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Image description.MC&FP bannerimage End ofimage description.

Image description.RobertL. Gordon III,DeputyAssistantSecretary ofDefense (MC&FP)End ofimage description.

Blog post of Robert L. Gordon III, Deputy AssistantSecretary of Defense (Military Community and FamilyPolicy)

Expectant and New Parents: This One's For You!

Military couples are resilient and strong. They have learned to adapt to challenges such as deploymentsand relocations, leveraging these times as opportunities for growth and exploration. But, when a couplefinds out they are having a child, they confront a new set of challenges. New parents may have imaginedbeing home to experience the first few months of their child's life, but deployments can make thatimpossible.

New mothers and fathers may have imagined having their own parents close for support with theirnewborn, only to find themselves hundreds, if not thousands, of miles from extended family and friends.

We understand the unique challenges that military parents must face, and there are resources andservices in place to ensure that new parents—no matter where they are located—are empowered withthe resources they need.

Your installation's New Parent Support Program (NPSP) is designed to support military families withadapting to parenthood and to thrive. The program supports military families who are expecting a childor who have a child or children up to three years of age. The NPSP provides important benefits such ashome visits by NPSP staff, supervised playgroups, parenting classes, and access to books, booklets, andother written materials on parenting.

NPSP staff members are credentialed professionals in your communities who know the answers to your

questions and can refer you to additional resources when necessary. Information shared with the staff isconfidential, so new parents can share their worries and concerns in a safe and non-judgmentalenvironment with a supportive person.

During a requested home visit, the NPSP staff member provides advice regarding normal growth anddevelopment and addresses common concerns regarding issues such as nutrition, behavior management,sleep challenges, and more. New parents can also take parenting classes to learn more about positiveparenting, family communication and problem solving. The NPSP can put you in touch with localresources, play groups, and other fun activities for your family.

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MC&FP Weekly (January 13,2012) 1/13/2012

What makes this program so valuable is the relationship that new parents form with the NPSP staff. If you are a new parent or you are expecting a child soon, I encourage you to contact your local NPSP andmeet with a staff member as soon as you can. Sign up for free weekly emails full of advice and tips, orcheck out important information and podcasts on relevant parenting topics throughMilitaryHOMEFRONT. Please join our discussion. Have you worked with your installation's NPSP? Doyou have additional advice for new parents or questions of your own? Please share your thoughts!

The first three years of child development are critical. The NPSP is here to help. Congratulations to allof our new military families and families-to-be out there! Until next time, be well!

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Joining Forces

Joining Forces

NCAA Will Celebrate Military Families at More Than 600 Events in 2012

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is joining forces with First Lady Michelle Obamato recognize, honor and support our troops and their families.Throughout 2012, the NCAA willhighlight the sacrifices made by service members and their families acrossits 89 championship eventsthat span 23sports.

"Our nation's service members demonstrate the kind of example we should all try to set for youngpeople, and we at the NCAA are honored to recognize military members and families across the 89championship events we host every year," said NCAA President Emmert. "As student-athletes learn inpractice every day, each of us must rely on others to succeed; from here on in, military members andtheir families can look to the NCAA for the recognition and thanks they so richly deserve."

That recognition will include public address announcements at all finals sites as well as at approximately600 preliminary round sites; access to youth clinics for children of military families (Men's andWomen's Final Four and other NCAA-sponsored clinics; designated seating areas at select specialevents for military families; inviting military personnel to serve as honorary team or game captains; andbehind-the-scenes tours prior to select championship competitions for families of military personnel

A new video featuring the First Lady and NCAA President Mark Emmertwill air for the first time onSaturday, January 7th at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) title game -- but you can see ithere first.

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• Convenience costs. Go back to the basics: convenience foods like frozen dinners, pre-cutvegetables, and instant rice, oatmeal, or grits will cost you more than if you were to make themfrom scratch yourself. Take the time to prepare your own — and save!

• Easy on your wallet. Certain foods are typically low-cost options all year round. Try beans for aless expensive protein food. For vegetables, buy carrots, greens, or potatoes. As for fruits, applesand bananas are good choices.

