Here's a special bonus episode for you! It's an episode of the MilSpouse Coffee House that I was a guest on earlier this month. I talked with Britni and Leslie about what it's been like getting a diagnosis for our son and learning to adjust after. I hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

Here's a special bonus episode for you! It's an episode of the MilSpouse Coffee House that I was a guest on earlier this month. I talked with Britni and Leslie about what it's been like getting a diagnosis for our son and learning to adjust after. I hope you enjoy and happy holidays!

Bonus Episode: Becoming a Mom of an Autistic Child

Have you heard about the changes to the TSP? In this last episode of season 5, I talk to the president and COO of First Command about all the changes. And we also talk about how military families should be setting themselves up for success for their whole career. Spoiler alert, you can't just rely on the retirement you get from the government! Mark Steffe is the President and Chief Operating Officer of First Command. Mark leads the company on a number of important strategic priorities, including the advancement of the First Command brand and the continuing adaptation to a rapidly evolving digital world. In this position, he is tasked with helping First Command effectively adapt to inevitable changes that come with company growth. Mark started his First Command career as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff of Advisor Operations. During this time, he led company efforts to streamline processes, facilitate collaboration between advisor and corporate leaders, strengthen company-wide communications, improve efficiencies in Advisors’ daily business operations and add value to advisor-client relationships. Next, Mark pivoted to a field leadership role as the Senior Vice President and Director of Advisor Operations for the Midwest Division. In this role, he directed sales growth and market penetration efforts in the Midwest and advanced the company's recruiting priorities and talent management programs. In April 2014, Mark was promoted to Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations, where he led the company's Field Force, Advisor Operations and Marketing. In this role, Mark pursued efforts to build the First Command brand and grow the company, through collaboration between advisor and the corporate office. He was also named to the company’s Executive Leadership Team and the First Command Board of Directors. Before joining First Command, Mark served in a number of leadership roles with major companies in the financial services industry, including TIAA (formerly TIAA-CREF) and UBS Financial Services (formerly PaineWebber). Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois, graduating with high honors. He holds Series 7, 8, 23, 63 and 65 securities registrations, plus Life and Health Insurance licenses. He is a devoted father of three children. Find First Command: FirstCommand.comFacebook.com/FirstCommandIG: @FirstCommandTwitter: @FirstCommand

Have you heard about the changes to the TSP? In this last episode of season 5, I talk to the president and COO of First Command about all the changes. And we also talk about how military families should be setting themselves up for success for their whole career. Spoiler alert, you can't just rely on the retirement you get from the government! Mark Steffe is the President and Chief Operating Officer of First Command. Mark leads the company on a number of important strategic priorities, including the advancement of the First Command brand and the continuing adaptation to a rapidly evolving digital world. In this position, he is tasked with helping First Command effectively adapt to inevitable changes that come with company growth. Mark started his First Command career as Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff of Advisor Operations. During this time, he led company efforts to streamline processes, facilitate collaboration between advisor and corporate leaders, strengthen company-wide communications, improve efficiencies in Advisors’ daily business operations and add value to advisor-client relationships. Next, Mark pivoted to a field leadership role as the Senior Vice President and Director of Advisor Operations for the Midwest Division. In this role, he directed sales growth and market penetration efforts in the Midwest and advanced the company's recruiting priorities and talent management programs. In April 2014, Mark was promoted to Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations, where he led the company's Field Force, Advisor Operations and Marketing. In this role, Mark pursued efforts to build the First Command brand and grow the company, through collaboration between advisor and the corporate office. He was also named to the company’s Executive Leadership Team and the First Command Board of Directors. Before joining First Command, Mark served in a number of leadership roles with major companies in the financial services industry, including TIAA (formerly TIAA-CREF) and UBS Financial Services (formerly PaineWebber). Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois, graduating with high honors. He holds Series 7, 8, 23, 63 and 65 securities registrations, plus Life and Health Insurance licenses. He is a devoted father of three children. Find First Command: <a href="/dearmilfamily/episode/FirstCommand.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FirstCommand.com</a><a href="/dearmilfamily/episode/Facebook.com/FirstCommand" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook.com/FirstCommand</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/firstcommand/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">IG: @FirstCommand</a><a href="https://twitter.com/FirstCommand" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter: @FirstCommand</a>

Retirement

Preparing for a deployment can be a hectic time. There are so many things to do and lists to check off. But what about those well meaning friends and family members? Sometimes it feels easier to swallow their blunt comments and hard questions about what your service member will be doing "over there." One military spouse says, you should prepare them for deployment too and explain how they can support you better. Becky Hoy believes that deployment is one of the best things that has ever happened for the growth of her marriage and her own personal development. As an Army spouse whose husband has been deployed or otherwise away from home for roughly half of their seven years of marriage, Becky realized quickly that wishing away the days during deployment could not be an option for her. To share this message with other spouses Becky founded Brave Crate- the deployment countdown box for military spouses. She shares weekly tips and inspiration as a blogger for Brave Blog and and has curated the deployment-positivesupport community for military spouses called Brave Board. Find Becky: www.bravecrates.comwww.facebook.com/bravecratewww.instagram.com/bravecrate This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.  

Preparing for a deployment can be a hectic time. There are so many things to do and lists to check off. But what about those well meaning friends and family members? Sometimes it feels easier to swallow their blunt comments and hard questions about what your service member will be doing "over there." One military spouse says, you should prepare them for deployment too and explain how they can support you better. Becky Hoy believes that deployment is one of the best things that has ever happened for the growth of her marriage and her own personal development. As an Army spouse whose husband has been deployed or otherwise away from home for roughly half of their seven years of marriage, Becky realized quickly that wishing away the days during deployment could not be an option for her. To share this message with other spouses Becky founded Brave Crate- the deployment countdown box for military spouses. She shares weekly tips and inspiration as a blogger for Brave Blog and and has curated the deployment-positivesupport community for military spouses called Brave Board. Find Becky: <a href="http://www.bravecrates.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bravecrates.com</a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bravecrate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/bravecrate</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/bravecrate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/bravecrate</a> This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.americanforcestravel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Forces Travel</a>. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.

Preparing for PCS

 One of the biggest sucks of military life lately is PCSing and specifically how military families' things are moved, stored, and delivered by contracted moving companies. One Army veteran and Military Spouse is helping to change the process and try to make it better for everyone. Megan is an army veteran after serving 4 years with a combat deployment, a military spouse of 13 years and mom to 3 wonderful children. She is a professional volunteer who jumps in to help wherever a hand in needed from supporting the FRG, PWOC, her children’s schools, and other organizations. During the last year, Megan has advocated extensively for PCS Reform from working with members of Congress on legislation, briefing the office of the second lady, and working directly with Transcom and moving industry members through the Personal Property Relocation Advisory Panel. In her free time you’ll find her refinishing furniture, and searching the best chocolate in the world! Find Megan: https://www.facebook.com/MilitarySpouseChronicles1/Www.militaryspousechronicles.comWww.instagram.com/militaryspousrchronicles  This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time. 

One of the biggest sucks of military life lately is PCSing and specifically how military families' things are moved, stored, and delivered by contracted moving companies. One Army veteran and Military Spouse is helping to change the process and try to make it better for everyone. Megan is an army veteran after serving 4 years with a combat deployment, a military spouse of 13 years and mom to 3 wonderful children. She is a professional volunteer who jumps in to help wherever a hand in needed from supporting the FRG, PWOC, her children’s schools, and other organizations. During the last year, Megan has advocated extensively for PCS Reform from working with members of Congress on legislation, briefing the office of the second lady, and working directly with Transcom and moving industry members through the Personal Property Relocation Advisory Panel. In her free time you’ll find her refinishing furniture, and searching the best chocolate in the world! Find Megan: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MilitarySpouseChronicles1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/MilitarySpouseChronicles1/</a><a href="http://Www.militaryspousechronicles.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Www.militaryspousechronicles.com</a><a href="http://Www.instagram.com/militaryspousrchronicles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Www.instagram.com/militaryspousrchronicles</a>  This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.americanforcestravel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Forces Travel</a>. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.

PCS Reform

Ask any military family the most difficult part of any deployment or separation, and they're going to say reintegration. The actual time spent a part is not as difficult as trying to bring two (or more) lives back together after a significant amount of time living separately. How do we help this process? One word: communication. Samantha McKenzie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Master's Degree in Communication Studies. She recently did her Directed Project on Military Reintegration where she decided there was a gap for partners during their communication about reintergration so she developed a booklet for partners to know what to experience during deployment and reintegration in terms of their communication patterns. She has also created a project centered around reintegration called Care Reintegration. Find Samantha: https://www.facebook.com/samantha.maine21IG Personal: samantha.abigale_  IG Project: care_reintegration This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time. 

