http://www.health.mil/blog/10-06-24/Family_Resiliency_Webinar.aspx.

Providing policy, tools, and resources to further enhance the quality of life of service members and their families.

This Week in MC&FP May 6, 2011

___________________________________

Today, our nation reflects on the significant contributions and sacrifices our military

spouses make. Some servicemembers will tell you that every day should be „military spouse appreciation

day,‟ and quite honestly, we don‟t disagree. We believe, however, that it is quite fitting that our country

takes the time to honor and celebrate the strength, patriotism and support of the wives and husbands of our

service men and women. Thank you for your service!

Have a good week and take care.

Please note: Some hyperlinks in this text are lengthy, sometimes extending more than one line. For best

results, cut and paste the entire link into your Web browser.

From the White House

Presidential Proclamation – Military Spouse Appreciation Day

Military spouses serve as steady and supportive partners to the heroes in uniform who protect and

defend our great Nation every day. Across America and around the world, military spouses serve our

country in their own special way, helping families and friends through the stress of a deployment,

caring for our wounded warriors, and supporting each other when a loved one has made the ultimate

sacrifice.

Our service members and their families seldom ask for support or recognition. They carry out their

duties to family and country with the quiet courage and strength that has always exemplified the

American spirit. On Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we have an opportunity to not only honor the

husbands and wives of our service members, but also thank them by actively expressing our gratitude

in both word and deed. For the full proclamation, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-

office/2011/05/05/presidential-proclamation-military-spouse-appreciation-day

From the DASD, Robert L. Gordon III

Today is an extremely meaningful day for the entire military community: Military Spouse

Appreciation Day. It provides an opportunity for all of us to take time to truly reflect on what it means

to be a military spouse and just how important our spouses are not only to our families, but to each

Service‟s mission readiness as well. Today, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to supporting and

honoring all of our military spouses. To read the complete blog post, see

http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/05/today-is-military-spouse-appreciation-day/

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From DoDEA

President Obama Recognizes DoDEA’s Teacher of the Year, Angelica Jordan, Others

DoDEA joined schools around the country along with the National Parent Teacher Association in

recognizing the nation's teachers during National Teacher Appreciation Week. DoDEA's teacher of

the year, Angelica Jordan, was recognized with teachers of the year from across the nation when

President Barack Obama thanked them for their service at a ceremony at the White House. During

this week-long celebration, parents and students have the opportunity to thank teachers for the hard

work they do each day to make public schools great for every child.

DoDEA Teachers Selected for Presidential Award for Excellence in Math, Science Education

Two DoDEA teachers have been selected as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for

Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Erika Meadows, from Hohenfels, Germany,

received the math award and Lisa Zimmerman, also from Hohenfels, Germany, received the science

award. President Barack Obama announced the 85 mathematics and science teachers selected last

week. All of the educators will receive their awards in Washington, D.C., later this year.

Heidelberg H.S. Student Places Third at National Junior Science and Humanities Competition

DoDEA student Kevin Burdge from Heidelberg High School in Heidelberg, Germany, placed third

at the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in Physics. Burdge entered the

competition with his project, “Holographically Computing the Entanglement Entropy of an Annulus

in a Strongly Coupled Conformal Field Theory." Awards were presented at the U.S. Army, Navy,

and Air Force sponsored 49th national symposium, held April 27 – May 1, in San Diego, Calif.

The symposium challenges students in grades 9-12 in science, technology, engineering or

mathematics. Individual students compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the

results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers. The

National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium is sponsored by the research arm of DoD and

administered in cooperation with nationwide colleges and universities. See

http://www.jshs.org/winners.html

From the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Office

Members of Congress, Staffers Visit the Armed Forces Retirement Home

On May 2, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy

hosted Representative Joe Wilson (R-2nd-SC) and staffers for a visit of the AFRH in Washington,

DC. Rep. Wilson is Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Military Personnel

Subcommittee which has oversight of MWR and Military Resale matters. Acting CEO,

Mr. Steve McManus provided an overview briefing of the sites in both Washington, D.C., and

Gulfport, Miss., to include legislative proposals affecting the facilities, site design, planned

construction, sustainment efforts, and property/land use issues. Rep. Wilson was particularly

interested in the history behind the home, the capacity at both sites, and future plans for

construction and use of the property.

