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Introduction

Families of our members are important to us. We include you in several of our ongoing programs. Among those that include family members, is our Annual Scholarship Awards Program. Competition for Family Member Scholarships is open to spouses and legal dependents (high school senior and above under the age of 23). Information and an application forms are published in the NEWSLINER, and are available on the Member Services page and USAWOA Scholarship Foundation website. Many of the benefits shown on that page are also available to family members. Examples are: rental car discounts; Classic and Gold VISA cards; services of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union; educational assistance from Capital for Knowledge; our "10-10" Dial Around Service, memorabilia items, USAWOA Job Seek and Career Center which specializes in "Military Friendly" job placement activities for transitioning military, veterans, spouses & families, and much more.

 

We also recognize the support rendered by warrant officer spouses through presentation of the annual award of the Virginia Holcombe Memorial Spouse of the Year. (Criteria and nomination procedures)

 

USAWOA is involved in legislative affairs through our interaction with The Military Coalition (TMC). Within this forum we support the quality of life programs that directly affect the military family. Also, through TMC, we weigh in on matters concerning military schools, commissaries, family health care, and a wide range of other subjects that affect the military family.

 

Other areas in which we strive to assist you are News For Military Families and family related websites.

 

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News for Military Families

Army Wife Network

 

Virtual High School Opens 'Doors' to Learning - The Defense Department's newest high school is devoid of walls or windows, but yet has opened its "doors" this year to students scattered around the globe. The Department of Defense Education Activity's virtual high school is an accredited distance-learning program for military students, whether they're geographically separated, transitioning between schools or just dealing with a scheduling conflict - see more. 8/31/10

 

The upbeat side of being a milspouse - see the Hooah Wife and friends blog. 8/19/10

 

Tobacco shipments to resume to troops overseas - The U.S. Postal Service said on August 13th that it plans to resume shipping care packages with cigarettes and other tobacco to soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A law aimed at preventing smuggling had unintentionally banned families from sending tobacco to military members serving overseas. The postal service is planning to issue new instructions that could allow shipments to resume possibly as soon as August 27th. The Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act of 2009 quietly took effect June 29 and was created to prevent minors from ordering cigarettes through the mail. It allowed for small shipments of tobacco but required a way to verify the recipient was old enough — meaning the only way to ship the packages through the postal service was by Express Mail, which requires a signature. Express Mail doesn’t deliver to most overseas military addresses. The new instructions would allow tobacco shipments to military addresses through Priority Mail, which does ship to deployed troops, with delivery confirmation instead. 8/17/10

 

Move.mil launches redesigned Web site - Officials at the U.S. Transportation Command this week launched an improved Web site to assist both the military and Transportation Service Providers in using the Defense Personal Property System, or DPS - see more. 8/5/10

 

Child Care Fees Change to Maintain Quality Services - The Defense Department is adjusting its child care fees, adding categories for its highest income earners, to compensate for six years without fee range increases, Pentagon officials announced July 30th. The department's Military and Community Family Policy Office has added three categories to the top of its fee schedule to go into effect by September 30. Each service will issue specific fee guidelines, including exceptions to the fee schedule, and adopt fees within the policy office's ranges - see more. 8/3/10

 

Spouse Jobs Program to Relaunch in October - The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program will resume Oct. 25, but with some significant changes to the popular spouse employment program.  Changes include a reduction in the amount of financial aid, a change in the population eligible to receive that aid – from all military spouses to spouses of junior service members -- and more robust counseling services. These changes bring the program, commonly known as MyCAA, back to its original intent of equipping military spouses of junior service members with portable careers, such as in real estate or health care - see more. 7/29/10

 

Free SAT/ACT Test Prep Software for Military Families - Leading supplier of interactive learning software for college test preparation eKnowledge Corporation is donating $200 test prep programs to military families worldwide. eKnowledge Corporation has extended the FREE SAT/ACT donation program through 2010. Eligible recipients include servicemembers from all branches of the military who are active duty, retired, veterans, Guard, Reserve, DoD employees, and civilians performing military support. Also eligible are relatives and dependants of anyone who otherwise qualifies from the prior list. To place an order: www.eKnowledge.com/USA. Enter Sponsorship Code: 2AD9C5CCFD. 7/20/10

 

Behavioral Health Options for Military Couples - It’s important for military couples to talk to someone about marital struggles or stress they may be experiencing. Marital, couples and family therapy, often referred to as counseling, are all types of professional behavioral health interventions available to eligible married couples enrolled in TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Prime Remote and TRICARE Prime Overseas - see more. 7/15/10 

TRICARE Enrollment Updates a Click Away - As many as 400,000 permanent change of station (PCS) moves could occur in 2010. Dr. Charles Rice, who is performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, is encouraging active duty service members and their families to head to the Web when transferring to a new duty station. To read the complete release, please visit: www.tricare.mil/mediacenter/news.aspx?fid=639 6/24/10