Ask any military family the most difficult part of any deployment or separation, and they're going to say reintegration. The actual time spent a part is not as difficult as trying to bring two (or more) lives back together after a significant amount of time living separately. How do we help this process? One word: communication. Samantha McKenzie graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a Master's Degree in Communication Studies. She recently did her Directed Project on Military Reintegration where she decided there was a gap for partners during their communication about reintergration so she developed a booklet for partners to know what to experience during deployment and reintegration in terms of their communication patterns. She has also created a project centered around reintegration called Care Reintegration. Find Samantha: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/samantha.maine21" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/samantha.maine21</a>IG Personal: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/samantha.abigale_/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">samantha.abigale_ </a> IG Project: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/care_reintegration/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">care_reintegration</a> This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.americanforcestravel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Forces Travel</a>. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.

Reunion and Reintegration

Military spouses are some of the hardest working people I know, and it's time we pay more mind to how we are taking care of ourselves. Often we are the ones shouldering all of the responsibility at home (and more at work) and we're doing it with little to no support network. So here are some great suggestions of how to take care of our selves better. Bernadette Soler is a proud military spouse, 500-hr yoga teacher, yoga therapist-in-training, Certified Personal Trainer, Reiki Master Teacher, and owner of wellness lifestyle company and chic leggings line, Doll Yoga Wear, LLC. She has been teaching group yoga classes for over seven years, and specializes in developing unique yoga practices for individuals and special populations, including (but not limited to) military personnel and their families, corporate wellness settings, kids, and seniors. She enjoys applying the authentic teachings of yoga to your modern lifestyle in a simple and effective way. Having experienced the powerful life-changing effects of yoga, Bernadette is excited to help others move in the direction of their highest potential by way of these ancient teachings. Find Bernadette: bernadettesoler.com@bernadette_soler on instagram At Ease book This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.

Military spouses are some of the hardest working people I know, and it's time we pay more mind to how we are taking care of ourselves. Often we are the ones shouldering all of the responsibility at home (and more at work) and we're doing it with little to no support network. So here are some great suggestions of how to take care of our selves better. Bernadette Soler is a proud military spouse, 500-hr yoga teacher, yoga therapist-in-training, Certified Personal Trainer, Reiki Master Teacher, and owner of wellness lifestyle company and chic leggings line, Doll Yoga Wear, LLC. She has been teaching group yoga classes for over seven years, and specializes in developing unique yoga practices for individuals and special populations, including (but not limited to) military personnel and their families, corporate wellness settings, kids, and seniors. She enjoys applying the authentic teachings of yoga to your modern lifestyle in a simple and effective way. Having experienced the powerful life-changing effects of yoga, Bernadette is excited to help others move in the direction of their highest potential by way of these ancient teachings. Find Bernadette: <a href="https://www.bernadettesoler.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bernadettesoler.com</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/bernadette_soler/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@bernadette_soler</a> on instagram <a href="https://www.bernadettesoler.com/shop/at-ease-bundle?utm_source=mailchimp&amp;utm_campaign=03006ce5e1f0&amp;utm_medium=page" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">At Ease book</a> This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://www.americanforcestravel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">American Forces Travel</a>. Take care of your travel needs and give back to your branch of service at the same time.

Stress Relief for MilSpouses

Our military kids need positive role models and interactions with other adults. One organization is trying to bring athletes and military kids together in positive interactions to show milkids what they can aspire to one day. Operation Teammate creates positive experiences for military children who is separated from their service member parent because of deployment, trainings, or school. And they do all of this for free! I talked to Timothy Montjoy about the organization he started and how it's helping our military children. Timothy Montjoy is a retiree of the United States Air Force and currently resides in Augusta, Georgia. His Air Force career spanned from 1996 – 2016 and took him to such overseas assignments as Osan Air Base, South Korea to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and Zabul, Afghanistan. Tim and his entire family have a passion for making an impact with our military children - this dedication directly supports the betterment of the military and civilian communities across our great nation. Find Tim &amp; Operation Teammate: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/operationteammateTwitter – https://twitter.com/OperationTeam8Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/operationteammateLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-montjoy-90630245Website - https://www.operationteammate.org This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Get discounted travel rates and help your branch by using americanforcestravel.com

Our military kids need positive role models and interactions with other adults. One organization is trying to bring athletes and military kids together in positive interactions to show milkids what they can aspire to one day. Operation Teammate creates positive experiences for military children who is separated from their service member parent because of deployment, trainings, or school. And they do all of this for free! I talked to Timothy Montjoy about the organization he started and how it's helping our military children. Timothy Montjoy is a retiree of the United States Air Force and currently resides in Augusta, Georgia. His Air Force career spanned from 1996 – 2016 and took him to such overseas assignments as Osan Air Base, South Korea to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and Zabul, Afghanistan. Tim and his entire family have a passion for making an impact with our military children - this dedication directly supports the betterment of the military and civilian communities across our great nation. Find Tim &amp; Operation Teammate: Facebook – <a href="https://www.facebook.com/operationteammate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/operationteammate</a>Twitter – <a href="https://twitter.com/OperationTeam8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/OperationTeam8</a>Instagram - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/operationteammate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/operationteammate</a>LinkedIn – <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-montjoy-90630245" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-montjoy-90630245</a>Website - <a href="https://www.operationteammate.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.operationteammate.org</a> This episode is sponsored by American Forces Travel. Get discounted travel rates and help your branch by using <a href="https://www.americanforcestravel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">americanforcestravel.com</a>

Operation Teammate

Yesterday was Veteran's Day, so I've got a great episode about a podcast just for Military veteran dads. Dads that served sometimes need to talk to other dads about how they're feeling and how they're adjusting to civilian life. Ben Killoy has created a new podcast this year just for this demographic. Because we need to take care of the dads that served our country and let them know they can transition and become a great veteran dad. Ben Killoy, is a U.S. Marine Veteran turned blogger, life coach, speaker, and now podcaster who seeks to bring Military Veteran Dads home to their families. He resides in Janesville, WI, with his wife and three beautiful kids! Ben, went through what most transitioning veterans go through of redefining identity and rediscovering your passion and purpose for life. A seminar changed it all for him, and realigned him to his passion for leadership. Since then he has been on a mission to master leadership principles &amp; use his passion for leadership to help dads understand who they are, develop the skills to overcome adversity, and own their life and choices truly come home to their life. Find Ben:MilitaryVeteranDad.com MilitaryVeteranDad.com/Blog Instagram @Ben_Killoy Instagram @MilitaryVeteranDad Twitter @benkilloy Facebook Page @MilitaryVeteranDad Facebook Profile

Yesterday was Veteran's Day, so I've got a great episode about a podcast just for Military veteran dads. Dads that served sometimes need to talk to other dads about how they're feeling and how they're adjusting to civilian life. Ben Killoy has created a new podcast this year just for this demographic. Because we need to take care of the dads that served our country and let them know they can transition and become a great veteran dad.   Ben Killoy, is a U.S. Marine Veteran turned blogger, life coach, speaker, and now podcaster who seeks to bring Military Veteran Dads home to their families. He resides in Janesville, WI, with his wife and three beautiful kids! Ben, went through what most transitioning veterans go through of redefining identity and rediscovering your passion and purpose for life. A seminar changed it all for him, and realigned him to his passion for leadership. Since then he has been on a mission to master leadership principles &amp; use his passion for leadership to help dads understand who they are, develop the skills to overcome adversity, and own their life and choices truly come home to their life.   Find Ben: <a href="http://militaryveterandad.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MilitaryVeteranDad.com</a> <a href="http://militaryveterandad.com/Blog" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MilitaryVeteranDad.com/Blog</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ben_killoy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram @Ben_Killoy</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/militaryveterandad/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram @MilitaryVeteranDad</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BenKilloy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter @benkilloy</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/militaryveterandad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Page @MilitaryVeteranDad</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.killoy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook Profile</a>

Be a Great Veteran Dad

We hear all the time that voting is so important, but being a military family can add challenges to even the simplest of activities. I talk to two military spouse friends about where they vote, how they found, the challenges we are up against. And of course why it's important to vote! Susan Reynolds is one of the founding members of Tricare for Kids and has advocated for better healthcare for all connected to the military for years on capitol hill. She also started and co-hosted her own podcast called Spouse Spouts. She is the proud spouse of Jeremy Reynolds, an Airman and mother to their son Ian. She cannot wait for her husband's retirement to come next year. Paige Grymes is an avid Moms Demand Action volunteer and has been busy the past few years canvassing and phone banking. She is married to Jamie, a soldier, and is raising three wonderful boys with him currently in Virginia. Find out where &amp; how to vote:https://www.vote.org/

We hear all the time that voting is so important, but being a military family can add challenges to even the simplest of activities. I talk to two military spouse friends about where they vote, how they found, the challenges we are up against. And of course why it's important to vote!   Susan Reynolds is one of the founding members of Tricare for Kids and has advocated for better healthcare for all connected to the military for years on capitol hill. She also started and co-hosted her own podcast called Spouse Spouts. She is the proud spouse of Jeremy Reynolds, an Airman and mother to their son Ian. She cannot wait for her husband's retirement to come next year.   Paige Grymes is an avid Moms Demand Action volunteer and has been busy the past few years canvassing and phone banking. She is married to Jamie, a soldier, and is raising three wonderful boys with him currently in Virginia.   Find out where &amp; how to vote: <a href="https://www.vote.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vote.org/</a>

Vote!

