Military families often face a number of financial challenges. Frequent moves can weigh heavily on the loved ones of servicemembers, and sometimes lead to debt and unemployment. That is why the Department of Defense says that it’s important for military couples to deal with finances early in the year so they can take stock of their financial situation, according to American Forces Press Service.
Barbara Thompson, the director of the Pentagon’s office of Family Policy/Children and Youth, said there are many resources available to military families to help them ensure their financial stability. For instance, bases usually offer counselors who can help soldiers and their families manage debt or help plan for their children’s futures. They can also help members of the community change their spending habits.
“When you map your money coming in against your money going out, you are one step closer to paying off debt, building savings and feeling confident about your financial status,” Thompson told the news source.
The financial concerns of the military community have been heightened as of late due to the threat of sequestration looming in the distance. Troops may face changes ranging from lowered retirement and health benefits or even cuts in pay.
The Holiday Mail for Heroes program, which is organized by the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, helps bring some cheer to servicemembers and their families during the holiday season, and this year the program was especially successful. Americans sent out an estimated 1.2 million cards this year, and everyone from NFL teams to congressmen helped play a role.
The cards made their way to a wide variety of places. Some were sent to military hospitals while others ended up at bases across the globe. Among those who supported Holiday Mail for Heroes were country star Trace Adkins and the first families of several states, including those with large military populations such as Pennsylvania and Georgia.
“We thank all the generous people who collectively sent in more than a million cards this year,” said Sherri Brown, senior vice president, Service to the Armed Forces at the Red Cross. “The cards went to people all over the world, to places far and near, including ships at sea. These expressions of thanks and cheer make the holidays a little brighter for those who have sacrificed so much for our country.”
This is the sixth year of existence for Holiday Mail for Heroes, and it has grown considerably since its early days. It started in 2007 when Walter Reed Army Medical Center simply wanted help distributing cards to wounded soldiers.
Amid all the pageantry surrounding the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, there was one event that paid tribute to America’s military families. On the day before the ceremony, first lady Michelle Obama and second lady Dr. Jill Biden hosted a concert that was broadcast to thousands of military children around the country, American Forces Press Service reports.
The show, which featured performances from the likes of Usher and Katy Perry, was organized in honor of the national day of service. Aside from musicians, those in the audience, as well as those watching at home, were treated to appearances by everyone from David Letterman to “Dancing With the Stars” winner and former servicemember J.R. Martinez. Obama also spoke about the challenges facing the youngest members of military families.
“Think about how hard it is for military kids to be apart from the people they love most – how they miss their moms and dads every day and would do anything to have them back home,” Obama said. “And that’s just a glimpse of what it means to be a military kid. It means always thinking about things that are so much bigger than yourself.”
Looking out for military families has become one of Obama and Biden’s chief concerns. The duo launched the Joining Forces initiative, which has helped servicemembers and their loved ones get jobs.
The Department of Defense (DOD) operates a wide variety of programs designed to improve the life of military family members, and a task force is slated to begin an extensive review to measure the effectiveness of such initiatives. The 120-day study will investigate whether there are any gaps and will account for shifting demographics in the military community, reports American Forces Press Service.
Analysts say the biggest reason for the review is that many military families no longer live on bases. In fact, about 75 percent of families live in the communities surrounding military installations, rather than on the base itself. Investigators will look at everything from recreational programs to some that serve young children and teens. Researchers will rely heavily on feedback from servicemembers to measure how effective the programs are.
“What we’re looking at now [in that review] is building effectiveness measures on those programs [to see] which ones are effective, which ones are moving the needle, which ones have an impact,” Charles E. Milam, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy, told the news source.
Whatever the review finds, it’s undeniable there are many programs that play a vital role in the lives of military families, many of which they can access through recently revamped Military OneSource website.
Between frequent moves, the stress of deployment and financial concerns, the lives of military families are fraught with hardship. This is especially true for children, who sometimes may not be emotionally equipped to deal with the challenges. However, a website offered through the Department of Defense, MilitaryKidsConnect.org, recently added new features aimed at providing parents and educators with the tools necessary to help youngsters navigate the obstacles of being in a military family.
The latest updates
The website already has a long history of success, having helped more than 125,000 visitors and won numerous awards for its services, and the new updates make it even more helpful. Among the changes is a series of videos and lesson plans that can provide educators with training on recognizing the different needs of military kids compared to their civilian peers. Other new features include graphic novels and documentaries made by military children about their experiences as well as new modules meant to help families process grief.
“After watching the interaction with kids on MilitaryKidsConnect this past year, we saw many conversations about trying to understand the issues they live with,” said Dr. Kelly Blasko, a psychologist for the DOD’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology. “We developed the added features to help parents and teachers answer the questions the kids were sharing with each other.”
A necessary resource
Given the higher levels of stress they face, it should come as no surprise that military children encounter many more emotional challenges than other kids their age, and a recent RAND Corporation study revealed just how true that is. The research was focused on 1,500 military children of parents who were both deployed or stationed at home. The team found that both groups of children are more likely to experience behavioral or emotional problems than their peers. Researchers also found that the longer a parent was deployed, the more likely it was for their children to experience problems.
“Much more work is needed to better understand these challenges and to improve ways to support children throughout the deployment cycle,” said Anita Chandra, the study’s lead author.
Experts estimate there are about 2 million children with a parent who is either in active duty or in the reserves, so websites such as MilitaryKidsConnect can reach a large audience.
In December, former President George W. Bush announced he was putting his famed truck up for auction, with the proceeds going to support military families. Over the weekend, the 2009 Ford F-150 King Ranch 4×4 SuperCrew brought in an impressive $300,000 when it was sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction house, according to Reuters.
The truck will certainly be a standout in the car collection of whoever purchased it. Though he didn’t take it out on the road, Bush used the truck around his famous ranch in Crawford, Texas, while entertaining friends and family. Not only did it play an important role in history, but Bush also autographed its right airbag panel, the news agency reports.
The funds from the sale will be donated to the Fisher House Foundation. The organization, which was founded in 1990, helps provide housing for veterans and military families during stressful times such as hospitalization, injury or illness. Today, the Fisher House serves around 17,000 members of the military community.
Bush is no stranger to lending support to veterans. In addition to his Warrior 100K bike ride, he has hosted the Warrior Open, a 36-hole golf tournament that welcomes soldiers who have been injured in Iraq or Afghanistan.