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P a g e 3

From the Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth

Military OneSource Webinars – May Schedule Focuses on Military Spouse Employment

Webinars are Web-based training sessions using teleconference audio and the Internet to deliver an

interactive seminar. All posted times are listed in Eastern Daylight Savings Time. For more

information, see http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/OnlineCommunity/Webinars.aspx

The Spouse Career Center: Your Success Is Our Mission

Friday, May 20, 201, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time

Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time

Achieving your career and educational goals when you move frequently can be a challenge.

Whether you're changing jobs because of PCS or starting a new career, we can help you and

your family prepare for the changes ahead. Let Military OneSource help smooth the way with

information about portable work options, flexible college options, licensing, and where to find

job postings.

Join us for an overview of the Military OneSource Spouse Career Center services. Learn about

who we serve, the assistance we can provide, and the benefits of working with a Spouse Career

Center consultant as you move ahead in your education and career goals.

Business Opportunity, Employment, and Work-at-Home Scams

Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time

Make money in your bathrobe! Earn $100,000 a year in your spare time! Sound too good to be

true? Well, it is. In this webinar, Federal Trade Commission attorney Carol Kando-Pineda

shows you how to recognize scams that promise to find you a job, promise you‟ll make money,

but end up costing you instead.

On the Hunt: Exploring Employment Opportunities Through USA Jobs

Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time

As a military spouse, you often find yourself living on or near installations that employ federal

civil servants. You, too, could be one and land a federally appropriated or non-appropriated job

through USA Jobs, the official job site for the United States Federal Government. Using your

Military Spouse Preference to get your foot in the door of Federal Civil Service Employment,

you could be eligible for priority placement and/or military spouse preference. Portability is of

key importance. If you work for the government, you might be able to transfer from your

present position to a position at your spouse's new duty station.

Join as we discuss navigating and exploring your employment opportunities at

http://www.USAJobs.com. USA Jobs contains listings for all available government jobs. You

can submit your resume and apply online.

For more information on these and other upcoming Webinars, see

http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/OnlineCommunity/Webinars.aspx

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P a g e 4

From the Office of Community Support for Military Families with Special Needs

Isabel Hodge to Conduct an ‘Autism NOW’ Webinar Thursday, May 12th

Isabel Hodge will conduct an Autism NOW (http://autismnow.org) Webinar entitled "Military

Families and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Presentation on the Unique Challenges and Services

Available to Military Families," on Thursday, May 12, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Isabel will

discuss the unique challenges that military families who have loved ones on the autism spectrum or

with other intellectual/developmental disabilities face and the services available to families. To

register, see https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/schedule/display.do?udc=txscn2v7wdw7. Space is

limited, so register early. Autism NOW is a national initiative of The Arc and is funded by the

Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Developmental Disabilities.

From the Resale and NAF Policy Office

Commissary On-Site Sale Events The Guard/Reserve On-site Sales Program provides the commissary benefit to deserving

Guard/Reserve members and their families who live in areas that aren‟t close to an existing

commissary store. These sales are not only for the Guard and Reserve – they're for any authorized

shopper. Currently, there are no on-site sales for online ordering. For more information, visit

http://www.commissaries.com/guard_reserve_sales.cfm

In the next few weeks, DeCA will deliver the benefit:

May 13 Guard and Reserve Government Island, Alameda, Calif.

May 13-14 Army National Guard Camp Roberts, Calif.

May 14-15 Guard and Reserve Colchester, Vt.

May 20-21 Guard and Reserve Brandon, Miss.

May 20-21 Utah National Guard Cedar City, Utah

May 28 Guard and Reserve Augusta, Maine

In the News

From Family Focus Friday – Dr. Stanley Discusses TRICARE Coverage for Young Adults

I continue to witness, on a daily basis, inspiring examples of service members protecting our

freedoms. It is only fitting that the Department of Defense takes care of them and their families, in

return. As part of that commitment, the Department continues to look for new and better ways to

provide medical care for service members, retirees, and their families. I am happy to announce that

the TRICARE Young Adult program is now open for enrollment. Enrolling in the program is

simple. See http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2011/05/family-focus-friday-tricare-coverage-for-

young-adults/ and

http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/ProfileFilter.do;jsessionid=NGVhLhwrMJt5gpJpyhW4GTs2n4cy

PW1yFnvJ1L0M2r0Ln8sTq1px!1530652655?p=TYA&puri=%2Fhome%2Foverview%2FPlans%2

FLearnAboutPlansAndCosts%2FTRICAREYoungAdult

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From the Chairman’s Corner – A Month of Appreciation and Remembrance

America‟s support means so much to our military. In fact, as I travel the world to visit our men and

women in uniform, what they want to know most is, “Are the American people still with us?”

