Posts Tagged military family
Military Mom Talks About Changes, Challenges
Posted by in Family Matters on April 21, 2011
April 21, 2011
Army reservist Amy McLaughlin had a lot to handle over the course of one year. She and her husband separated, she had to move her family across country, and her son was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.
Fortunately, she said, her children have one of the traits so common among military kids: resilience.
Read about Amy’s challenges and the strength that enables her to overcome them in her article, “Changes and Challenges Create Army Strong Kids.”
For more posts like this, visit Family Matters Blog, or check it out on Facebook or Twitter.
Mrs. Petraeus Seeks Financial Feedback
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on March 3, 2011
By Elaine Wilson
March 3, 2011
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
I was a young airman when I fell for my first scam. I was seeking a loan to purchase some furniture – my credit cards were all maxed – and spotted an ad in the local newspaper.It drew me like a beacon, advertising quick and easy loans to people with shaky credit histories. I figured I could score some cash with minimal stress and pay it back with a military allotment.
I called and gave them my personal information and then was told, since my credit score wasn’t the best, that I’d have to send in a lump sum before I’d be granted the loan. I don’t recall the exact amount, but it was at least $500.I sent the money off and waited to hear from the loan company — and waited, and waited. After a few weeks, I called the number again and it was disconnected. No loan and my money was long gone.
I beat myself up over that incident but eventually chalked it up to a lesson learned. I would go on to chase money down several other financial rabbit holes over the years, but along the way, I gained some wisdom and a new outlook on financial well-being.It seems as if shady creditors and scammers are more prevalent now than ever before, with the Internet serving as a hotbed of scamming opportunity. But fortunately, the government is stepping up measures to combat this trend.
This summer, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will formally stand up to “make sure consumers have the information they need to choose the consumer financial products and services that are best for them,” according to its website.
Within that bureau, the Office of Servicemember Affairs also will stand up to educate and protect military members and their families from financial setbacks.
The office will be headed up by Holly Petraeus, wife of Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read the rest of this entry »
VA Launches New Program to Help Caregivers
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on February 12, 2011
Carol L. Bowers
carol.bowers.ctr@dma.mil
Feb. 12, 2011
If you had a number you could call to assist you, as a caregiver in a military family, would you use it? The Department of Veterans Affairs hopes you will. The VA is encouraging family members, loved ones, or anyone who provides care for veterans coping with the effects of war, disability, chronic illness, or aging, to call the VA’s toll-free National Caregiver Support Line at 1-855-260-3274.
This is the VA’s first in a series of new and enhanced services supporting family caregivers under the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Service Act of 2010 signed by President Barack Obama in May 2010.
Read more about the National Caregiver Support Line.
Also be sure to check out the American Forces Press Service article “VA Provides Benefits to Veterans’ Caregivers.”
Blogger Attends Landmark Family Support Effort
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on January 25, 2011
By Elaine Wilson
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Jan. 25, 2011
Yesterday was a landmark day for military family support and I was proud to be a small part of it.
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, unveiled a new, whole-of-government approach to family support (read full report here), with agencies uniting to create new resources and programs to improve families’ well-being and quality of life.
These programs will address everything from health care to spouse employment to childcare – all of the issues so pressing for our military families.
When I was asked to report on it, I figured I’d be watching the coverage along with everyone else on TV. But instead, I was asked to cover it from the White House. I’ve been there a few times, but I have to admit it’s always a thrill to go. As I walked through the front door, mashed a bit in the mad rush of reporters to get in out of the cold, I felt fortunate to be a part of this historic announcement.
I stood on a platform in the back of the East Room — lavish in gold accents with ornate chandeliers – and watched as VIPs packed the room. I immediately spotted top Defense Department officials in the crowd, including Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Dr. Biden, a military mom and longtime military family advocate, was the first to speak. “Today is an important next step in this administration’s commitment to support our [service members], their families and our members,” she told the audience.
“Michelle and I have talked a lot about the ways that all Americans can support our troops and thank those men and women for their service,” she added. “Today, we will highlight the efforts of the federal government to support our nation’s military families.”
