Kiona Smith-Strickland

Veteran’s Guide to Final Arrangements, Part 4: Cemetery Options

You can read Part 1 of the Veterans Guide to Final Arrangements here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here. National Cemeteries Any veteran who meets the eligibility criteria may be buried in a National Cemetery. The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains 131 National Cemeteries in thirty-nine states (and Puerto...
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Veteran’s Guide to Final Arrangements, Part 2: Memorial Items

In addition to burial allowances, grave markers, and veterans’ cemetery interments, the families of deceased veterans are also eligible for a couple of memorial keepsake items: a burial flag and a memorial certificate signed by the President of the United States. (Read part 1 of the Final Arrangements series here)...
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Disaster Readiness for Military Families

No matter where you live, you live with the possibility of some type of natural disaster – a blizzard, an earthquake, a flood, a hurricane, a tornado, or a wildfire – or man-made disaster – a blackout, a nuclear or chemical plant incident, a pandemic, or a terrorist attack. These...
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We Can Do It: 4 Challenges and 6 Solutions for Military Spouse Education and Careers

Do you ever feel like being a military spouse is a full-time job all by itself? During my husband’s last deployment, I often said that I had two full-time jobs; one required keeping the office at the local funeral home running smoothly, and the other required assembling and mailing care...
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Need Someone to Talk To? A Guide to Getting Help

They used to call being married to a soldier “the toughest job in the Army.” Now more than ever, it still is, and sometimes we need some support. As military family members, it is important to remember that although most of us do not deploy or face combat situations, we...
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Career Advancement with MyCAA

Education pays; the more education you have, the more likely you are to find a job and the more you are likely to earn. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that high school graduates earn a median yearly income of $33,072, compared to $37,024 with some college credits and $39,884...
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