• Cook once, eat all week. Prepare a large batch of favorite recipes on your day off (double ortriple the recipe). Freeze in individual containers. Use them throughout the week and you won't

have to spend money on take-out meals.• Get your creative juices flowing. Spice up your leftovers — use them in new ways. For

example, try leftover chicken in a stir-fry or over a garden salad or make chicken chili.Remember, throwing away food is throwing away your money!

• Eating out. Restaurants can be expensive. Save money by getting the early bird special, goingout for lunch instead of dinner, or looking for two-for-one deals. Stick to water instead of ordering other beverages, which add to the bill.

• Watch for changes and talk about it. Take notice of mood or behavior changes and providechildren with opportunities to talk about their feelings.

• Involve children in the process. Whether it's an upcoming relocation, parent deployment, orother expected change, provide open and transparent information to your children.

• Stick to an existing schedule. Children of all ages thrive on routine, so try to keep bedtime,mealtime, and other routines the same.

•

Take advantage of existing supports. The Department of Defense has created multiplewebsites and publications to provide information about every aspect of moving and relocatingchildren and supporting your family’s needs. You can start by visiting the MilitaryHOMFRONTwebsite.

MC&FP Weekly (January 13,2012) 1/13/2012

Weekly Tips

Military Community and Family Policy Weekly Tips

Nutrition Tip of the Week - Staying Healthy & On Budget (Part II)

Looking for more tips to help you stay healthy on a budget? Then take a look at these:

Parenting Tip of the Week - Ways to Support Your Children Through Family Changes

As a parent, how would you describe qualities of military children? Educators working with military

children have identified the following as qualities of the military child: strong family bonds, parents whoare involved in their children's education, experiences from many different cultures and geographicareas, a cooperative spirit, and independence – to name a few. Here are ways to support your childrenthrough family changes and nurture their unique qualities:

Let's Move/Childhood Obesity Tip of the Week - Tips for Making Healthy Food More Fun forChildren

Encourage children to eat vegetables and fruits by making it fun. Provide healthy ingredients and letkids help with preparation, based on their age and skills. Kids may try foods they avoided in the past if 

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• Smoothie creations. Blend fat-free or low-fat yogurt or milk with fruit pieces and crushed ice.Use fresh, frozen, canned, and even overripe fruits. Try bananas, berries, peaches, or pineapple.If you freeze the fruit first, you can even skip the ice!

• Delicious dippers. Kids love to dip their foods. Whip up a quick dip for veggies with yogurt andseasonings such as herbs or garlic. Serve with raw vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or

cauliflower. Fruit chunks go great with a yogurt and cinnamon or vanilla dip.• Caterpillar kabobs. Assemble chunks of melon, apple, orange, and pear on skewers for a fruity

kabob. For a raw veggie version, use vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, squash, sweet peppers,or tomatoes.

• Personalized pizzas. Set up a pizza-making station in the kitchen. Use whole-wheat Englishmuffins, bagels, or pita bread as the crust. Have tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, and cut-upvegetables or fruits for toppings. Let kids choose their own favorites. Then pop the pizzas intothe oven to warm.

• Fruity peanut butterfly. Start with carrot sticks or celery for the body. Attach wings made of thinly sliced apples with peanut butter and decorate with halved grapes or dried fruit.

• Frosty fruits. Frozen treats are bound to be popular in the warm months. Just put fresh fruits

such as melon chunks in the freezer (rinse first). Make "popsicles" by inserting sticks into peeledbananas and freezing.

• Bugs on a log. Use celery, cucumber, or carrot sticks as the log and add peanut butter. Top withdried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, or cherries, depending on what bugs you want!

• Homemade trail mix. Skip the pre-made trail mix and make your own. Use your favorite nutsand dried fruits, such as unsalted peanuts, cashews, walnuts, or sunflower seeds mixed with driedapples, pineapple, cherries, apricots, or raisins. Add whole-grain cereals to the mix, too.