I tell them that you are. May is set aside as Military Appreciation Month to offer each of us the

opportunity to recognize, honor, and show support for all who wear and have worn the uniform,

along with the incredible families who serve alongside them.

See http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63798

From the American Forces Press Service – Mrs. Mullen Spotlights Family Issues in New Blog

Building resilience and providing long-term support are keys to strengthening military families and

better equipping them to weather the frequent, multiple deployments so prevalent in this decade of

war, the wife of the nation‟s top military officer said. “We‟ve never asked a generation of families

to do what this one has done,” Deborah Mullen, wife of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the

Joint Chiefs of Staff, said. “We need to make sure they know we care about them, we care about

their service, and we will be with them for the long haul.”

See http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63793 and

http://afps.dodlive.mil/2011/05/03/family-forum-supporting-military-families-year-round/

From the American Forces Press Service – Five Military Installations Receive Top Honors

Teams from five military installations around the world received top awards for excelling at their

mission despite the demands of war and recent natural disasters. Receiving the awards were teams

from the U.S. Army Garrison in Wiesbaden, Germany; the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat

Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif.; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Spangdahlem Air

Base, Germany; and the Defense Logistics Agency-Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio.

See http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63822

From the Department of Veterans Affairs – New Family Caregiver Program Now Available

The VA announced Tuesday that it is implementing enhancements to existing services for veterans

and their caregivers. The new rule will provide additional support to eligible post-9/11 veterans

who elect to receive their care in a home setting from a primary family caregiver.

On May 9, staff in VA's Office of Care Management and Social Work will open the application

process for eligible post-9/11 veterans and servicemembers to designate their family caregivers.

Starting May 9th, veterans may download a copy of the Family Caregiver program application

(VA CG 10-10) at http://www.caregiver.va.gov.

The application enables the veteran to designate a primary family caregiver and secondary family

caregivers if needed. Caregiver Support Coordinators are stationed at every VA medical center and

via phone at (877) 222 VETS (8387) to assist veterans and their family caregivers with the

application process.

From the American Forces Press Service – Survivors Call bin Laden’s Death ‘Bittersweet’

When Wendy Duffman first heard that Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida‟s leader and the mastermind

behind 9/11, was dead, she felt a sense of elation, then relief. Her brother, Air Force Tech. Sgt.

Scott Eric Duffman, died four years ago in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan -- a war launched in

the wake of the deadly terrorist attacks. And as an American Airlines flight attendant in 2001, she

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lost friends and colleagues on the planes that crashed into the Pentagon and Twin Towers, and onto

a field in Pennsylvania. See http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63790 and

the Family Matters blog at http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63801.

From the Family Matters blog – Take Time to Thank a Teacher

Each year, the nation sets aside a week to celebrate America's teachers. This year, in honor of

Teacher Appreciation Week, President Barack Obama hosted a reception for the national and state

teachers of the year at the White House yesterday. Among the honorees was the Defense

Department teacher of the year, Angelica L. Jordan, a Spanish teacher from Mannheim Elementary

School in Germany. See http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63819

From the American Forces Press Service – Parents Help Children Prepare for Deployment

When Erin Hirvela was 2, her parents, Air Force Master Sgts. Gus and Danielle Hirvela, enlisted

Sesame Street‟s Elmo to help their daughter understand why her daddy was going away for a while.

For service members and their families, preparing for an upcoming deployment is another of the

many challenges unique to military life. “When parents are having a conversation about their

deployment with their child, they should be as genuine as they can, but filter their communication

to the degree that‟s appropriate for the age of their child,” said Kristy Hagar, a child psychologist

who has been working with children, adolescents, and young adults for 18 years.

See http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63772

From the TRICARE Media Center – DoD Approves PCM Referral Waiver in Tuscaloosa Area

Following the recent tornados, the Department of Defense has approved a waiver of primary care

manager referral requirements in the South Region for the Tuscaloosa, Ala., area. The waiver of

primary care manager referrals started April 27, 2011 and will end at midnight on June 15, 2011.

