Readiness

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Bumper Stickers and Opsec: Caution for Military Families

As military family members, most of us have been admonished about operational security (opsec in military-speak) countless times. We are told- though not nearly enough of us seem to remember- never to post anything online about our spouses’ flight times, arrival times, or destinations; or anything our spouses share with...
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Never Leave a Pet Behind, Either!

At our new station, I met a lady with two gorgeous and sweet-tempered German shepherds. Both were assistance dogs, and when she told me about their background, she mentioned that both had been abandoned and rescued. “Who would ever abandon such beautiful, affectionate dogs?” I asked. She told me that...
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Family Readiness Group: How the FRG can help you

I never knew what the FRG was until my husband joined the Army last March. In the Marines, I was too new and too young to really put any thought into what they offered – and the Marines (at least a decade ago) weren’t nearly as family oriented as the...
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Is Your Family Ready? Five Steps To Prepare For An Emergency

Readiness is one of the most important goals that all branches of the military work for. Our military needs to be ready to fight, ready to deploy, ready at a moment’s notice to respond to a disaster around the world, or right here in America. But as a family, are...
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Veteran’s Guide to Final Arrangements, Part 1: Burial Allowances

Death is a subject most people prefer to avoid, but talking about it can help you ease the strain on your family when the time comes. By discussing your wishes ahead of time, you can avoid leaving your loved ones unsure what you would have wanted, and you can ensure...
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How to Protect your Family: The Basics of Operational Security

Military families are familiar with worry. We know better than anyone in the world what it feels like to know that someone we love is far away and in danger, and that we are almost completely unable to protect them. Fortunately, there is one thing we can do to protect...
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Veteran’s Guide to Final Arrangements, Part 3: Grave Markers

Read Part 1 of the Final Arrangements series here, and Part 2 here. Marker Types and Materials The VA will provide each deceased veteran with an upright grave marker in granite or marble, or a flat grave marker in granite, marble, or bronze. Upright grave markers are two-to-three-inch thick slabs...
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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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Personal Responsibility and Health, in the Military and Beyond

I learned a great life lesson from my First Sergeant during our train up for Afghanistan in 2008. We were at Fort Bragg at FOB Patriot with many on the team getting sick from the 18 hours a day, 7 days a week pace accented by the wearing of body...
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