the military folks handling this case, I'm quite sorry. While I know that keeping a positive relationship with our host nations is of the utmost importance, this case seems a little far fetched to me. Show me the study on how US aircraft jet noise causes bunnies to eat their babies and then I'll take you seriously.

**Disclaimer: for the record, I like bunnies and want them to be healthy. . . not eaten by their mamas**

OH, and on a final note don't forget to tune in tomorrow for Taking Chance - HBO's nod to military escort duty. Unfortunately, I will not be home to watch it but can't wait to hear what you think! Happy Weekend!

17,000 Additional Troops to Head to Afghanistan

If there's one thing I've heard often recently, it has been that critics have deemed Afghanistan as "Obama's war." That statement rang loud and clear this week.

Yesterday Army Gen. David McKiernan, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, let his thoughts be known about the military efforts in southern Afghanistan and warned that the 17,000 new troops that will be deplying to the region(Army and Marine forces) will "take on emboldened Taliban insurgents who have 'stalemated' U.S. and allied forces."

These comments come on the wake of President Barack Obama's approval (announced Tuesday) to have additional troops begin deploying this spring.

McKiernan also said that the new and elevated troop level of 55,000 soldiers many be in for a long haul - five years to be exact - and that that number is around only two-thirds what he's requested to help him get a handle on the region.

To hear what McKienan had to say during his press conference at the Pentagon click here.

Military Pen Pals Are the BEST

To know me is to know that I love the Today Show. Seriously, I do.

This morning, as I pulled up the home page something made me smile. There was a Marine, with the caption "I love you too buddy."

I've placed the segment below for you to watch. It's about a little boy who had some trouble mastering reading and writing. His mom was looking for a creative way to encourage him and decided to work with the Adopt a US Soldier organization. Her son was assigned Marine pen pal Gy Sgt Balthazar Pineda who is currently in Iraq.

Their correspondence has made a true difference in this little boys life and the Today Show brought the mother and son on live today to share their story. The family explained how they have never met Pineda. He is still in Iraq and hopes to return home in a few months. He promised the family that they could meet when he returns.

Well in true Today Show fashion, the family got a fantastic surprise today. Pineda was patched in live from Iraq and the pen pals were able to meet for the first time via satellite.

It was a great moment. The boy was in complete shock. All he could say was how much he loved Pineda. Pineda responded, "I love you too buddy." :)

I think it's evident that the pen pal arrangement has also made a difference in Pineda's life as well. He has his own family and his own daughters, but I think that he saw the opportunity to make an impact in this little boy's life, and that makes him proud.

My favorite part of the segment - well besides the actual meeting, had to be the video of the school children creating care packages to send to our men and women in Iraq. That made my heart smile. If you'd like to help send some good cheer and support to our troops in Iraq visit the Adopt a US Soldier website, the Treats for Our Troops website, or visit a personal favorite of mine - the USO.

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