See http://www.tricare.mil/mediacenter/news.aspx?fid=708

Tips of the Week

Nutrition Tip of the Week – Making Time for Physical Activity

May is National Fitness and Sports Month – the perfect time to pull out those walking shoes and

start walking to get ready for fun in the sun. Your heart, your waistline and your frame of mind will

greatly appreciate it! Not sure you‟ll be able to fit the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise

into your schedule? Here are some tips to help you do just that:

o Park the car at the back of the parking lot and walk more.

o Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

o Exercise while watching TV (hand weights, stationary bicycle, treadmill, elliptical machine,

exercise ball).

o Make physical activity a part of your family's daily routine.

o Break your physical activity down into 10-15 minutes sessions throughout the day.

For more information on exercising and making healthy and nutritious food choices, check out the

Commissary‟s website at http://www.commissaries.com/

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Parenting Tip of the Week – May is Healthy Vision Month

Every 13 minutes, someone in the U.S. goes to a hospital emergency room for a sports-related eye

injury. Here are some simple tips for healthy eyes for you and your children:

o Wear protective eyewear when playing sports or as necessary when doing activities around the

home.

o Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun‟s ultraviolet rays.

o Eat right; a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is important for keeping your eyes healthy.

Finally, don‟t forget to schedule annual routine eye exams for your family. Visit the TRICARE

Web site at http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/Vision/EyeExams for more information.

Let’s Move/Childhood Obesity Tip of the Week – Let’s Move Outside

Regular exercise in nature is proven to improve children‟s physical and mental health. Outdoor

activity helps kids maintain a healthy weight, boosts their immunity and bone health and lowers

stress. Let’s Move Outside, administered by the Department of Interior, was created to get kids and

families to take advantage of American‟s great outdoors-which abound in every city, town and

community. And together, these agencies oversee more than one-fifth of the nation‟s land –

including millions of acres of National forests, parks and trails. Kids need at least 60 minutes of

active and vigorous play each day to stay healthy, and one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways

to meet this goal is by playing outside. By linking parents to nearby parks, trails and waters – and

providing tips and ideas – Let’s Move Outside can help families develop a more active lifestyle.

See http://www.letsmove.gov/lets-move-outside

Financial Tip of the Week – Ways to Become Financially Wiser!

o Save More. Most people do not think about financial matters from a long-term perspective so

they do not estimate how much money they will need for retirement, or if they do, they vastly

underestimate how much they will need.

o Accept that you will probably live longer than you expect. Individuals are expected to manage

their own retirement funds. Many will plan for the average life expectancy, not realizing that

this means that half of the people will live longer. The big risk for women is that they will

outlive savings.

o Learn how to manage your retirement savings plan. Due to the growth of retirement savings

plans such as Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), 401(k), and 403(b) plans, workers are now responsible

for managing their investments. Most people lack basic financial knowledge but need to

become experts about work benefits.

o Look for good advice. A significant portion of pre-retirees do not seek the help of a "qualified

professional." Yet, while they indicate a strong desire to work with a professional, most ask

friends and family for advice. Visit your installation Personal Finance Mangers for assistance

in developing your retirement plan.

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o Deal with inflation. Inflation is a fact of life that workers usually deal with through pay

increases. After retirement, it is up to people to manage their own assets, or secure guaranteed

income. Few people have the skills to manage income to keep up with inflation.

o Face facts about long-term care. Many people underestimate their chances of needing long-

term care. Relatively few people either own long-term care insurance or can afford to self-insure

a long-term care situation.

o Provide for a surviving spouse. Many married couples fail to plan for the eventual death of one

spouse before the other and the resulting drop in income at the time of widowhood. Many more

single women live in poverty in old age.

Military OneSource Tip of the Week – Quick Tips for Returning from Deployment

Coming home from deployment brings joys and challenges. These tips can help:

o Communicate details of the return plan. Keep your spouse updated on any changes to the

schedule.

o Understand that it's normal to feel out of sync with your spouse at first. Both of you have grown

and changed during the separation.

o Spend time talking with each other. Sometimes it's easier to reconnect if you talk while doing

something else together, like taking a walk or working out.

o Ease back into intimacy. It's not easy to regain physical and emotional closeness after stressful

situations.

o Be patient with yourself and your family. Fatigue, confusion, and worry, common during this

transition, can lead to short tempers.

o Tell family members that you're proud of them. Focus on the positive changes you see at home,

and let your family know you appreciate them.

o Expect your children to test the rules now that both parents are home. Set aside time with your

spouse to come up with an approach you both agree on.

o Make time in your schedule for family activities. Include one-on-one time with each of your

children.

o Watch your spending. It's tempting to celebrate your return with dinners out or special gifts, but

it's important to stay within your means.

o Know when to seek help. If you, your spouse, or other family members are feeling signs of

stress, physical or emotional, it's important to seek expert help – the earlier the better. Contact

your installation's family service center; the Department of Veterans Affairs on line and by

phone at http://www.vetcenter.va.gov and (800) 905-4675 (Eastern Daylight Savings Time)

o (866) 496-8838 (Pacific Daylight Savings Time); or Military OneSource online and by phone at

http://www.MilitaryOneSource.com and (800) 342-9647.

