Household6

The Military Health System (MHS) recently launched a weekly Internet radio show on BlogTalkRadio. Hosted by the Department of Defense, “Dot-Mil-Docs” now broadcasts at Blog Talk Radio every Thursday at 3 p.m. (EST).

MHS topics onDot-Mil-Docs will range from advances in medical research to traumatic brain injury, suicide, and adjustment from deployment.

To tune in to this informative new program and to set a reminder for the show, please visit the Dot-Mil-Dots webpage. Future programs will also offer an opportunity for listeners to call and ask questions.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/stations/PentagonRadioNetwork/Dot-Mil-Docs

I recently got an email from a blog reader that said–

“Tammy, I’m not an military wife or mother but I want to support the families of our nation’s military. They give a lot too. What can I do?”
- Jenna C. (Dallas, TX)

First of all, thanks for your email and for wanting to support the families! There are lots of ways to support the military family. Here are some ways to help…

1. Offer to help a local military family with babysitting, lawn maintenance ,etc.
2. Send an email or letter of thanks through A Million Thanks
3. Send a care package to a military family (don’t know one? Let me know and I’ll put you in contact with one)
4. Organize an event in your own community, workplace, etc. Donate proceeds to a needy military family or a non-profit organization that helps military families in distress.
5. Ask elected officials to recognize the sacrifices our military AND their families face every day! There currently is legislation being discussed in Congress to ease the burden on military families.
6. Wear RED on Fridays in Support of the Troops and their Families
7. Register your support at America Supports You!
8. Ask Libraries, schools and other organizations to participate in recognizing our armed forces, military spouses and especially the military kids!
9. Ask your local media (tv/radio/print) to recognize Military Families
10. When you see/meet a military spouse , shake their hand and say “thank you for serving our country” For spouses are the silent ranks of the military and have the hardest job in the military!

Of course, its important to support our troops overseas and stateside. They have an extremely difficult job and sometimes require the ultimate sacrifice. It is also equally important to support the families, for theree sacrifice is just as great as the troops!

I was reading my friend Cara’s blog about coupons, I came across this awesome program that she is participating in. I don’t know if you know but overseas they accept expired manufacturer coupons. Cara is helping with this great program to help military families save some money while living overseas.

You can find out more information here

To participate, send your coupons to:

Overseas Coupon Program
c/o TheHouseholdHelper
PO Box 256
Bloomingdale, NJ 07403

For a limited time, everyone who sends in their extra coupons will receive a small goodie bag from TheHouseholdHelper as a thank you!

Hooah!
Tammy

The U.S. Postal Service will begin offering a discount Priority Mail rate March 3 and a larger box for care packages sent to military members overseas.

The new flat-rate box is 50 percent larger than the current Priority Mail package and it will be delivered for $10.95 to an APO/FPO address – $2 less than for domestic destinations.

“This is the first time the Postal Service has offered a special price for our armed forces serving overseas,” said Postmaster General John Potter. “We’re proud that family and friends will be able to use this new larger-sized box to send much appreciated packages from home to our dedicated troops overseas.”

The new Priority Mail Large Flat-Rate Box (12″ x 12″ x 5 inches or 800 cubic inches) will be available in Post Offices nationwide beginning March 3, but customers can begin ordering them Feb. 20 at usps.com/supplies or by calling 800-610-8734. Some of the new boxes are co-branded with the logo of America Supports You, which is a Department of Defense program that connects citizens offering support to the military and their families.

Military.com and TurboTax have partnered up for an amazing deal for Military families. You can use TurboTax Online Free Edition now. You can also upgrade and save 15% on other TurboTax Online products!

Click here to find out more!

DannyBoy did our taxes there on Tuesday and we should have our refund by this upcoming Friday. Talk about quick turnaround time! It even found a couple of deductions that we didn’t even know about!

The following message is from Neal Denton, Senior Vice President,Service to the Armed Forces:

This holiday season, we have a great opportunity to bring a touch of home to wounded warriors recovering in
military hospitals across the country. As you may know, the American public has a strong desire to send holiday
cards to soldiers staying at Walter Reed and other military medical centers. However, for security reasons, the former military program was discontinued. One of our colleagues at Walter Reed suggested, “If anyone can find a solution to this - it’s the Red Cross.”

We’re proud that this season, communities across America are invited to mail holiday greeting cards along with personal messages of support to wounded soldiers at military hospitals around the country, through a
unique partnership of the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Mailing Solutions.

Now we have a solution that will not only benefit soldiers at WalterReed, but also recovering soldiers at military hospitals around the nation. With the help of the Department of Defense, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Pitney Bowes, between now and December 27, members of the public will be invited to mail their holiday cards to:

We Support You During Your Recovery!
c/o American Red Cross
PO Box 419
Savage, MD 20763-0419

Red Cross volunteers will sort the cards for appropriate content and repackage them for shipping. Our steadfast partners, Pitney Bowes, will ship the cards to Red Cross stations at the military hospitals.

This project provides a great opportunity for chapters and station offices to coordinate resources and volunteers. Staff members at national headquarters will call each station office before packages are mailed to that military hospital. Those station managers will be looking for chapter volunteer support to help in accepting, storing and
delivering the cards.

A national news release will be issued shortly after announcing the program. Once you know that your field unit will be receiving holiday cards to distribute, I encourage you to contact your local media with the attached localizable news release, to take photos and write stories for your Web sites and to send us your stories at
SAFstories@usa.redcross.org.

I know I know it s a bit early to be thinking of Christmas. (Although if you’ve seen the Belvoir PX lately its looks like its Christmas Shopping Season already)

When making out your Christmas Cards, send one to a Recovering Solider at Walter Reed.

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20307-5001

The Southern California chapter of Operation Homefront is offering assistance to military families who have lost homes and possessions - or just need a little extra support during the evacuation following the devastating firestorms. Operation Homefront has also created a Fire Relief Fund and is asking Americans for support.

To request assistance or for more information on the Fire Relief Fund, please visit http://www.operationhomefront.com/socal or contact Tricia de la Paz at 619-846-6491.