The area of spouse licensure has had an eventful year with all branches of service announcing that they will reimburse spouses for their licensure fees after PCS. A group of military spouses has been working in this area for many years and plan on making more strides too.  For the past decade, Josie Beets has put her extensive expertise in comprehensive problem solving, strategic communications, and regulatory frameworks to transform the landscape of licensing for mobile military spouses. Through her fight for common sense accommodations for military spouse attorneys, she discovered the overwhelming and often unfair licensing regimes across the country. She is passionate about helping people find ways to make licensing work with their mobile lifestyles. Josie is a licensed attorney, a nonprofit executive, a wife and a mom. She has presented on licensing issues to the Department of Defense, the White House, the American Bar Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Find Mission License: MissionLICENSE: missionlicense.comfacebook.com/missionlicensetwitter.com/missionlicenseFind Josie:twitter.com/JosieBeetslinkedin.com/in/josiebeets

The area of spouse licensure has had an eventful year with all branches of service announcing that they will reimburse spouses for their licensure fees after PCS. A group of military spouses has been working in this area for many years and plan on making more strides too.  For the past decade, Josie Beets has put her extensive expertise in comprehensive problem solving, strategic communications, and regulatory frameworks to transform the landscape of licensing for mobile military spouses. Through her fight for common sense accommodations for military spouse attorneys, she discovered the overwhelming and often unfair licensing regimes across the country. She is passionate about helping people find ways to make licensing work with their mobile lifestyles. Josie is a licensed attorney, a nonprofit executive, a wife and a mom. She has presented on licensing issues to the Department of Defense, the White House, the American Bar Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Find Mission License: MissionLICENSE: <a href="https://www.missionlicense.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">missionlicense.com</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/missionlicense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/missionlicense</a><a href="https://twitter.com/missionlicense" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter.com/missionlicense</a>Find Josie:<a href="https://twitter.com/JosieBeets" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter.com/JosieBeets</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiebeets/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">linkedin.com/in/josiebeets</a>

Military Spouse Professional Licenses

A podcast for anyone who has a family member in the military or anyone interested in the military lifestyle.

Informative podcast with an empathetic host. Really enjoying this one!

Informative

I love how you look at different sides of military life.

Interesting Topics

The Dear MilFamily Podcast

With the constant change in military lifestyle, sometimes it can be difficult to get a handle on your finances or even know where to begin when you first start out. In today's episode, I talk to Joy Liu about budgeting and how to get a handle on your finances while still getting to do things you enjoy. Joy Liu is a Certified Financial Trainer® at The Financial Gym. While her employers and clients are based in NYC, she works from her home office in North Carolina. She started her career in Account Management in major NYC creative advertising agencies working on iconic brands like M&amp;M’S, Dove Chocolate, Ricola, and Yellow Tail wine. After time spent realizing her passions lay outside of creating 30 second commercials combined with becoming a military spouse, she began her mission to craft a career that was geo-independent and focused on solving problems that were important to her values.  Find Joy on Social Media:Instagram: instagram.com/joyzliu  Guess Who's in the MilFamily: This week it's Pat Sajak! Links to articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak https://www.uso.org/stories/283-wheel-of-fortune-host-pat-sajak-recounts-his-days-as-an-army-dj https://blog.togetherweserved.com/2016/08/08/sp5-pat-sajak-us-army-served-1968-1970/ Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here.  https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad

With the constant change in military lifestyle, sometimes it can be difficult to get a handle on your finances or even know where to begin when you first start out. In today's episode, I talk to Joy Liu about budgeting and how to get a handle on your finances while still getting to do things you enjoy. Joy Liu is a Certified Financial Trainer® at <a href="https://www.financialgym.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Financial Gym</a>. While her employers and clients are based in NYC, she works from her home office in North Carolina. She started her career in Account Management in major NYC creative advertising agencies working on iconic brands like M&amp;M’S, Dove Chocolate, Ricola, and Yellow Tail wine. After time spent realizing her passions lay outside of creating 30 second commercials combined with becoming a military spouse, she began her mission to craft a career that was geo-independent and focused on solving problems that were important to her values. Find Joy on Social Media:Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joyzliu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/joyzliu </a> Guess Who's in the MilFamily: This week it's Pat Sajak! Links to articles: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Sajak</a> <a href="https://www.uso.org/stories/283-wheel-of-fortune-host-pat-sajak-recounts-his-days-as-an-army-dj" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.uso.org/stories/283-wheel-of-fortune-host-pat-sajak-recounts-his-days-as-an-army-dj</a> <a href="https://blog.togetherweserved.com/2016/08/08/sp5-pat-sajak-us-army-served-1968-1970/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://blog.togetherweserved.com/2016/08/08/sp5-pat-sajak-us-army-served-1968-1970/</a> Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. <a href="/dearmilfamily/episode/Here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a>

Ep: 36 The Military Family Budget

Finding friends as an adult can be difficult, but finding military friends can be even harder! We all need someone to lean on during the roller coaster of military life. When you just PCSed to a new area (or maybe all your friends just PCSed) it's scary to think about putting yourself out there again. But it is so important that you do! I talk to Lauren and Michelle of The Dependas of how to find that military friend and keep trying to find your people despite setbacks.Lauren is a USMC spouse to her husband, James, and a mom of three girls. She is an avid fitness buff to include lifting heavy weights, running further than most people find sane, and yoga so she doesn’t kill anyone around her. She is one half of #TheDependas as well as a small business owner specializing in brand development and VA services and the managing editor of Daily Mom Military. Michelle is the other half of The Dependas. She is an Air Force wife, and the mother of two monkeys and a fur baby. She loves her  Mama, Jesus, and America, too! In addition to managing the controlled chaos of motherhood and military life, she is also a registered nurse and dietician who gets her kicks providing TLC to laboring mamas and new babies. Military life has given her the realization that she is not in control and that is incredibly freeing. She enjoys  running, watching real-estate shows with my hubby, and credits her positive attitude in life to her faith, lots of laughter (often to inappropriate things), and the power of relatively cheap Riesling and sweet red wines. You can find these wonderful ladies at:#TheDependasYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJgcXHuspaqinu6bhSEbEQFacebook: www.facebook.com/thedependasInstagram: www.instagram.com/thedependasEmail: hello@thedependas.comConnect with Lauren:Facebook: www.facebook.com/lmlcreativestudiosInstagram: www.instagram.com/lmlcreativestudiosWebsite: www.lmlcreativestudios.comCollaborate:Daily MomFacebook: www.facebook.com/dailymommilitaryInstagram: www.instagram.com/dailymommilitaryEmail: lauren@dailymom.com

Finding friends as an adult can be difficult, but finding military friends can be even harder! We all need someone to lean on during the roller coaster of military life. When you just PCSed to a new area (or maybe all your friends just PCSed) it's scary to think about putting yourself out there again. But it is so important that you do! I talk to Lauren and Michelle of The Dependas of how to find that military friend and keep trying to find your people despite setbacks. Lauren is a USMC spouse to her husband, James, and a mom of three girls. She is an avid fitness buff to include lifting heavy weights, running further than most people find sane, and yoga so she doesn’t kill anyone around her. She is one half of #TheDependas as well as a small business owner specializing in brand development and VA services and the managing editor of Daily Mom Military.  Michelle is the other half of The Dependas. She is an Air Force wife, and the mother of two monkeys and a fur baby. She loves her  Mama, Jesus, and America, too! In addition to managing the controlled chaos of motherhood and military life, she is also a registered nurse and dietician who gets her kicks providing TLC to laboring mamas and new babies. Military life has given her the realization that she is not in control and that is incredibly freeing. She enjoys  running, watching real-estate shows with my hubby, and credits her positive attitude in life to her faith, lots of laughter (often to inappropriate things), and the power of relatively cheap Riesling and sweet red wines.  You can find these wonderful ladies at: #TheDependas YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJgcXHuspaqinu6bhSEbEQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJgcXHuspaqinu6bhSEbEQ</a> Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedependas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/thedependas</a> Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/thedependas" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/thedependas</a> Email: <a href="mailto:hello@thedependas.com">hello@thedependas.com</a> Connect with Lauren: Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lmlcreativestudios" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/lmlcreativestudios</a> Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lmlcreativestudios" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/lmlcreativestudios</a> Website: <a href="http://www.lmlcreativestudios.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.lmlcreativestudios.com</a> Collaborate: Daily Mom Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/dailymommilitary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/dailymommilitary</a> Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/dailymommilitary" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/dailymommilitary</a> Email: <a href="mailto:lauren@dailymom.com">lauren@dailymom.com</a>

