Military Spouse Network
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Veterans United Network’s Christy Lewis breaks down some of the best ways to make the perfect care package for your soldier.
Army Wives has been criticized for inaccurately representing the life of a military spouse.
Media representation of veterans and their families is a near-constant hot topic in military circles. TV producers, film directors and other media creators can easily exaggerate or mischaracterize military families and reinforce negative stereotypes.
The Lifetime network first introduced its show Army Wives in 2007. Many segments of the military community eagerly anticipated the series, which was primarily written by a military spouse. Army Wives has since become the highest-rated show in Lifetime’s history. See More
Joining the military is an experience like no other. Marrying into this lifestyle can be very intimidating, even if a couple has been dating longterm beforehand.
We asked readers at our Military Spouse Central Facebook page to share their advice new military spouses. They rose to the occasion, submitting dozens of excellent tips to help new military spouses start off on the right foot. Below are some of the most common military spouse tips shared:
Find a battle buddy and you’ll have a friend who always knows what you’re going through.
Military dining facilities will offer more vegetables and healthier options in the near future.
The nation’s obesity epidemic presents real problems for the Armed Forces.
Recent surveys indicate more than a quarter of adults ages 17 to 24 are ineligible to serve because of their weight. At the same time, 5 percent of active service members are overweight, about double the rate in the mid-1990s. The military discharges about 1,200 first-term service members a year because of weight related issues.
The government is aiming to reverse the trends with a new health and nutrition initiative designed to help service members and their families take a more active role in their own health and well being.
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Military members are preparing for large-scale troop cuts in the near future. Defense Department officials are planning to reduce the Army by 80,000 soldiers, from 570,000 to 490,000, by the end of 2017 to meet new budget restrictions.
While many older soldiers are concerned about being forced into early retirement, some younger soldiers are concerned over what cuts might occur between now and their own retirement.
Here is a breakdown of what to expect: See More
I decided to bust some of the more common military myths. While I think people are generally supportive of military families, the disconnect between civilian and military families is growing. For example, I was talking with a friend the other day about the chore of filing annual income taxes when she blurted out: ”Your husband doesn’t pay taxes, though!” I was taken aback by this person’s assumption that military service somehow gets veterans “off the hook” when it comes to paying their share.
This military-civilian disconnect can lead to some serious misunderstandings, so I want to set the record straight on the most common military myths I have heard regarding spouses and families.
Command sponsorship is a hot topic for spouses and dependents of service members hoping to accompany their loved one overseas. The most common command sponsorships are granted in European countries but are also used for many Asian countries as well as families moving to Hawaiian bases. See More
Military spouses learn to cope with the additional challenges and responsibilities they face with their spouse’s dangerous work, whether deployed or at home. Spouses at home may be in a constant state of worry, but it can come as a shock when a close call takes away any sense of invincibility. Spouses can no longer deny the realities they keep themselves from considering.
When a spouse hears of a close call, they may be overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Here are some ways to help cope with the challenges of distance and dangerous work:
Service members moving overseas have the option to apply for a command sponsorship, which will allow dependents to travel and live with the military spouse on base in a foreign country fully funded by the government.
Although the most notable aspect of command sponsorship is getting to move, there are a number of benefits to being a command-sponsored dependent you might not be aware of. Keep in mind that most of the general information available on the web is for the Army specifically and other branches may have slightly different perks. See More
Military spouses know how to hold down the fort while their spouse is deployed, but there are times when he or she just needs a momentary distraction from it all. Spouses may go to work and keep busy, but many can’t escape even fleeting feelings of loneliness or worry.
If that’s the case, here are some fun ways to distract the mind a little and cope with the hardship of deployment. See More
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