Family Readiness

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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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Putting the Right Spin on Employers’ Assumptions about Military Spouses

Military spouses face some serious challenges in the job market, especially compared to our civilian counterparts. A 2007 study by the RAND Institute found that military spouses consistently had higher unemployment rates, lower wages, and slimmer prospects for advancement than civilian spouses with the same education, experience, and demographic profile....
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Homecoming Tips for Single Service Members

As a single person living in the barracks, you may have new roommates when you return, or you may have someone who has been living in your home or apartment while you were away. Perhaps you moved out prior to deploying and will need to find a new residence when...
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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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Care Packages, Part 1: What to Send

If you have weathered a deployment before, you are probably an old pro at sending care packages. This guide is intended for military spouses, parents, siblings, and friends who have little or no experience mailing packages to loved ones in combat zones. Here are some of the most popular items...
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The Strength that Lies Beneath: Our Children and their Dragon Hearts

Every year since we returned from Europe, our children’s schools have held assemblies to honor Veterans. Every year our children have asked their dad to attend. He refused to do so the first two years, but has been swayed since then by the righteous indignation of our children, especially our...
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Advance Pay: The Payday Loan That Isn’t

Your PCS orders have finally arrived! Look out! Here comes your “friend” to give you the inside track on how to make a little money at the government’s expense. “Advance pay, man! It’s an interest-free loan from Uncle Sam! Invest it, dude, or get that computer you’ve been looking for. ...
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Relocation, New Friends, and Long Distance Friendships

A host of recent studies have examined the effect of frequent relocation on children and adolescents. Military families relocate significantly more often than civilian families, and service members’ kids are not the only ones affected. Leaving close friends and established support networks, and bidding farewell to friends as they leave for...
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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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Returning to a Civilian Job after Deployment

Your work environment, like other areas of your life, may be different when you return from deployment. You may worry about how you’ll fit back into the picture. Someone may have assumed your role, or at least picked up the slack in your absence. You will be required to shift...
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