For all the Military Families

tangyauhoong:

The Snake Charmer.

Tang Yau Hoong: Web | Shop | Facebook | Tumblr | Twitter | Behance

Here is a soldier in Iraq , stationed in a big sand box.
He asked his wife to send him dirt ( U.S. soil), fertilizer, and some grass seed so that he can have the sweet aroma, and feel the grass grow beneath his feet. When the men of the squadron have a mission that they are going on, they take turns walking through the grass and the American soil — to bring them good luck.

Of all the things he could have asked his wife to send to him from home………..he asked for American soil. WOW.

(Source: thethingthatspins)

Helikites - read more 

This is me! My husband wrote a post for Military Spouse Central for military spouse appreciation day about what I mean to him. Please check it out and show him some love! 

As a member of the United States Armed Forces I often hear: “Thank you for your service.” But how often do we thank a military spouse?

To do our duty we must leave all that is home behind us.

Who thanks those who work behind the scenes to make the home life of military personnel less of a concern so military members can focus on the task at hand? Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, Coast Guards — they are all people with personal lives and personal affairs. When we are overseas we have to leave everything behind. I can’t tell you how important it is that things at home are “squared away.” Soldiers worried about their children, their home, their bills or their parents will not be able to focus on the mission. This isn’t a job you can do half-heartedly or amid distraction.

The duty of a military spouse 

So we leave our spouses alone and charge them with most if not all of the home duties. They don’t wear a uniform. Most civilians don’t understand the sacrifices a military spouse makes on a daily basis. I would like to take today, Military Spouse Appreciation Day, as an opportunity to thank my spouse.

Adrienne wakes every morning knowing this could be the day I get called away. She knows that every day could be the last day of the kind of life that she has come to know and cherish. She has wrestled with the solemn and scary parts of my job and has been forced to prepare for what would happen if I was killed in the line of duty. She knows my commitment is not one that is taken lightly. It’s time for others to recognize her commitment as a military spouse is similarly profound.

“The Army so often demands to come first in our lives”

To my wife and partner

(read the rest!)

VA Mortgages

I agree. Getting an education is hard under normal circumstances. If you move regularly and have the stress of being a military spouse things get even worse. I hate when Military Family advocates bolster the MyCAA program as being a huge relief for military spouses; not only is this program very limited in who qualifies but it also really only covers vocational licensing and certifications and many spouses are not satisfied with this as a career path.

U.S. Army Veteran Jason Rivenburg submitted a photo of Snowshovel—a puppy he found on the side of a road during his deployment to Bayji, Iraq in 2003. If you look closely, she’s inside his Kevlar helmet on the front seat. Snowshovel kept Jason smiling throughout his deployment and always kept his sleeping bag warm. Thank you for your service, Jason! 

intensapassione:

….

(Source: downwsociety, via oxjec)

Children can prove surprisingly resilient in the face of change, stress or challenges. It’s important for military parents to build a strong foundation for their children and instill coping skills that will serve them in the years to come.

Defining ‘Resilient’

A short definition of resiliency is an individual person’s ability to recover from a lot of stress or to adjust to permanent life changes quickly and adaptively. There are those who would argue that the military lifestyle is not for children, but in reality I think we have a lot of wonderful opportunities to help our children become resilient.

By the time they are adults they will have had to develop mechanisms for coping with difficult issues such as frequent relocation, saying goodbye to friends and having a parent serve in a time of war. In short, military kids learn resiliency through adaption. If they have the support, love and stability at home to help them with these adaptations, they become more resilient as they mature. These skills will serve them well as they grow into the next generation of leaders. (more)

Make a kick butt care package, video tips and tricks! 

Seeing as April is the month of the military child, I might as well confess: I’m a military brat, born to parents who served in the Air Force. My experience with the lifestyle was short, but I still managed to be conceived in Japan, born in California and had a PCS to Arizona.

The phrase “military brat” never bothered me. In fact, I took pride in it as an indicator of my parents’ service to our country. But that may not be the case for everyone. The word “brat” may confuse some on the surface and requires a deeper look.

(read the rest)

emmarose-m asked: Thanks sooo much for putting this blog together!! :) I'm a military brat myself.... in Jan '13 my father will have done 20 years in the Marine Corps!

That is awesome! Happy Military Brat Appreciation month, lol. I love hearing from people who follow the blog! 

Tell me: How far have you come? 

Spring has sprung, which means blooming flowers, baseball games, Easter holiday and warm-weather shenanigans. Take advantage of spring’s characteristics to send your service member a bit of fun in your next care package.

Here are some ideas and items to consider (more)