Ep: 30 Military Besties

To wrap up the Month of the Military Child, I bring you a special episode from another former military child who has spent her life connected to the military. When you spend your whole life supporting service members, you have a broader view of not only domestic policy but of the whole world. Listen as I talk to one military child who became a military spouse and then saw her son join the military: my mother-in-law. Dee is a Special Education teacher, semi-retired from the public schools and working part time with charter schools as a behavior management specialist. She was also a military brat, military spouse, and is now a mother to a military service member. She has spent her whole life connected to the military in some way. Her father fought in the Vietnam War. Then after marrying an airman, experienced her husband’s service with Desert Storm. Later, one of her sons served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Dee grew up all over the world but called Idaho home for many years. She raised two boys with her husband George. Now, she lives her semi-retired life in Las Vegas, NV, enjoying her grandsons when she can. Join the Facebook group The MilFamily

To wrap up the Month of the Military Child, I bring you a special episode from another former military child who has spent her life connected to the military. When you spend your whole life supporting service members, you have a broader view of not only domestic policy but of the whole world. Listen as I talk to one military child who became a military spouse and then saw her son join the military: my mother-in-law.   Dee is a Special Education teacher, semi-retired from the public schools and working part time with charter schools as a behavior management specialist. She was also a military brat, military spouse, and is now a mother to a military service member. She has spent her whole life connected to the military in some way. Her father fought in the Vietnam War. Then after marrying an airman, experienced her husband’s service with Desert Storm. Later, one of her sons served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Dee grew up all over the world but called Idaho home for many years. She raised two boys with her husband George. Now, she lives her semi-retired life in Las Vegas, NV, enjoying her grandsons when she can.   Join the Facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMilFamily/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The MilFamily</a>

Ep: 63 Military Child to MilSpouse to Military Parent

Military marriage is hard! And you can have a positive attitude and mindset, but it still helps to get authentic and real about it. One military spouse is on a mission to have more honest conversations about marriage and other topics that affect those of us in military life.  Pam Chavez is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and helps Military Spouses take back control of their life through mindset, connection, health and well-being. Showing women how to honor their personal goals despite their physical location. She is the Nutrition Expert for the 2019 Military Spouse Wellness Summit. Her articles and recipes can be found online and in print magazines to include Military Spouse dot com and FoodMatters. Find Pam: https://www.healthonthehomefront.comhttps://www.instagram.com/health_on_the_homefront/https://www.facebook.com/healthonthehomefront/https://www.pinterest.com/healthonthehomefront/

Military marriage is hard! And you can have a positive attitude and mindset, but it still helps to get authentic and real about it. One military spouse is on a mission to have more honest conversations about marriage and other topics that affect those of us in military life.  Pam Chavez is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and helps Military Spouses take back control of their life through mindset, connection, health and well-being. Showing women how to honor their personal goals despite their physical location. She is the Nutrition Expert for the 2019 Military Spouse Wellness Summit. Her articles and recipes can be found online and in print magazines to include Military Spouse dot com and FoodMatters. Find Pam: <a href="https://www.healthonthehomefront.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.healthonthehomefront.com</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/health_on_the_homefront/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/health_on_the_homefront/</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/healthonthehomefront/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/healthonthehomefront/</a><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/healthonthehomefront/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com/healthonthehomefront/</a>

The Truth About Military Marriages

What would it be like if you were able to stay in one place for some time and put down some roots? The common military experience is to PCS and often. But what if your spouse is in the military, and you don't move? Stay by my friends and family? Yes, please! But of course the military has its own idea. And if you plan on staying in until retirement, you will have to move eventually. It can be a jarring experience that first time you do have to PCS. In this episode, I talk to a Navy spouse whose family was able to stay in the Pacific Northwest for a while, and what it was like to be a seasoned spouse and move to a new area.  Kara Ludlow has been a Navy wife since 2001, marrying an enlisted submariner who is now a Naval Nurse Corps officer. She is a Pacific Northwest native currently living the California dream with her husband and 3 kids in sunny San Diego. She writes regularly on her blog at karaludlow.com about all things in this unpredictable military life. As a mentor and blogger for the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, she connects with new Navy spouses to guide them in their own journeys. Kara has seen first-hand how not all military spouses are connected in natural support groups. She knows how important relationships are, and encourages all military spouses to reach out, speak up and ask for help. She is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, and as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Kara can often be found reading cookbooks like juicy novels and is usually thinking about what's for dinner. Find Kara: https://karaludlow.comhttps://www.facebook.com/karaludlownavywife/https://www.instagram.com/mskaraludlow/ A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors: Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. https://goo.gl/roieF9 Attend the MakeHER Retreat: Get your early bird pricing!  Donate to Coast Guard Mutual Assistance 

What would it be like if you were able to stay in one place for some time and put down some roots? The common military experience is to PCS and often. But what if your spouse is in the military, and you don't move? Stay by my friends and family? Yes, please! But of course the military has its own idea. And if you plan on staying in until retirement, you will have to move eventually. It can be a jarring experience that first time you do have to PCS. In this episode, I talk to a Navy spouse whose family was able to stay in the Pacific Northwest for a while, and what it was like to be a seasoned spouse and move to a new area.  Kara Ludlow has been a Navy wife since 2001, marrying an enlisted submariner who is now a Naval Nurse Corps officer. She is a Pacific Northwest native currently living the California dream with her husband and 3 kids in sunny San Diego. She writes regularly on her blog at <a href="http://karaludlow.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">karaludlow.com</a> about all things in this unpredictable military life. As a mentor and blogger for the Military Spouse Advocacy Network, she connects with new Navy spouses to guide them in their own journeys. Kara has seen first-hand how not all military spouses are connected in natural support groups. She knows how important relationships are, and encourages all military spouses to reach out, speak up and ask for help. She is a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, and as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Kara can often be found reading cookbooks like juicy novels and is usually thinking about what's for dinner. Find Kara: <a href="https://karaludlow.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://karaludlow.com</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/karaludlownavywife/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/karaludlownavywife/</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mskaraludlow/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/mskaraludlow/</a>   A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors:   Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here:<a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a>   Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a>   Attend the MakeHER Retreat: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/makeher-retreat-for-milspouse-entrepreneurs-creatives-tickets-54812484617?aff=makeHerAmbassador&amp;afu=258909344039" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get your early bird pricing!</a>    Donate to <a href="http://www.cgmahq.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Coast Guard Mutual Assistance </a>

Ep: 50 The Atypical MilSpouse Experience

The subject of military spouses "serving" too can be quite controversial and divide many in the military community. In this episode, I talk to one MilSpouse author that says "they serve too." We discussed the many ways that military families are often overlooked in support of the service member. We also talked about ways to bridge the gap between the military and civilian worlds.   Chantel Olson is an author, speaker and coach. Her new book is entitled "Homefront Warriors -- Not all warriors wear a uniform," an international bestseller. Her mission is to bring awareness to the Homefront Warriors, the spouses, children, parents, etc., left at home when their loved one is serving in the military. She founded the Homefront Warrior Foundation to bring awareness to the many issues military families face. In addition, she designed a special dog tag, based on the military tags, that represents the Homefront Warriors. Find Chantel: https://www.facebook.com/chantelinspires/ www.chantelinspires.com chantel@chantelinspires.com https://www.facebook.com/Homefront-Warriors-Foundation-Inc-1753483831630029/A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors: Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. https://goo.gl/roieF9 Belle Fitness and Nutrition: Join the group! Attend the MakeHER Retreat: Get your early bird pricing! 

The subject of military spouses "serving" too can be quite controversial and divide many in the military community. In this episode, I talk to one MilSpouse author that says "they serve too." We discussed the many ways that military families are often overlooked in support of the service member. We also talked about ways to bridge the gap between the military and civilian worlds.   Chantel Olson is an author, speaker and coach. Her new book is entitled "Homefront Warriors -- Not all warriors wear a uniform," an international bestseller. Her mission is to bring awareness to the Homefront Warriors, the spouses, children, parents, etc., left at home when their loved one is serving in the military. She founded the Homefront Warrior Foundation to bring awareness to the many issues military families face. In addition, she designed a special dog tag, based on the military tags, that represents the Homefront Warriors. Find Chantel: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chantelinspires/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/chantelinspires/</a> <a href="http://www.chantelinspires.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.chantelinspires.com</a> <a href="mailto:chantel@chantelinspires.com">chantel@chantelinspires.com</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Homefront-Warriors-Foundation-Inc-1753483831630029/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Homefront-Warriors-Foundation-Inc-1753483831630029/</a>A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors:   Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a>   Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a>   Belle Fitness and Nutrition: <a href="https://www.bellefitnessandnutrition.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Join the group!</a>   Attend the MakeHER Retreat: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/makeher-retreat-for-milspouse-entrepreneurs-creatives-tickets-54812484617?aff=makeHerAmbassador&amp;afu=258909344039" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get your early bird pricing! </a>