• Potato person. Decorate half a baked potato. Use sliced cherry tomatoes, peas, and low-fatcheese on the potato to make a funny face. Put kids in charge. Ask your child to name newveggie or fruit creations. Let them arrange raw veggies or fruits into a fun shape or design.

• Cut back on spending. The first step in getting out of debt is to stop borrowing. If youoverspent during the holidays you need to cut back your post-holiday spending. It may help tocut up your credit cards or lock them away in a safe place.

• Make a budget. Cut out any expenses you can and plan to pay off your debt as quickly aspossible. While you are making a budget, figure out the most you can afford to pay each month

to reduce your debts, then make those payments without fail.• Create a payment plan. If you have debts on more than one credit card, either pay off the card

with the highest interest rate first and work your way down to the card with the lowest rate, orpay off the smallest loan first and work your way up to the largest.

• Once you've paid off your debts. Don't give in to the temptation to start over-spending again.Instead, take the money you were paying each month on your debts and begin to save it. Betteryet, save it automatically. That will give you a financial cushion the next time an emergencystrikes.

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they helped make them.

Financial Tip of the Week - Paying Off Holiday Debt

We do a lot of overindulging during the holidays. We take an extra day off work, eat an extra piece (ortwo) of pie, and sometimes charge more than we can afford on our credit cards. With the holidays at anend, and post-holiday credit card bills rolling in, it's time to create a plan to pay off any debt we mayhave incurred during the holidays.

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• Plan for next holiday season. Start saving now to avoid debt next holiday season. Take a look at what you spent the last few months, on gifts, travel, food, and other holiday related items.Divide that amount by 12 and put that much away in a savings account.

• TransUnion: (800) 680-7289

• Experian: (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742

• Equifax: (800) 525-6285

• Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened orchanged without your okay. Follow up in writing, with copies of supporting documents.

• Use the ID Theft Affidavit to support your written statement.

• Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed and the fraudulent debtsdischarged.

• Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations about the theft.

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Military OneSource Tip of the Week - Identity Theft: What To Do If Your Personal InformationHas Been Compromised

The bottom line for online threats like phishing, spyware, and hackers is identity theft. ID theft occurswhen someone uses your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other personalinformation without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. That's why it's important toprotect your personal information. To find out how to deter and detect identity theft, visit Federal TradeCommission's Identity Theft website.

According to OnGuard Online, if your personal information is accidentally disclosed or deliberatelystolen, taking certain steps quickly can minimize the potential for the theft of your identity.

Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports, and review the reports carefully. The alert tellscreditors to follow certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make changes toyour existing accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free numbers for

placing an initial ninety-day fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient:

Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports. Look for inquiries from companiesyou haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts that you can't explain.

Close accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently:

File a police report. File a report with law enforcement officials to help you with creditors who maywant proof of the crime. This report will also help you claim your rights as a victim of identity theft.

Spouse Tip of the Week - Work-Life Planning for Military Spouses

What does it mean to be "married to the military?" It means compromise. It means sacrifice. It meanstaking turns focusing on his career and her career. It means sharing parenting responsibilities in-betweendeployments. It means looking at a military career and seeing opportunities for both of you.

When you're married to the military, the military comes first. There are orders that have to be followedand places you have to live. Because of military obligations, there are many decisions that have alreadybeen made for you. But you can still have it all if you are creative and plan ahead.

Before you get married, it's important to think about what you want out of life – a career, children,

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• MyCAA provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible spouses who are pursuing anAssociate’s Degree, license or credential required by portable career employment. To learn moreabout MyCAA eligibility and to sign up for a MyCAA Account, visit their website.

• MSEP is a recruitment and employment solution that brings military spouse job seekers togetherwith Fortune 500 Plus employers who want to recruit, hire, retain and promote them intoportable career job opportunities. To sign up for an account, visit their web portal. Post yourrésumé and look at thousands of jobs posted by over 100 military friendly employers. Make iteasy for them to find you. Some will invite you to apply for their job openings.

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adventures living overseas, high-demand positions that will take you to levels you've never knownbefore? Whatever combination you choose, there are trade-offs and windows of opportunity. So, planahead and spend your time wisely. It all starts before you "marry the military."