Dr. Biden then introduced the first lady, whose sincere desire to help military families was evident in her words. (Read Dr. Biden’s blog about the event.) Read the rest of this entry »
Agencies Join Together to Support Military Families
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on January 24, 2011
By Elaine Wilson
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Jan. 24, 2011
Robert L. Gordon III is the deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy. In this Family Matters guest blog, Mr. Gordon shares details of the partnership federal agencies are forming as part of an unprecedented government effort to provide better military family support.
President Barack Obama today announced the findings of a study which identifies an enduring, government-wide approach to enhance the resilience of military families and to help them better navigate the unique aspects of military life by:
- Enhancing the well-being and psychological health of the military family
- Ensuring excellence in military children’s education and their development
- Developing career and educational opportunities for military spouses
- Increasing child care availability and quality for the Armed Forces
President Obama commissioned the study last spring, led by the National Security Staff with participation by every cabinet agency, to identify and address the most pressing family issues. Presidential Study Directive-9 (PSD-9) is the culmination of the effort.
PSD-9 outlines agency commitments to create an integrated, sustainable government support structure for military families that is coordinated with and enhanced by efforts of non-profit organizations, commercial industry, and the general public in our communities. This commitment extends to all who serve – more than 2.2 million Americans serving on active duty, including the National Guard and Reserve members who are geographically dispersed.
Our nation now nears its 10th year of combat. Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than two million troops have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Fifty-five percent of the force is married and 40 percent have two children. Only 37 percent of our families live on military installations; the remaining 63 percent live in thousands of communities nationwide. Read the rest of this entry »
Operation Homefront Helps Indiana Families
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on December 17, 2010
Throughout the year, Operation Homefront provides emergency financial and other relief to the nation’s servicemembers and wounded warriors.
Recently, the group’s Indiana chapter arranged for Santa Claus to pay an early visit to the families of the 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Headquarters Company at Tyndall Armory in Indianapolis.
Read about the party, and what it meant to these families, in the article “Santa Visits Troops, Family Members for Operation Homefront.”
First Lady Vows Support for Military Families
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on July 7, 2010
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
July 7, 2010
After my whirlwind weekend in Iraq with Dr. Jill Biden that I shared in my last blog, I walked away with an even deeper appreciation for her efforts to support our troops and their families.
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, visits with airmen on the flightline at Baghdad International Airport before departing Iraq, July 5, 2010. The Bidens spent Fourth of July weekend visiting U.S. troops and senior Iraqi leaders in Iraq. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson
At every step of the way, Dr. Biden had a kind word or hug for a servicemember, and she encouraged troops to share their concerns with her, especially regarding family issues, so she and First Lady Michelle Obama could take action.
“It’s nice to hear what you’re experiencing, what we can help you with, what [First Lady] Michelle [Obama] and I should be working,” she told a group of Texas Army National Guard soldiers during a roundtable discussion. “We want to support you and hear what you have to say, and work on the issues that affect you and your families.” Read the rest of this entry »
Blogger Joins Dr. Biden Visiting Troops in Iraq
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on July 6, 2010
My Independence Day Weekend in Iraq With Dr. Biden
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
July 6, 2010
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
It was the day before the long, Fourth of July weekend and I already was in holiday mode. My stepdaughter, who lives in Texas, was in town, and I was planning to load all of my children up and head to the beach where I intended to lounge for three days. I was counting down the minutes until my weekend could begin.
But then my office phone rang with an irresistible offer. I was invited to accompany Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, to Iraq and write about Dr. Biden’s time there. I am an admirer of Dr. Biden and her support of military families, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to spend time with her.
Plus, I had always wanted go to this specific locale. Although I had traveled the world with the Air Force, I had never been to Iraq.
I broke the news to my family – who were surprisingly supportive — and the next day I was sitting in a plane, sandwiched in between reporters from Fox News and Politico. Fifteen hours and a stop in Germany later, and I was in Baghdad. I stepped off the plane and into the sweltering summer heat of Iraq. The temperature was expected to top out at 115, then cool down to a balmy 90 degrees at night, according to my iPhone.