Ep: 53 Holding Down the Homefront

Military love stories are all unique and yet have lots of similarities. They can often have themes involved such as "life is about making sacrifices" or "it's important to serve your country." But every MilFamily has their own unique stories and experiences that remind all of us whether connected to the military or not, that we have more in common than separates us. On this episode, I talk to author Sara Stackpoole about her and her husband's own unique love story, and the book she has written to share it.  Sara grew up in Arizona and always wanted to write. She was the “girl next door” that had read every book in her school library. She finally wrote her first book after marrying Brad, who many people say is literally “the most interesting man in the world” because of all his adventures prior to meeting Sara. They met online in 2001 when internet dating was new to the world. Sara saved all those emails from their online courtship prior to meeting each other in person. Brad had one more interesting adventure after meeting Sara. He joined the US Army at 38 years old. Sara began writing her love story memoir while Brad was deployed to Afghanistan. Sara was a military wife, a caregiver to her disabled parents, and a mother of two young girls at the time. Sara lives in Florida now with her family, including Charlie and Elvis, their dogs. Find Sara here: https://www.facebook.com/madeagainlovestory/ https://www.instagram.com/sarastackpoole/ Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812 Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad

Military love stories are all unique and yet have lots of similarities. They can often have themes involved such as "life is about making sacrifices" or "it's important to serve your country." But every MilFamily has their own unique stories and experiences that remind all of us whether connected to the military or not, that we have more in common than separates us. On this episode, I talk to author Sara Stackpoole about her and her husband's own unique love story, and the book she has written to share it.  Sara grew up in Arizona and always wanted to write. She was the “girl next door” that had read every book in her school library. She finally wrote her first book after marrying Brad, who many people say is literally “the most interesting man in the world” because of all his adventures prior to meeting Sara. They met online in 2001 when internet dating was new to the world. Sara saved all those emails from their online courtship prior to meeting each other in person. Brad had one more interesting adventure after meeting Sara. He joined the US Army at 38 years old. Sara began writing her love story memoir while Brad was deployed to Afghanistan. Sara was a military wife, a caregiver to her disabled parents, and a mother of two young girls at the time. Sara lives in Florida now with her family, including Charlie and Elvis, their dogs. Find Sara here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/madeagainlovestory/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/madeagainlovestory/</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sarastackpoole/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/sarastackpoole/</a> Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812</a> Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: <a href="https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a>

Ep: 42 Military Love Story

Deployments are hard no matter what, but how can you lessen the reintegration time or at least make it easier? In this episode, I talk to Rachel McQuiston of the blog and care package shop Countdowns and Cupcakes. She gives some amazing tips for not only care packages, but also other ways to stay connected to your loved one while they are deployed.  Rachel is a proud Navy wife, lover of all things orange, avid reader, dog mom, and care package maker. She blogs all about life as a military wife at Countdowns and Cupcakes, a place where military spouses, new and experienced alike, can come for support, encouragement, a little humor and maybe a care package idea or two. Her creative and thoughtful care package designs are available on Etsy. She can also be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Bloglovin. Find Rachel here: https://countdownsandcupcakes.com/ https://www.facebook.com/countdownsandcupcakes/ https://www.instagram.com/ramcquiston/ https://twitter.com/ramcquiston Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812 Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad

Deployments are hard no matter what, but how can you lessen the reintegration time or at least make it easier? In this episode, I talk to Rachel McQuiston of the blog and care package shop Countdowns and Cupcakes. She gives some amazing tips for not only care packages, but also other ways to stay connected to your loved one while they are deployed.  Rachel is a proud Navy wife, lover of all things orange, avid reader, dog mom, and care package maker. She blogs all about life as a military wife at Countdowns and Cupcakes, a place where military spouses, new and experienced alike, can come for support, encouragement, a little humor and maybe a care package idea or two. Her creative and thoughtful care package designs are available on Etsy. She can also be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Bloglovin. Find Rachel here: <a href="https://countdownsandcupcakes.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://countdownsandcupcakes.com/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/countdownsandcupcakes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/countdownsandcupcakes/</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ramcquiston/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/ramcquiston/</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ramcquiston" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/ramcquiston</a> Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812</a> Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: <a href="https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a>

Ep: 43 Stay Connected During Deployment

We have all heard the stories in the news about the mold, pest, maintenance, and water issues that plague military housing around the country and globe. But sometimes the answer to our problems is not so easy to find. In this episode, I talk to one military spouse who is on the front lines of the military housing crisis and has even testified before Congress to explain how terrible it has really gotten which sparked investigation and changes across all branches of the military.  Crystal Cornwall is the co-founder of the Safe Military Housing Initiative and has been a lead advocate in addressing the military housing crisis our military and their families have been experiencing in recent years. She is a USMC spouse, mother of 3 beautiful children, and is a commercial underwriter for a Northern Virginia bank. She also testified in front of the Senate in Feb of this year about her experience and advocacy as it relates to the health and safety of military service members and their families living in housing. Find Crystal: www.safemilhousing.comhttp://linkedin.com/in/crystalcornwall

We have all heard the stories in the news about the mold, pest, maintenance, and water issues that plague military housing around the country and globe. But sometimes the answer to our problems is not so easy to find. In this episode, I talk to one military spouse who is on the front lines of the military housing crisis and has even testified before Congress to explain how terrible it has really gotten which sparked investigation and changes across all branches of the military.  Crystal Cornwall is the co-founder of the Safe Military Housing Initiative and has been a lead advocate in addressing the military housing crisis our military and their families have been experiencing in recent years. She is a USMC spouse, mother of 3 beautiful children, and is a commercial underwriter for a Northern Virginia bank. She also testified in front of the Senate in Feb of this year about her experience and advocacy as it relates to the health and safety of military service members and their families living in housing. Find Crystal: <a href="http://www.safemilhousing.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.safemilhousing.com</a><a href="http://linkedin.com/in/crystalcornwall" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://linkedin.com/in/crystalcornwall</a>

The State of Military Housing

Has your spouse been given a duty station that you are not really excited about? I've been there when my husband was sent to San Antonio. I was not excited about living there to say the least. But everything changed around for me by the end of the assignment, and it can for you too! Sierra Redmond also knows what it's like to be sent somewhere you don't want to go. She and I discuss her tips on how to get pass your initial distaste and end up loving where you're at!Sierra Redmond is the 22 year old Mom and Army Wife behind The Daily Impressions Lifestyle Blog. The Daily Impressions was created in 2017 to encourage the building of stronger family units through travel and experiences. Sierra went to college for Broadcast Journalism TV/Radio and Media and was set on being a correspondent. In 2014, she married her high school sweetheart turned US Army soldier and  knew that it would change her life. After getting married and moving to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo she realized how impossible it was going to be to work in media the way that she intended...That’s when she discovered blogging. She found a fulfilling career that allowed her to support her husband's career and be a stay at home mom to her son.  She hopes that her website encourages military families to travel more often, draw closer together to build strong families and make the most out of their military experiences. She is currently serving as the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year base winner for USAG Miami and uses her platform to show Military wives everywhere that they can live their best lives.  Visit her website- http://www.thedailyimpressions.comInstagram- https://www.instagram.com/iamsierrared/Facebook- https://m.facebook.com/TheDailyImpressions/Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/TheDailyImpressions/Twitter- https://twitter.com/IamSierraRed

Has your spouse been given a duty station that you are not really excited about? I've been there when my husband was sent to San Antonio. I was not excited about living there to say the least. But everything changed around for me by the end of the assignment, and it can for you too! Sierra Redmond also knows what it's like to be sent somewhere you don't want to go. She and I discuss her tips on how to get pass your initial distaste and end up loving where you're at! Sierra Redmond is the 22 year old Mom and Army Wife behind The Daily Impressions Lifestyle Blog. The Daily Impressions was created in 2017 to encourage the building of stronger family units through travel and experiences. Sierra went to college for Broadcast Journalism TV/Radio and Media and was set on being a correspondent. In 2014, she married her high school sweetheart turned US Army soldier and  knew that it would change her life. After getting married and moving to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo she realized how impossible it was going to be to work in media the way that she intended...That’s when she discovered blogging. She found a fulfilling career that allowed her to support her husband's career and be a stay at home mom to her son.  She hopes that her website encourages military families to travel more often, draw closer together to build strong families and make the most out of their military experiences. She is currently serving as the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year base winner for USAG Miami and uses her platform to show Military wives everywhere that they can live their best lives.   Visit her website- <a href="http://www.thedailyimpressions.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.thedailyimpressions.com</a> Instagram- <a href="https://www.instagram.com/iamsierrared/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/iamsierrared/</a> Facebook- <a href="https://m.facebook.com/TheDailyImpressions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://m.facebook.com/TheDailyImpressions/</a> Pinterest- <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/TheDailyImpressions/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com/TheDailyImpressions/</a> Twitter- <a href="https://twitter.com/IamSierraRed" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/IamSierraRed</a>