Spouse Tip – Career Readiness: Moving? Are You Ready to Hit the Ground Running?

Ever heard the terms “Career or Job Readiness?” Maybe not. But they are important concepts that

will help you do some much needed soul searching, research, preparation and decision making

before you hit the pavement (or Internet) to look for a job at your next duty station.

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P a g e 9

o Career Decisions – Do you know “what you want to be when you grow up? Are you thinking

about a career change? What types of jobs are likely to be in the regions where your military

sponsor will be assigned? Let Military OneSource Career and Education consultants help you

with career exploration and decision making. Call for free specialty appointments toll-free at

(800) 342-9647 and find out what portable careers suit you best and which fields will most

likely have jobs available.

o Job Applications – Before you start applying for jobs, go online and find a variety of job

application forms so you know what personal and professional information employers will be

asking for. Gather required information and keep it with you throughout your job search.

o Resumes – While you‟re online, look for a variety of resume styles and formats as well.

Resumes capture and market your work history, experience and skill sets to employers. Be

prepared to write a unique resume (or at least fine tune your standard one) for each job you

apply for. Your resume can help make you the „perfect match‟ for each job opening. When

writing a resume, ask yourself: What is the employer „buying‟ that I am „selling‟ (in terms of

skills, knowledge, abilities, personal qualities and work experience). Military OneSource can

help.

o Work Hours – What hours are you available to work? Are you locked into a traditional Monday

to Friday, 9:00a to 5:00p schedule or are you willing to work odd hours (like bakers do) or

shifts (like healthcare and emergency response workers do)? Work hours will affect your

health, your marriage and your children. How flexible are you prepared to be?

o Transportation – Do you have your own car (bike or motorcycle) or does your family have to

coordinate and share? What about parking costs? Do you live in an area that has Mass Transit

(rail, subways, buses, car/van pools, or „slug‟ lines)? Do local employers pay locality or

transportation subsidies as part of employment benefits? Take a look at a map and see what

transportation options your city or county government and commercial companies provide for

the area in which you hope to work. Then figure out what your monthly cost of transportation

will be compared to your anticipated monthly income. Some methods of transportation are

more cost effective than others but may take more of your time. What trade-offs are you willing

to make? How far can you go?

o Child Care and Youth Activities – If you have children, work life gets complicated. How will

you carry out your parenting responsibilities given your work schedule and transportation

plans? Will your spouse be able to help on a consistent basis? How will military deployments

affect you and the kids? Is there quality, affordable, accessible child care near your home or

workplace? What will you do if you have a sick child? Does your child‟s school provide

needed transportation to and from after-school activities or do you have friends, neighbors or

relatives who can assist? Planning in advance will help you be successful in your work life and

in your next job interview.

o Wardrobe – What demands does your career field place on your closet? Do you have the

uniforms or clothes you need for work settings you have targeted in your job search? If not,

you may need to pace yourself. Start saving now and include wardrobe maintenance costs in

your family budget. Remember, “If you look the part, you have a better chance of getting the

part.” Your appearance will soon be representing the image your employer wants to give its

customers and employees at various levels of supervision and management. Plan to look your

best!

o SECO to the Rescue – DoD‟s new Spouse Education and Career Opportunities – SECO –

program has career readiness information and support services online and by phone. You can

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reach the Spouse Career Center through the Military OneSource Website at

http://www.MilitaryOneSource.com and call center (800) 342-9647. The program also offers

the MyCAA program (https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa) which provides financial assistance to

spouses in junior military pay grades who are just getting started on a program of study leading

to a license, credential or Associates degree. Additionally, SECO has recently expanded the

Army‟s Spouse Employment Partnership program to a Military Spouse Employment

Partnership program to link spouses from Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force who are

„career ready‟ to military friendly employers who are ready to hire them. So, take some time

now to improve your career and job readiness!

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