That night was a blur, filled with briefings and meetings, and massive jet lag. We stayed in trailers on Camp Victory. I was disappointed at first that it wasn’t a private room – I had three roommates – and the bathroom was down a dimly lit rocky trail. But then I remembered the troops here, living in austere conditions nightly, and felt guilty for being so spoiled.
Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, speaks with soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team during an Independence Day barbecue on Camp Victory, Iraq, July 4, 2010. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson
The next morning, I had the privilege of attending a naturalization ceremony for more than 150 servicemembers in Al Faw Palace, breathtaking in its marble-laden, extravagantly decorated beauty. The Bidens and Army Gen. Raymond Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, presided over the ceremony.
The front rows were filled with servicemembers from every branch and representing more than 50 countries. And the room was packed with troops – peering out from second and third floor balconies — eager to support their fellow servicemembers for their accomplishment in becoming U.S. citizens. But also, I suspect, to catch a glimpse of the vice president and his wife.
The ceremony was moving, and after the troops took their citizenship oath, the audience’s applause easily filled the cavernous room.
The Bidens then stopped by the Oasis Dining Facility on Camp Victory. They circled the crowded room, taking time to speak to troops and civilians, never turning down a photo request. And when a soldier admired her high-heeled shoes, Dr. Biden took one off and held it up in their photo together. Read the rest of this entry »
Remembering the Fourth of July
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on July 2, 2010
Heather Forsgren Weaver, a colleague of mine at American Forces Press Service, is a regular contributor to Family Matters. Heather’s been heavily involved in this blog from the start. She edits, helps write and posts content on a daily basis.
Fireworks burst over Yokota Air Base, Japan, July 4, 2009. The 374th Force Support Squadron provided Yokota residents and their guests with live entertainment, food and fireworks during the celebration. U.S. Air Force photo by Osakabe Yasuo
In this blog, Heather remembers past Independence Days, including those spent on an Army fort watching fireworks, and asks everyone to take a moment to thank the servicemembers who sacrifice to protect our freedom.
Fireworks Memories on at Fort Myer, Va.
By Heather Forsgren Weaver
July 2, 2010
From the first anniversary of Independence Day in 1777 to the present, Americans have taken time out on July 4th to remember the sacrifices our troops have made to protect our liberty. Americans will celebrate with parades, picnics and my personal favorite – FIREWORKS!
I love the colors and the magic of fireworks. I admit I am not very fond of the loud sounds they make, so I prefer to watch them from a distance.
During the 1990s, I found the perfect place to enjoy the spectacular Washington, D.C., fireworks without having to hear them or sit out all day in the heat and humidity. Overlooking the Potomac River, with a perfect view of the Washington Monument sits what used to be known simply as Fort Myer, Va. (It’s now called Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.)
Most of the people viewing the D.C. fireworks from Fort Myer’s grounds were from military families and it was interesting to learn where they were from and various places they had been stationed. In that pre-9/11 world, the thought of far-off fighting was a distant memory. Read the rest of this entry »
Son Presents the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on May 7, 2010
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
May 7, 2010
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
My husband asked me what I’d like for Mother’s Day this year. Without a moment’s hesitation I blurted out, “Someone to clean my house.”
Between a busy job and three kids, my daily housekeeping definitely has fallen by the wayside. I cringe each time I walk into my bathroom and see the spots of mildew in my tile grout or the pile of discarded clothes in my bedroom that I tried on and then dismissed as unsuitable for work that day.
The thought of someone taking the grunge work off of my hands was heavenly. As I sat on my couch, dreaming of a spick-and-span house wafting with lemon-scented cleaner, my son suddenly startled me out of my clean house fantasy.
“Here’s your Mother’s Day gift,” he said, handing me a handmade paper box filled with glitter “because you’re so sparkly.” He looked at me expectantly. He had been so eager to give me his gift that he couldn’t wait for the weekend.
I was touched by my 6-year-old’s efforts. This is a boy who has trouble staying focused on eating his dinner, let alone on an intricate project like this.
“It’s wonderful,” I told him sincerely, promising to put all of my special things in it. Read the rest of this entry »