Operation Military Kids

Remember when summer camp meant being bussed to a lake surrounded by cabins; where you would participate in arts-and-crafts; learn how to paddle a canoe; and stuff your face with s’mores? Nowadays, there seems to be a specialized camp for everything and everyone. From Space Camp to Weight Loss Camp, Foreign Language Camp to Bible Camp and now… Military Camp. Before you get the wrong idea, this camp is not a place parents send their wayward children, rather it is a summer camp program specifically designed for youngsters whose parents are heading off to war. Its official name is: Operation … Continue reading →

Military Life: Another Take on Reunions

Congratulations on the safe return of your loved one. As much as you are overjoyed by his (or her) safe return, it is not uncommon to also feel a bit apprehensive just before you reunite with your spouse after a long separation. It helps to prepare yourself for your loved one’s return and to give yourself, and your spouse, some time to become reacquainted. While not every couple suffers from these concerns, and it isn’t frequently discussed, it happens more than you might think. It also happens to couples in other types of long distance relationships and in marriages where … Continue reading →

5 Things You Should Know Before Attending an Air Force Function

1. Is it formal, semi-formal or battle dress? If it is formal, your escort will wear a Mess Dress which is the Air Force version of a tuxedo. You will need to wear a full-length gown (ladies) or a tuxedo (men). If semi-formal, your escort will be wearing their dress blues with the appropriate semi-formal white shirt. You should wear a tea-length dress (ladies, day or evening), a cocktail dress (ladies, evening) or a suit and tie (men). If you are attending a battle dress function (which is rare) wear something that you feel comfortable crawling across the floor in … Continue reading →

3 Things a Military Spouse Needs to Know

So you’ve married into the military, huh? As an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force and an Air Force wife for seven years, I feel qualified to tell you a few things. Today, I plan to tell you about the three magic things you need to know: your spouse’s rank, unit and duty phone number. There is no doubt about it. You must know all three of these things. Rank is everything in the military and knowing it can save you and other people a great deal of time and energy. Rank can also make the difference between cashing … Continue reading →

Keep Math Skills Up Over The Summer

As a military spouse, you are often effectively a single mother (um, or father) — worse, you’re deployed away from supportive grandparents, siblings, and friends. That means when the military member is deployed, it’s totally up to you to keep often-unmotivated kids’ educational skills up over the summer. Most parents do this by using the summer reading list sent home by the teacher, and according to statistics and testing they do a great job (national pat-on-the-back). However, teachers don’t tell you to teach math. Math is where America lags the most, and kids lose more and more math skills over … Continue reading →

Military, Love, and Distance

If you ever fall in love with someone in the military, chances are good you will be separated at some point. My husband and I met two and a half weeks before he to move to Pensacola, Florida – a seven-hour drive from Memphis, where I lived. We then decided to try to do the long distance thing. Once a month, one of us would try to drive to the other’s home. We did this for three years. Because I had a job where I could take vacation time whenever I wanted, usually I did the traveling. But, before you … Continue reading →

My Life as a Military Wife

I apologize for the dorky title, but since I am new to the military blog, I thought I might tell you a little about myself. I am an older military wife. I met my wonderful Marine husband when I was 32 years old and we married when I was 37. I grew up with a few military members in my family. My aunt married a sailor, but they lived in Virginia, so I only saw my Uncle on holidays. My dad’s half brother was a Marine in World War II at Iwo Jima, but he was about 20 years older … Continue reading →

Controlling Stress During a Posting

As of late I have taken on a new role in life. With this new role comes the title “Pawn in the real estate waiting game”; a title I am not the least bit fond of. My husband and I have been posted to another military base and are currently waiting for our house to sell so that we can move on to the next phase of our journey that we have taken to calling “that darned house hunting trip.” Our last posting was five years ago and in retrospect we went through all the same anxiety ridden stages that … Continue reading →

Job Hunting For Military Spouses

Being posted along with your military spouse to a new city or town usually means you’ll be job hunting soon. It can be stressful and frustrating to leave a familiar job, especially if it’s a job you love, and have to hit the pavement again in search of a new one. Thankfully, the Canadian military offers resources to aid military spouses in their job hunting endeavors. Through the Winnipeg Military Family Resource Center’s website I found some handy Internet gems that can help educate you in terms of getting back into the work force after an absence as well as … Continue reading →

Helping Children Deal With Postings

Being posted to another military base can be an emotional roller coaster to even the heartiest of military families. My husband and I have been through two major postings in the last five years and with each one come pros and cons, sadness and joy. Our current posting, which has our family moving back “home” to Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a welcome one. Unlike our move to the Trenton Air Force base, we are moving closer to family and friends and back into familiar territory. My husband is fine with the move, I’m overjoyed at the thought of moving back but … Continue reading →