Ep: 27 Best/Worst Duty Station

Do you volunteer? There are so many ways to do it in our military community and so many reasons why from helping with animals, children, the community you are living in currently, or even with your spouse's unit. You are needed, and your help is valued! On today's episode, I talk to Marla Bautista, an avid volunteer, about how to do it and the benefits for everyone.  Marla Bautista is a published author of My Thoughts Abandoned, released in January 2017. She is a freelance writer and blogger. Marla is also the Co-Founder of The Bautista Project, a custom décor and apparel company, which uses a percentage of their profits to provide for homeless communities. She was recently named Armed Forces Insurance 2018 Military Spouse of the Year Base Level Winner for Fort Drum. Marla is an all-around generous woman who thrives on the happiness of her local community. She has volunteered within the U.S. Army community since 2008. Twitter: https://twitter.com/bautista1612 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgm_hh6/?hl=enPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/marlabautista831/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marla-bautista-157a4a132Company Website: www.thebautistaproject.comBlog: www.hoodcents.wordpress.comEbates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here.  https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad Guess Who's in the MilFamily: Bea Arthur! Links below. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/bea-arthur-was-truck-driving-marine https://www.military.com/veterans-day/famous-women-veterans.html

Do you volunteer? There are so many ways to do it in our military community and so many reasons why from helping with animals, children, the community you are living in currently, or even with your spouse's unit. You are needed, and your help is valued! On today's episode, I talk to Marla Bautista, an avid volunteer, about how to do it and the benefits for everyone.    Marla Bautista is a published author of My Thoughts Abandoned, released in January 2017. She is a freelance writer and blogger. Marla is also the Co-Founder of The Bautista Project, a custom décor and apparel company, which uses a percentage of their profits to provide for homeless communities. She was recently named Armed Forces Insurance 2018 Military Spouse of the Year Base Level Winner for Fort Drum. Marla is an all-around generous woman who thrives on the happiness of her local community. She has volunteered within the U.S. Army community since 2008.   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/bautista1612%20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/bautista1612 </a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sgm_hh6/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/sgm_hh6/?hl=en</a> Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/marlabautista831/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com/marlabautista831/</a> LinkedIn: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/marla-bautista-157a4a132" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.linkedin.com/in/marla-bautista-157a4a132</a> Company Website: <a href="http://www.thebautistaproject.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thebautistaproject.com</a> Blog: <a href="http://www.hoodcents.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hoodcents.wordpress.com</a>Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: <a href="https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a> Guess Who's in the MilFamily: Bea Arthur! Links below. <a href="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/bea-arthur-was-truck-driving-marine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/celebrity/bea-arthur-was-truck-driving-marine</a> <a href="https://www.military.com/veterans-day/famous-women-veterans.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.military.com/veterans-day/famous-women-veterans.html</a>

Ep: 32 Get Out and Volunteer

It's Military Ball Season! Military Balls are full of tradition, formal attire, and etiquette. And it can be costly as a female spouse to be constantly update your wardrobe for all of the formal functions that go on through out the year. Well this amazing group of ladies at Operation: Deploy Your Dress came up with a way to share a dress swap with everyone in the military family. In this episode, I talk to Yvonne Coombes (one of the founders of ODYD) about military balls (aka adult proms). Yvonne Coombes has been married to her Active Duty Army husband for 18 years. She is the cofounder if a nonprofit organization called Operation Deploy Your Dress (ODYD) which was started in Fort Bliss, TX and now has shops in 5 installation across the country. ODYD collects and distributes gently used and new formal attire to military and dependent ID card holders in an effort to offset the cost of military balls and other formal events. Yvonne and the other ODYD cofounders wanted to make these formal events accessible to ALL military families regardless of rank and/or budget. They have build this organization on their own with a little discovery learning and help from Spouses Clubs around the country. ODYD is actively looking to expand to more installations to help even more military families. Find ODYD here: https://www.facebook.com/operationdeployyourdress/ https://www.instagram.com/odyd1/ If you've ever gotten a dress from ODYD, share a pic on instagram with #dressdeployed Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812 Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here. https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad

It's Military Ball Season! Military Balls are full of tradition, formal attire, and etiquette. And it can be costly as a female spouse to be constantly update your wardrobe for all of the formal functions that go on through out the year. Well this amazing group of ladies at Operation: Deploy Your Dress came up with a way to share a dress swap with everyone in the military family. In this episode, I talk to Yvonne Coombes (one of the founders of ODYD) about military balls (aka adult proms). Yvonne Coombes has been married to her Active Duty Army husband for 18 years. She is the cofounder if a nonprofit organization called Operation Deploy Your Dress (ODYD) which was started in Fort Bliss, TX and now has shops in 5 installation across the country. ODYD collects and distributes gently used and new formal attire to military and dependent ID card holders in an effort to offset the cost of military balls and other formal events. Yvonne and the other ODYD cofounders wanted to make these formal events accessible to ALL military families regardless of rank and/or budget. They have build this organization on their own with a little discovery learning and help from Spouses Clubs around the country. ODYD is actively looking to expand to more installations to help even more military families. Find ODYD here: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/operationdeployyourdress/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/operationdeployyourdress/</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/odyd1/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/odyd1/</a> If you've ever gotten a dress from ODYD, share a pic on instagram with #dressdeployed Please click on the link to take a short listener survey to tell us what you think of the podcast and specifically what you think of the weekly briefings! <a href="https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/forms/Ypr97RhaE22XeZ812</a> Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here.<a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: <a href="https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a>

Ep: 41 Military Balls (aka Adult Proms)

Being in the midst of military life, you and your family may not be thinking about transitioning out because you're just trying to survive. Or you may be thinking about it constantly, waiting for that day until you can say goodbye to the nomad lifestyle. Either way it's always good to have a plan and think ahead about what you will do in life after the military. In this episode, I talk to Doug Nordman an expert at transitioning out of military service and helping others to think through all of their options once they feel their time in service is up.  Doug Nordman served for 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force and retired in 2002 at the age of 41. He and his spouse, a retired Navy Reservist, reached financial independence in the late 1990s on a high savings rate. They’ve lived in Hawaii for over 29 years, and their daughter was born &amp; raised on Oahu. These days Doug enjoys surfing, slow travel, writing, reading, home improvement, and more surfing. Doug is the author of “The Military Guide To Financial Independence And Retirement” and founder of The-Military-Guide.com. (He donates all of his writing revenues to military-friendly charities.) Their daughter and her spouse are both active-duty Navy, so military personal finance is an important family topic... almost as important as surfing. Find Doug: The-Military-Guide.com  NordsNords@Gmail.comeBook:https://www.amazon.com/Military-Guide-Financial-Independence-Retirement/dp/1570233195/ref=sr_1_1A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors: Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. https://goo.gl/roieF9 Attend the MakeHER Retreat: Get your early bird pricing!

Being in the midst of military life, you and your family may not be thinking about transitioning out because you're just trying to survive. Or you may be thinking about it constantly, waiting for that day until you can say goodbye to the nomad lifestyle. Either way it's always good to have a plan and think ahead about what you will do in life after the military. In this episode, I talk to Doug Nordman an expert at transitioning out of military service and helping others to think through all of their options once they feel their time in service is up.  Doug Nordman served for 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy’s submarine force and retired in 2002 at the age of 41. He and his spouse, a retired Navy Reservist, reached financial independence in the late 1990s on a high savings rate. They’ve lived in Hawaii for over 29 years, and their daughter was born &amp; raised on Oahu. These days Doug enjoys surfing, slow travel, writing, reading, home improvement, and more surfing. Doug is the author of “The Military Guide To Financial Independence And Retirement” and founder of <a href="http://The-Military-Guide.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The-Military-Guide.com</a>. (He donates all of his writing revenues to military-friendly charities.) Their daughter and her spouse are both active-duty Navy, so military personal finance is an important family topic... almost as important as surfing. Find Doug: <a href="http://www.The-Military-Guide.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The-Military-Guide.com</a> <a href="mailto:nordsnords@gmail.com">NordsNords@Gmail.com</a>eBook: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Military-Guide-Financial-Independence-Retirement/dp/1570233195/ref=sr_1_1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/Military-Guide-Financial-Independence-Retirement/dp/1570233195/ref=sr_1_1</a> A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors:   Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here:<a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a>   Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a>   Attend the MakeHER Retreat: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/makeher-retreat-for-milspouse-entrepreneurs-creatives-tickets-54812484617?aff=makeHerAmbassador&amp;afu=258909344039" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get your early bird pricing!</a>

Ep: 51 Transitions & the Military Family

What's it like to spend your military life overseas? PCSing from one overseas installation to the next? Do you get homesick? How do you cope? In this episode, I talk to Lindsay Swoboda of the blog Uplifiting Anchor about her experience over her time as a military spouse and what it's like to PCS overseas (more than once in a row). Lindsay is a military spouse, mom, and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses. As a former professional dancer you can find her doing pirouettes in the kitchen whilst also flipping pancakes. She finds solace in hearing the sound of her sewing machine and a hot cup of coffee. She’s lived and traveled all over the world but believes there is always more to experience. Find Lindsay:Uplifting Anchor: http://www.upliftinganchor.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/ Subscribe to email updates from Uplifting Anchor and get a free Overseas PCS Guide! http://eepurl.com/b09tPv Guess Who's in the MilFamily!This week it's Harriet Tubman!https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160421-harriet-tubman-20-dollar-bill-union-spy-history/ https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/black-military-history/2018/02/07/general-tubman-female-abolitionist-was-also-a-secret-military-weapon/ Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here.  https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad

What's it like to spend your military life overseas? PCSing from one overseas installation to the next? Do you get homesick? How do you cope? In this episode, I talk to Lindsay Swoboda of the blog Uplifiting Anchor about her experience over her time as a military spouse and what it's like to PCS overseas (more than once in a row).   Lindsay is a military spouse, mom, and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses. As a former professional dancer you can find her doing pirouettes in the kitchen whilst also flipping pancakes. She finds solace in hearing the sound of her sewing machine and a hot cup of coffee. She’s lived and traveled all over the world but believes there is always more to experience.   Find Lindsay: Uplifting Anchor: <a href="http://www.upliftinganchor.com/%20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.upliftinganchor.com/ </a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/%20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/ </a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/</a>   Subscribe to email updates from Uplifting Anchor and get a free Overseas PCS Guide! <a href="http://eepurl.com/b09tPv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/b09tPv</a>   Guess Who's in the MilFamily! This week it's Harriet Tubman! <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160421-harriet-tubman-20-dollar-bill-union-spy-history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/04/160421-harriet-tubman-20-dollar-bill-union-spy-history/</a> <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/black-military-history/2018/02/07/general-tubman-female-abolitionist-was-also-a-secret-military-weapon/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/black-military-history/2018/02/07/general-tubman-female-abolitionist-was-also-a-secret-military-weapon/</a> Ebates is a proud sponsor of The Dear MilFamily Podcast. Check out their latest military program where you can get your military discount and get cashback with your online shopping here.  <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a> Thank you to Troopster for supporting the podcast. You can get 15% off your first care package by using the code MYMILFAM at checkout. Here's the link: <a href="https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.troopster.org?ref=5b4d3cf3e75ad</a>

Ep: 38 The Overseas Spouse

Welcome back to Dear MilFamily after our month long hiatus! We are glad to be back. Today's episode is all about staying positive in life and especially when you are connected to the military. We talk to Megan Hall of Megan Hall Inspired about what MilSpouses can do to stay positive. Megan Hall is a women’s empowerment coach, motivational speaker, host of The Inspired Women Podcast, and founder of The Inspired Women Community. Megan believes that by taking ownership of our own lives we can minimize the stress, chaos, and feelings overwhelm we experience on a daily basis. During her journey from homeless, unemployed, single mom to thriving military spouse entrepreneur Megan realized that life is not one size fits all so her approach to it isn’t either. Megan currently resides in Norfolk, VA with her husband Jeremy, a Navy Sailor, their four children, and fur baby Tessa. In her “spare time” Megan hosts meet ups in her local area and loves to connect with other inspirational women. Megan’s dream is to one day travel on a worldwide speaking tour.  Connect with Megan! facebook.com/meganhallinspired instagram.com/meganhallinspired twitter.com/meghallinspiredThe Inspired Women Community: facebook.com/groups/inspiredwomencommunity meganhallmotivation.com

Welcome back to Dear MilFamily after our month long hiatus! We are glad to be back. Today's episode is all about staying positive in life and especially when you are connected to the military. We talk to Megan Hall of Megan Hall Inspired about what MilSpouses can do to stay positive. Megan Hall is a women’s empowerment coach, motivational speaker, host of The Inspired Women Podcast, and founder of The Inspired Women Community. Megan believes that by taking ownership of our own lives we can minimize the stress, chaos, and feelings overwhelm we experience on a daily basis. During her journey from homeless, unemployed, single mom to thriving military spouse entrepreneur Megan realized that life is not one size fits all so her approach to it isn’t either. Megan currently resides in Norfolk, VA with her husband Jeremy, a Navy Sailor, their four children, and fur baby Tessa. In her “spare time” Megan hosts meet ups in her local area and loves to connect with other inspirational women. Megan’s dream is to one day travel on a worldwide speaking tour.  Connect with Megan! <a href="http://facebook.com/meganhallinspired" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/meganhallinspired</a> <a href="http://instagram.com/meganhallinspired" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">instagram.com/meganhallinspired</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/meghallinspired" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">twitter.com/meghallinspired</a> The Inspired Women Community: <a href="http://facebook.com/groups/inspiredwomencommunity" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">facebook.com/groups/inspiredwomencommunity</a> <a href="http://meganhallmotivation.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">meganhallmotivation.com</a>

Ep: 14 Stay Positive

Amanda is military veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer including a deployment to Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career. Which currently has them stationed in Southern California leaving the dream and making frequent trips to Disneyland. Her blog Airman to Mom incorporates stories from her past military life and how she views life through her unique life experiences of both a veteran and military spouse. You can check out more about Amanda on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.   Links: www.airmantomom.com http://www.airmantomom.com/military-life/sharing-deployment-stories/

Amanda is military veteran who served in the Air Force for six years as a Civil Engineer including a deployment to Afghanistan. She traded in her combat boots for a diaper bag to stay home with her two boys and follow her husband’s military career. Which currently has them stationed in Southern California leaving the dream and making frequent trips to Disneyland. Her blog <a href="http://www.airmantomom.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Airman to Mom</a> incorporates stories from her past military life and how she views life through her unique life experiences of both a veteran and military spouse. You can check out more about Amanda on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/airmantomom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/airmantomom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/airmantomom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. Links: <a href="http://www.airmantomom.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.airmantomom.com</a> <a href="http://www.airmantomom.com/military-life/sharing-deployment-stories/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.airmantomom.com/military-life/sharing-deployment-stories/</a>

Ep: 13 Airman to Mom

PCS season is coming! I've been through four now, and I've had smooth ones and bumpy ones. Sometimes, okay all the time, when going through a move, things feel so out of control. Well, we can still control some aspects of our moving process. In this episode, I talk to Bobbi Pack of Lost During My PCS and Todd Ernst of PCS Grades to talk about things that military families can do to be proactive to ensure a great PCS, but also what to do if things go wrong.  Bobbi Pack is the founder of Lost During My PCS, the spouse of an active duty soldier and mother of two amazing kiddos (and two four-legged kiddos). She is a graduate of Ottawa University where she received a BA in Communications and broadcast as well as Baker University where she received a Master of Science in Management. While Bobbi is a broadcast marketer at heart, she has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skill set that includes digital strategy, branding/awareness, performance marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, copy-writing, audience research and analysis, web analytics, social marketing, and mobile marketing. With her primary focus in digital marketing, her skill set is balanced out by successful work experience in radio and television marketing, direct mail, creative design, audience research, running successful advertising campaigns, international marketing, sales, and business development.Bobbi uses her talents to develop integrated digital media campaigns, event planning, marketing objectives and campaigns. Bobbi is currently stationed in Sacramento,  and before you ask yes I am a HUGE SF Giants Fan! She enjoys baseball (the most romantic sport on earth), spending time with her family, visiting thrift shops in search of a hidden treasure, and most just enjoying every minute of life.   Bobbi can be reached at lostduringmypcs@gmail.com. Facebook: Lost During My PCSTodd "MB" Ernst retired from the Air Force after more than twenty-two years of active duty and reserve experience. He flew as a pilot in the T-38, B-1, and U-2 with more than 4,200 hours, including combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Todd’s civilian experience is in residential and commercial real estate as a REALTOR®, landlord, and entrepreneurial business owner. He previously co-founded a real estate firm, involving investment properties, property management, development, and construction. Todd has used this background to help numerous families purchase, sell, and lease homes over the years. Todd also led the fight on behalf of surviving families of Guard and Reserve members to establish equal benefits for equal sacrifice for those who perish in the line of duty, while serving on an administrative pay status known as "Inactive Duty Training". The changes were signed into Public Law as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. You can learn more at www.95letters.com. Todd currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife, Stacey, and their two boys. Their family has relocated 8 times due to a PCS. Facebook: PCS Grades Twitter: PCS Grades Instagram: PCS Grades PCSGrades.com   This episode was sponsored by Sudio Bluetooth Headphones. Go grab a pair of their amazing headphones to use to listen to the podcast. Use code: DEARMILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. Website:              https://goo.gl/roieF9 Instagram:            www.instagram.com/Sudio