 

New Systems Make Military Moves More Efficient - With the busiest season for permanent-change-of-station moves under way, officials at U.S. Transportation Command are encouraging servicemembers to take advantage of new systems designed to make the process more convenient and efficient. Transcom launched the new Personally Procured Move, or PPM, system to better compensate servicemembers who personally move their household goods on military orders, said Dolly Davidson, a change management outreach specialist at Transcom. PPM replaced the old "Do It Yourself," or DITY, move system. Under PPM, servicemembers can receive up to 95 percent of what it would cost the government to move their goods using a commercial carrier. They can hire a commercial mover if they choose, move some or all of their goods themselves, and pocket any savings they receive. While converting to PPM, Transcom also introduced a new system, the Defense Personal Property System, to process and manage household moves. DPS is a computerized management system for moving the household goods of military members and Defense Department civilians, Davidson explained. It automates many steps involved in military moves: pre-move counseling, scheduling, tracking, invoicing and claims-filing for household goods shipments. This eliminates the need for servicemembers to schedule appointments at their base to arrange their household goods moves face-to-face, she said, allowing them to make arrangements anywhere, any time. See more about both of these systems at www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=59631.

 

New Eligibility Criteria for DOD ESGR Patriot Award includes Spouses’ Employers - The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award program recognizes employers for implementing employment policies and practices that are supportive of their employees’ participation in the National Guard and Reserve.  The Patriot Award certificate is intended for an immediate supervisor.  In the past, individual Reserve Component members have nominated their employers for the Patriot Award.  Service members remain eligible to nominate their employers.  It is significant to have an employer who shows flexibility and support for a military family, to allow a military spouse to juggle and balance the responsibilities of being a parent and an employee, especially when his or her spouse is deployed.  Therefore, ESGR is proud to announce an expansion of the Patriot Award eligibility criteria to include employers of service members’ spouses.  Spouses and service members can go to www.esgr.org/pa to nominate your employers and learn more. 6/22/10

Military Spouse Intern program - The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (NDAA FY10) included a provision to establish a pilot program for military spouses to obtain federal employment. The Civilian Personnel Management Services recently launched the 2010 Military Spouse Intern Program and is looking for 120 military spouses to help fill these positions. A military spouse must meet all eligibility requirements established by the hiring agency. Once an offer is made, the Department of Defense will reimburse Federal agencies for first year salary, benefits, and training costs if an eligible military spouse is appointed to a permanent position that provides training and career progression. To learn more go to: www.ausa.org/legislation/newsletter/Pages/LegislativeNewsUpdate1June2010.aspx. 6/8/10

 

Army Strong' Blog Opens to World - Armystrongstories.com, an Army blog previously limited to Soldiers and civilian employees, is now open to anyone who wants to tell an Army story. Launched in January 2008 by Army Accessions Command as a social media outreach effort, Armystrongstories.com also has an updated look, easy-to-navigate layout, and greater integration with video and Facebook. As the higher headquarters for U.S. Army Recruiting Command and U.S. Army Cadet Command, Accessions Command is made up of more than 18,400 Soldiers and civilians that have more direct contact with the American public than any other Army Command. To read this article in full, please go to the following link: www.military.com/news/article/army-news/army-strong-blog-opens-to-world.html. 6/8/10

 

DVD Helps Children Deal With Deployment - "With You All the Way" -- a joint effort by the Defense Department, USO and the Trevor Romain Co. -- offers school-age children help with preparing for and dealing with all stages of deployment, from pre-deployment to separation to reintegration. The free DVD is slated to be distributed through USO centers and Military OneSource in May as part of a children's deployment kit that also contains a stuffed bear called Cuzzie, postcards, a journal and a set of dog tags inscribed "With You All the Way."

 

Military Families Get Free Access to Caregiver Network - Military families have free access to an online network of quality caregivers who can assist with everything from babysitting to dog walking. Sittercity is the nation's largest online source for local babysitters, nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers, housekeepers and tutors, and contains more than a million caregiver profiles. Military members and their families can activate their membership by going to www.sittercity.com/dod. 4/1/10

 

Free Space-A Flights for Families of Deployed - Military families of deployed personnel may be able to save some travel money thanks to a new Space A policy for families. As of Dec. 6, 2007, spouses and children of personnel deployed 120 days or longer now can use military transport in CONUS, to/from CONUS, and within/between theaters, provided they have a verification letter from the military member's commander - see more.

 

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We continue to look for additional services and benefits for our families. We encourage you to

submit your ideas to the Home Office by mail, fax to 703-742-7728, call 1-800-587-2962, or  .

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USAWOA Online 8/31/2010