Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a Military Spouse

February 12, 2020 by Wayne Everhart Leave a Comment

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Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a Military Spouse

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and if your loved on is deployed, you may feel a bit down or defeated this month. It is hard to think about spending the holiday of love without your loved one, but there are ways to embrace the holiday even if your spouse is overseas.

Try to use the holiday as a time to show your other family and friends how much you love and appreciate them. Valentine’s Day is not limited to love between partners but can be extended to all family and friends. Here are some ways to make love day fun while your spouse is away:

Bake Up a Storm! Get your family together and back some tasty treats. Spend quality time with your children and bake cookies or cupcakes for Valentine’s Day. These cookies will make delicious gifts for friends, family and care packages for your spouse that is deployed.

Get Creative: Homemade Cards Say I Love you! Grab the scissors, construction paper, family photos and glue and make a classic homemade card to say I love you to your spouse. You can also create a cute e-card to save on postage.

Go Out (or stay in) with Friends. No one says you have to stay in alone on Valentine’s Day. Grab your best friends, other military spouses, and get dolled up for a night out at a local happy hour, live music show, or a nice dinner. You can also stay in and host a pot luck dinner with other military families.

Love Yourself: Have a “Me” Day. Give yourself a day to enjoy some “me” time. Go for a hike and get some fresh air, ride a bike around the neighborhood, pamper yourself at a spa, or get a relaxing manicure. Treat yourself to some much-needed R&R and show yourself some love.

Whatever you do, resist the urge to curl up on the couch feeling miserable. It is easy to get down during Valentine’s Day if your loved one is deployed. Remember that your family and friends are there to support you and are most likely feeling it too if they have loved ones also deployed. Reach out and enjoy the day in a different way.

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Honor A Military Family This Valentine’s Day

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Celebrating the USO for More Than 7 Decades

February 3, 2020 by Wayne Everhart Leave a Comment

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Celebrating the USO for More Than 7 Decades

The United Service Organizations (USO) has been an important part of military life for over seven decades. The agency is a private, non-profit organization that works with the Department of Defense (DOD) to offer help for military families including being an emergency contact resource for troops overseas. Family members can contact troops stationed overseas through the USO and get financial help with travel and funeral arrangements. When the USO was formed, organizers wanted to use the organization to put together programs, events and services to boost the morale of the troops while also promoting American involvement in WWII. As the years progressed, the traveling USO show performing at locations where soldiers are deployed proved to be a huge success. The USO has roots in six separate organizations including the Salvation Army, YMCA, YWCA, Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and the National Jewish Welfare Board. These agencies have all combined resources to start the USO and continue to provide benefits to troops and their families.

This year we celebrate the USO on February 4, 2020.

During the month of February, the USO will organize different activities and events to honor its rich history. Military bases in over 200 locations will have their own local activities to honor the organization. You can participate in your own celebration by attending a USO sponsored event at a military base, USO location, etc. You can also volunteer your time, donate money or participate in hosting an event. All donations to the USO are tax deductible and help the USO continue to provide much needed services to the troops and their families.

Has the USO supported you? Share a comment and tell us your story.

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Staying Connected After Transition – Don’t Lose Your Military Community

January 27, 2020 by Wayne Everhart Leave a Comment

Staying Connected After Transition – Don’t Lose Your Military Community

Retiring from active duty and moving to a non-military area can often leave you feeling a sense of loss. It can be hard to be removed from the military family you grew so close to during the time your spouse or loved one was serving in an armed force. It is important to regain the connection after transitioning to civilian life.

You can continue your connection to the military through volunteer work with organizations like the National Military Family Association (NMFA) or the VA. You may not be personally involved in daily life on base, but you can be a member of several online communities for former members of the armed forces or military spouses. It is important to stay in touch with friends who are still active duty and be available to act as a resource for those also going through the transition of retirement.

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Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Day of Service

January 20, 2020 by Wayne Everhart Leave a Comment

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Day of Service

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is now synonymous with the MLK Day of Service. This January 20, 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the life and legacy of the Civil Rights leader. Known as “a day on, not a day off,” The Corporation for national and Community Service designated MLK Day to be the only federal holiday to serve as a national day of service where each and every America is encouraged to volunteer their time to improve their communities.

For those in active duty, individual military commands, bases and individual units honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in many ways. Remembrance activities may include awareness campaigns at the command or unit level and the Department of Defense (DOD) produces and distributes newsletters and articles recognizing Martin Luther King, Jr. for all of his accomplishments. Special events, fundraising drives, and remembrance ceremonies may also be held to commemorate Dr. King’s birthday.

If you would like to participate in the day of service on MLK Day, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved.

Dr. King said “Everyone can be great because everybody can serve.” Observing the federal holiday through service is a way to show your commitment to making your community a better place and honors what Dr. King fought so hard to achieve. Visit www.nationalservice.gov/serve to find service opportunities in your community.

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Pre-and Post-Deployment Anxiety: How to Deal

January 13, 2020 by Wayne Everhart Leave a Comment

Pre-and Post-Deployment Anxiety: How to Deal

If you are a military spouse, changes are you have felt some level of stress and anxiety when your husband or wife is about to be deployed for several months to a year. There are several tips and tricks you can teach yourself to help with the feelings of emptiness and unknown.

Keep Yourself Busy!

You can have fun while they are away. Plan weekend activities with friends and family so you always have something to look forward to.

Get Sleep

It is important to get make sure you get enough sleep, especially during times of stress and high levels of anxiety. Implementing a regular exercise routine and eating healthy will help you get the much-needed rest you need to keep anxiety at bay. Sleeping better means being more present and centered while you are awake, and a clearer mind means less worry.

Take some time for yourself

Set aside time specifically for yourself. Take a hot bath, read a book, spend time outside in nature. Acknowledging your thoughts of stress and anxiety is not a bad thing, but they are not meant to consume you. Take note they are there and how they make you feel and then move on with your day and do not forget to treat yourself well.

Remember that it will all be “Normal” Again

It is easy to feel like you are sitting around waiting for your life to resume while your loved one is away, but life is still going on all around you. Allow yourself to participate and enjoy life.

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Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a Military Spouse

Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a Military Spouse

Honor A Military Family This Valentine’s Day

Celebrating the USO for More Than 7 Decades

Celebrating the USO for More Than 7 Decades

This year we celebrate the USO on February 4, 2020.

Has the USO supported you? Share a comment and tell us your story.

Staying Connected After Transition – Don’t Lose Your Military Community

Staying Connected After Transition – Don’t Lose Your Military Community

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Day of Service

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a Day of Service

Pre-and Post-Deployment Anxiety: How to Deal

Pre-and Post-Deployment Anxiety: How to Deal

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