PCS season is coming! I've been through four now, and I've had smooth ones and bumpy ones. Sometimes, okay all the time, when going through a move, things feel so out of control. Well, we can still control some aspects of our moving process. In this episode, I talk to Bobbi Pack of Lost During My PCS and Todd Ernst of PCS Grades to talk about things that military families can do to be proactive to ensure a great PCS, but also what to do if things go wrong.    Bobbi Pack is the founder of Lost During My PCS, the spouse of an active duty soldier and mother of two amazing kiddos (and two four-legged kiddos). She is a graduate of Ottawa University where she received a BA in Communications and broadcast as well as Baker University where she received a Master of Science in Management. While Bobbi is a broadcast marketer at heart, she has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop a well-rounded skill set that includes digital strategy, branding/awareness, performance marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, copy-writing, audience research and analysis, web analytics, social marketing, and mobile marketing. With her primary focus in digital marketing, her skill set is balanced out by successful work experience in radio and television marketing, direct mail, creative design, audience research, running successful advertising campaigns, international marketing, sales, and business development.Bobbi uses her talents to develop integrated digital media campaigns, event planning, marketing objectives and campaigns. Bobbi is currently stationed in Sacramento,  and before you ask yes I am a HUGE SF Giants Fan! She enjoys baseball (the most romantic sport on earth), spending time with her family, visiting thrift shops in search of a hidden treasure, and most just enjoying every minute of life.     Bobbi can be reached at <a href="mailto:lostduringmypcs@gmail.com">lostduringmypcs@gmail.com</a>.  Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lostduringmypcs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lost During My PCS</a>Todd "MB" Ernst retired from the Air Force after more than twenty-two years of active duty and reserve experience. He flew as a pilot in the T-38, B-1, and U-2 with more than 4,200 hours, including combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. Todd’s civilian experience is in residential and commercial real estate as a REALTOR®, landlord, and entrepreneurial business owner. He previously co-founded a real estate firm, involving investment properties, property management, development, and construction. Todd has used this background to help numerous families purchase, sell, and lease homes over the years. Todd also led the fight on behalf of surviving families of Guard and Reserve members to establish equal benefits for equal sacrifice for those who perish in the line of duty, while serving on an administrative pay status known as "Inactive Duty Training". The changes were signed into Public Law as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. You can learn more at <a href="http://www.95letters.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.95letters.com</a>. Todd currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife, Stacey, and their two boys. Their family has relocated 8 times due to a PCS. Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PCSgrades/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PCS Grades</a> Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/PCSgrades" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PCS Grades</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pcsgrades/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PCS Grades</a> <a href="https://www.pcsgrades.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PCSGrades.com</a> This episode was sponsored by Sudio Bluetooth Headphones. Go grab a pair of their amazing headphones to use to listen to the podcast. Use code: DEARMILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. Website:              <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a> Instagram:            <a href="http://www.instagram.com/Sudio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.instagram.com/Sudio</a>

Ep: 16 The Disaster PCS

Tricare is wonderful to have, but many military families have a hard time navigating the referral and claims system when they need to see a specialist. It can get even more tricky when a family member is given Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) status. One milfamily member shares her experience navigating the system and some tips she found that were helpful. Susie Liberatore is the owner at Visions2images Creative Services. She helps established businesses grow their brand awareness by using digital marketing and professional branding techniques. With over ten years of agency and corporate experience, she brings businesses visions to life, while watching their return on investment increase. Her fields of design expertise are branding development, and social media marketing. She is the face and voice of Visions2images. Susie is an entrepreneur, she has several businesses and wears many hats for all of them. She has been able to help businesses thrive and grow with her help. Find Susie:visions2images.com A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors: Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1= Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. https://goo.gl/roieF9 Organized Chaos: Download it today here! Use code: Dearmilfam to unlock some extra features! Join the Facebook group! The MilFamily

Tricare is wonderful to have, but many military families have a hard time navigating the referral and claims system when they need to see a specialist. It can get even more tricky when a family member is given Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) status. One milfamily member shares her experience navigating the system and some tips she found that were helpful.   Susie Liberatore is the owner at Visions2images Creative Services. She helps established businesses grow their brand awareness by using digital marketing and professional branding techniques. With over ten years of agency and corporate experience, she brings businesses visions to life, while watching their return on investment increase. Her fields of design expertise are branding development, and social media marketing. She is the face and voice of Visions2images. Susie is an entrepreneur, she has several businesses and wears many hats for all of them. She has been able to help businesses thrive and grow with her help.   Find Susie: <a href="http://www.visions2images.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visions2images.com</a>   A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors:   Ebates! Sign up to get cash back on your purchases here: <a href="https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://ck.ebtrak.com/?a=116&amp;c=245&amp;s1=</a>   Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a>   Organized Chaos: Download it today <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/organizedchaosapp/id1418797021?ls=1&amp;mt=8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>! Use code: Dearmilfam to unlock some extra features!   Join the Facebook group! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMilFamily/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The MilFamily</a>

Ep: 58 Navigating Tricare with EFMP Status

Deployments and frequent separations can take a toll on the bond between service member and child. Now we have a wealth of opportunities to keep that connection alive and well through technology. In this special episode for Month of the Military Child, I talk to two military spouses and former military kids about United Through Reading and how families can stay connected through reading (one of my favorite topics)! As a member of the Operations team, Molly facilitates program distribution and implementation to Army and National Guard Commands nationwide. Through dissemination of the program across commands, she maximizes the number of Soldiers benefitting from the program in order to ultimately increase connections for military families affected by service related separation. A licensed, certified Speech Language Pathologist, Molly received her Masters of Science in Communication, Speech, and Hearing Disorders from East Carolina University. She has practiced in her field for ten years and finds the development of early childhood literacy skills a specific area of interest. As an active duty military spouse of 16 years, Molly’s experiences stem from volunteering and leading military family support programs, and she understands the direct benefits these programs provide to her own family during her husband’s multiple deployments. Molly’s husband remains on active duty and they reside in Alexandria, VA with their two children.  As Director of Operations, Samantha works with the Program Team to coordinate national program campaigns, oversee volunteer recruitment, and establish, expand, and support United Through Reading programs throughout the United States Military. She also works directly with U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Commands based from the Eastern half of the U.S. to Greece and everywhere in between. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked worked for various other military support organizations before joining the United Through Reading team in 2014. Samantha is a Navy spouse and currently resides in Virginia Beach, VA.United Through Reading connects military families who are separated —for deployment or military assignment—by providing the bonding experience of shared storytime. United Through Reading (UTR) was founded in 1989 by the wife of a Naval flight surgeon who deployed to Vietnam leaving his infant daughter at home. When the surgeon returned home, his little girl didn’t know him and he had to re-enter her life as a stranger. The founder was a reading specialist and knew firsthand the importance of exposing children to literature from birth. Thus, a powerful concept emerged. Now, 29 years later, UTR still stands strong — and proven deployment after deployment. More than two million military mothers, fathers, and children have sustained bonds and fostered literacy by sharing stories across even the greatest distances. Find UTR: www.unitedthroughreading.orgFB: /unitedthroughreading/Instagram: /utr4military/Twitter: /UTR4military/ A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors: Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. https://goo.gl/roieF9 Organized Chaos: Download it today here! Use code: Dearmilfam to unlock some extra features! Join the Facebook group! The MilFamily

Deployments and frequent separations can take a toll on the bond between service member and child. Now we have a wealth of opportunities to keep that connection alive and well through technology. In this special episode for Month of the Military Child, I talk to two military spouses and former military kids about United Through Reading and how families can stay connected through reading (one of my favorite topics)! As a member of the Operations team, Molly facilitates program distribution and implementation to Army and National Guard Commands nationwide. Through dissemination of the program across commands, she maximizes the number of Soldiers benefitting from the program in order to ultimately increase connections for military families affected by service related separation. A licensed, certified Speech Language Pathologist, Molly received her Masters of Science in Communication, Speech, and Hearing Disorders from East Carolina University. She has practiced in her field for ten years and finds the development of early childhood literacy skills a specific area of interest. As an active duty military spouse of 16 years, Molly’s experiences stem from volunteering and leading military family support programs, and she understands the direct benefits these programs provide to her own family during her husband’s multiple deployments. Molly’s husband remains on active duty and they reside in Alexandria, VA with their two children.   As Director of Operations, Samantha works with the Program Team to coordinate national program campaigns, oversee volunteer recruitment, and establish, expand, and support United Through Reading programs throughout the United States Military. She also works directly with U.S. Navy and Coast Guard Commands based from the Eastern half of the U.S. to Greece and everywhere in between. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked worked for various other military support organizations before joining the United Through Reading team in 2014. Samantha is a Navy spouse and currently resides in Virginia Beach, VA. United Through Reading connects military families who are separated —for deployment or military assignment—by providing the bonding experience of shared storytime. United Through Reading (UTR) was founded in 1989 by the wife of a Naval flight surgeon who deployed to Vietnam leaving his infant daughter at home. When the surgeon returned home, his little girl didn’t know him and he had to re-enter her life as a stranger. The founder was a reading specialist and knew firsthand the importance of exposing children to literature from birth. Thus, a powerful concept emerged. Now, 29 years later, UTR still stands strong — and proven deployment after deployment. More than two million military mothers, fathers, and children have sustained bonds and fostered literacy by sharing stories across even the greatest distances. Find UTR: <a href="http://www.unitedthroughreading.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.unitedthroughreading.org</a>FB: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/unitedthroughreading/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">/unitedthroughreading/</a>Instagram: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/utr4military/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">/utr4military/</a>Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/UTR4military/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">/UTR4military/</a> A very special thanks to this episode's sponsors:  Sudio Headphones: Use code MILFAMILY to get 15% off your purchase. <a href="https://goo.gl/roieF9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/roieF9</a>   Organized Chaos: Download it today <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/organizedchaosapp/id1418797021?ls=1&amp;mt=8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>! Use code: Dearmilfam to unlock some extra features!   Join the Facebook group! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheMilFamily/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The MilFamily</a>

Ep: 60 Reading Through Deployment

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