4MCA.com  /  Operation Reach Out: Suicide Prevention App

  1. Becoming Family Again After Deployment

    When one spouse deploys, the one left at home has to do the job of two people. They have to run the household by themselves, they have to be both Mom and Dad to the children. They are the only one in control of what goes on in the house....
  2. Extended Family in a Military World

    My husband and I are both from California. Both of our families are in California. Most of our extended family is there, too. Since my husband joined the Army, we have lived in Germany and Tennessee. Although Tennessee is much closer than Germany was, it is still too far away....
  3. What If I Don’t Like My Duty Station?

    There are many different types of duty stations out there. Some are in the US, others are overseas. Some of in the middle of no where and others in the middle of a city or town. Some have hotter climates than others. Some get more snow in the winter. Others are near...
  4. Military Spouse Friendships

    Military spouses need good friends! The military life can be very difficult sometimes. It can be a great life but a stressful one as well. Between deployments, long work hours and changing schedules, the spouses need people to depend on. We need to find others who get where we are...
  5. 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...
  6. Building Resilient Relationships with Army Strong Bonds Retreats

    A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I enjoyed a romantic weekend getaway at a local tourist spot, complete with catered meals, outdoor activities, great relationship-building sessions, and a nice evening out. We made some new friends and came home with great insights about ourselves, each other, and our...
  7. Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance May Help Some, But Not Many

    Raise your hand if you’ve ever heard of the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) Program. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? You, gentle readers with your hands in your laps, are not alone. The program, outlined in Department of Defense (DOD) Instruction 1341.11, isn’t very well known. The website used to determine...
  8. What’s in a Name? Plenty…

    Although planning a wedding can be stressful, there is no doubt any married man will tell you it is completely, unreservedly worth every minute. One decision, however, looms over even the color of the text on the place cards: do you change your name? If you are keeping your own...