One great advantage of marrying the military is their education benefits, especially the Post-9/11Education Benefits which can be transferred to family members if the service member so chooses.Regardless of your level of education, learning is never over. It's an on-going process for both of you.

Some education is formal (e.g., offered by the military as well as post-secondary institutions) and someis gained by volunteer or paid work experience. In order to stay at the top of your game, you will need toseek the level of education and training that is recognized and required by your chosen fields of interest.The Department of Labor's Career OneStop website will help you explore portable career fields,occupations, licenses, certificates, degrees and other credentials needed for career success – now, at timeof transition out of military service, and at time of retirement.

If you're not sure what career you are interested in pursuing, call Military OneSource's Spouse Career –Center at (800) 342-9647 and ask to speak with a consultant who can help you with Career Exploration.These career and education counselors can help you with career interest tests, core values self-assessments, skills inventories, career field information, financial assistance resources for education, andother tools and support services that will help you define your way ahead. Also, be sure to check out the

Department of Education's new online tool that helps you compare and choose a school that isaffordable and provides high quality education, degrees, licenses, and credentials that employers value,before you sign any contracts for programs of study or take out educational loans you will have to payback.

Take a look at your service member's military obligations – how many years will he or she be in themilitary? Will you have to live overseas? How much time will you spend apart (e.g., military trainingtours, combat duty, deployments)? These might be perfect times to pursue training and education thatwill prepare you for your own career opportunities and advancements. So use these times wisely.

Take time to map it out. Put this information on a time line, so you can see an evolving schedule that

highlights when the best times will be to pursue training and education for yourself. Remember, if oneof your personal and professional goals is for a portable career, the more education and training youhave, the more income you will be able to produce.

With this in mind, there are two resources you will want to check out immediately: The My CareerAdvancement Accounts (Mica) program and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP).

Now, what about children, parenting responsibilities, child care and transportation needs? When willyou be ready to be in the work force? Can you balance the demands of parenting and employment?Again, Military OneSource counselors can help. They have resources and referrals that can help youdecide when the right time is for you to enter or re-enter the job market. They can help you find highquality child care on and off base, transportation options that will reliably get you to work on time, back-up plans to help meet emergency child care needs, and work options that will allow you to work flexible

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• Put away small kitchen appliances and other items that are sitting on countertops and tables.

• Remove photographs and other small items from table-tops.

• Organize closets and cabinets.

• Remove broken furniture.

• Remove furniture that is "crowding" a room.

• The goal is to make a home look spacious, clean, and appealing.

• More details and suggestions are contained in eliminate clutter attachment above.

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hours from flexible locations (e.g., telecommuting and own-your-own business opportunities). Thesecounselors are great coaches, but you will be the decision-maker. After all, it's your work-life plan youare developing.

Finally, the issue of relocation, a key component and something you can expect when you're married tothe military. Every few years, your service member will be receiving military orders to a new job.Sometimes this means a move to a new duty station or community. Will you relocate with your service

member? That depends on whether you are allowed to accompany him or her, and whether it is in thebest interest of your family, especially your children. So, check out the relocation assistance toolsavailable on the MilitaryHOMEFRONT website. You should find Relocation Planning Guides, onlinetools, and a MilitaryINSTALLATIONS database that contains valuable information and points of contact at military bases worldwide. This will make moving so much easier.

If you are going to seek employment at the new duty station, you will want to check out military spouseemployment preference programs and special hiring authorities so you can ask about them six weeks orso before moving. Visit the Office of Personnel Management's websites to learn more about gettingstarted and maintaining a federal government career – especially one with the Department of Defense.Here are the best sites to visit: Office of Personnel Management, USAJobs portal, and Feds Hire Vetswebsite.

So, what is your work-life map starting to look like? Where are your windows of opportunity? Whichbenefits and resources are you going to use to help you reach your goals? Starting with today, when willyou go to school? When will you start your career? When will you have children and perhaps be a stay-at-home parent for some period of time? When will you enter or re-enter the workforce? When do youexpect to have an empty nest? When will you retire? It's all up to you. Take advantage of the windowsof opportunity provided to you by the military and the wonderful support services and resources itprovides.

Good luck, you're about to find out that being married to the military is a good deal.

Relocation Tip of the Week - The Basics of Home PreparationEverything from floors to windows must be spotless, including the oven and other major appliances.Skylights should be crystal-clear, too. Do not forget to make bathrooms shine!

Kill offensive odors (pet owners need to pay particular attention to this). Odors are the first thing buyersnotice and are often a permanent turnoff.

The following are the basic things you want to do. Depending on the condition of your home, you mayneed to do some repairs.

Eliminate Clutteror Stage Your Home for Sale

Outside Tasks

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• Clean the drain gutters. Buyers nearly always comment if gutters are full of leaves and it makesthem question other maintenance issues.

• Store or organize items that make the yard look messy.

• Make your front entry inviting. Decorate it, paint the door, or buy a new door. It isthe first look at your house, so make it a good one. The real estate industry calls the outside "curb appeal."

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If the Home is Vacant

Vacant homes often assault home buyers with a blast of stale or mildew-laden air, and once buyers smellmildew, they are out the door. During cold months, the interior of a house without heat always feelscolder than it is outside. Leaving the heat or air conditioning running while a home is on the marketreduces odors and makes the house more inviting.

Keep the exterior of the house, lawn, and landscaping tidy, even if you have to hire someone to do it.

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In the News

We've captured the latest Quality of Life (QOL) information, as well as recent additions to the MilitaryCommunity & Family Policy (MC&FP) collection of websites, including MilitaryHOMEFRONT. All inone location! For a complete listing of QOL topic areas and information, please return to the

MilitaryHOMEFRONT homepage.

In the News Notable Quality of Life developments and Department of Defense announcements and alerts.

Medical Colleges Pledge to Care for Troops, FamiliesFirst Lady Michelle Obama announced a commitment from the nation's medical colleges to better traincivilian health-care providers in caring for war veterans and their families and to push for more researchin the wounds of war.

AmeriCorps Recruiting Our Nation's Heroes

Recognizing the unique skills and leadership abilities of America's veterans, the Corporation forNational and Community Service is joining forces to recruit more veterans to serve in AmeriCorps.Using the skills they honed overseas, veterans are continuing to serve on the home front throughAmeriCorps.

Military Personnel Get Free Help with TaxesThe military has a strong Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. The Armed Forces Tax Councilconsists of the tax program coordinators for the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and CoastGuard.

Military's Groundbreaking Vaccine Targets Breast CancerMilitary researchers have developed a cutting-edge cancer vaccine that's slashing breast cancerrecurrence rates and giving some survivors a better shot at a cancer-free future. After more than a decadeof research and testing, the cancer vaccine, dubbed E-75, soon will move on to its final phase of testingto earn Food and Drug Administration approval.

Obama Vows to 'Keep Faith' with FamiliesSenior leaders yesterday underscored their commitment to caring for troops, veterans and their families,and the programs that support them, in a briefing that laid the groundwork for future defense spending.

LivingFit Helps Airmen, Families Reach Weight Loss GoalsA new year often begins with resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. Air Force services officialsrecently launched a new program designed to help Airmen and families accomplish this common goal

through proper nutrition and activity.

Filing Taxes When a Service Member is DeployedThe Internal Revenue Service has recognized that service members and their families often face specialcircumstances, and has put in place ways to make this annual obligation less of a burden.

Vision Center of Excellence Promotes Eye-injury Research, CareNext month will mark a major milestone in advancing care for wounded warriors suffering debilitatingeye injuries with a ribbon-cutting at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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Image description.Two National Guard service members End ofimage description.

MC&FP Weekly (January 13,2012) 1/13/2012

Guard and Reserve

No Sales Scheduled for January 2012

Feb. 3-4 - Air National Guard - Portland, ORFeb. 18-19 - 116th Refueling Squadron - Moses Lake, WAMar. 3-4 - Guard and Reserve - Charleston, WVMar. 9-10 - Army National Guard - Walla-Walla, WA

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