The last year brought challenges that no one expected. A lot of time together in a stressful situation that was beyond anything that was previously experienced. Relationships were stressed. Building a strong marriage relationship can provide a steady base on which to build. In the new year, resolve to have a healthy military marriage with these tips.

Go on a marriage retreat!

Did you know that each branch of the armed services offers marriage retreats? These retreats serve as a way to connect and discuss any concerns. Retreats use enrichment programs to help couples open communication. These are free to military families. Some have childcare offered, but overnight retreats do not cover childcare. Consider swapping childcare with a trusted friend so you can take some time to cultivate your marriage. Make sure to make reservations in advance (or as much as a military family can). Look for these programs on your base. Navy and Coast Guard offer CREDO Marriage Enrichment Retreats in each region. The Air Force retreats are offered through Marriage Care. The Marines offer Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program and the Army offers retreats through Strong Bonds. Look up these programs on your local base page to learn more.

Keep Communication Open

            Long work hours and unpredictable schedules can prohibit communication. Sometimes once children are added to the family, communication can be purely logistical. Making time to talk about something other than school schedules or who does the drop off for soccer isn’t easy. Schedule it – on the digital or paper calendar. This will ensure that you are sitting on talking. When apart and daily communication can’t happen, try writing a daily email of thoughts or questions. It keeps a discussion open even when apart. When you are able to, date each other. Dates at home can be accomplished to save money and provide a fun way to connect.

Talk About Money

            We have all heard the phrase – don’t talk about politics and money with family, but talking about money is valuable in marriage. According to Business Insider, money is the number one cause of argument in a marriage. Discuss bills and payment plans. Have monthly meetings to review and develop a budget and discuss money goals. Pinterest provides a bevy of budget sheets to track daily, weekly and monthly expenses. Being open about pending costs can prevent a fight.

Plan

            This one is a hard one with the unknown of the military lifestyle. Planning doesn’t mean have everything plotted out, but it does mean discuss things ahead of time. If you are planning to PCS in the next year, have a plan for downsizing if needed and gather important paperwork in one location. If a deployment is upcoming, discuss the plan for pre-deployment and post-deployment, and how best to communicate when on deployment. Separations can be times of stress both in-country as a service member and at home as the family. Plan for the contingencies. Make sure there is appropriate Power of Attorney paperwork ready and up to date, and consider Last Will and Testaments.  

Seek Help If Needed

            If it is difficult to talk to each other, or you don’t know how to talk about a subject, there are professionals who can help. Each unit or base has a chaplain where family members can confidentially share concerns and they are trained and able to discuss or refer as needed. All military families can utilize non-medical counseling through Military One Source or Military Family Life Counselors (MFLC). Military One Source can be reached both CONUS and OCONUS with their phone numbers or chat functions.  MFLCs are located at child development centers, youth and teen-based centers, schools on and off installation, and sometimes part of military units. TRICARE coverage allows for medical counseling if needed. Conflict and miscommunication will happen in any relationship, getting the tools to help with these discussions can help build a marriage.

Relationships are not a one-size fit all. Add the unique challenges of military life, it can be difficult to keep communication open with clear plans. Being on the same page for your goals in marriage will help build a strong partnership, one that will be ready for all the flexibility needed in military life.

As if the dumpster fire of 2020 wasn’t enough, many military families added the element of family separation to it with deployment. Deployment on their own can be stressful time periods – anxiety and stress for the family members left behind and the active duty service member. Surviving deployment in the winter where it is cold outside (not you SoCal or Okinawa – temperatures in the 50s don’t count!) is hard. Throw in a pandemic where each state has different guidelines and regulations, and that adds just a touch more stress. Here are some tips from families who have survived deployment, albeit from the “before times.”

1. Have a routine. Even if you have older kids where this doesn’t seem to be as necessary, creating a routine can keep everything running as smoothly as possible. It helps adults create a predictable pattern that sets up appropriate expectations. Curate monthly care packages to your deployed family member if you can keep the school schedule organized to help keep things on track. Whatever you have going on, keep the routine going.
2. Have something to look forward to. Maybe on Monday it is movie night every week (check out your local library for access to digital movies for free movies) or monthly you virtually visit somewhere new. Creating an event creates a smaller, more manageable countdown to something exciting and fun, and makes a fun and easy way to countdown to the return of homecoming.
3. Meal plan. Whether you use a meal service where boxed groceries come to you, or you do crockpot meals, make mealtime easier. If you have a new address, ask around to your neighbors to see if they have a meal box service as sometimes your first box can be free. Planning out meals can help limit grocery trips out in the cold.
4. Be Flexible. While this may sound like the anti-thesis of having a routine and planning meals, it is crucial to survival. Planning is a great and useful tool, but things do happen, and being able to go with the flow when the crockpot wasn’t plugged in or one of the kids needs to head to the ER will help.
5. Don’t forget about that resource YouTube. If you have cabin fever and just want to try something new – there is a bevy of tutorials on YouTube. Want to try a new hairstyle on one of your girls or want to draw Captain America? They are on YouTube!
6. Do something for you. Whether it is a Zoom call with a friend on a regular schedule or reading a book for yourself – remembering self-care matters no matter what is going on in the world. It can be difficult to carve out time depending on work, school, or children’s schedules, but make sure to take time for yourself.
7. Avoid the news. While things like the weather are useful during the winter times, avoiding the news is a tried and true piece of advice for all deployments. Avoid the stress-fest that is the news will prevent you from going crazy.
8. Embrace creativity. Art can be done indoors, no matter the weather outside. Paint, draw, journal, mold with clay or playdough. There
9. Ignore Debbie Downers. There are 1000 ways to survive a deployment, and some tips will work for you and some won’t. Ignore the tips that won’t work for you, and rock the ones that do.
10. There is help if you need it. Deployments are stressful, add in the winter and a pandemic, it can be overwhelming. Virtual visits are available with unit Chaplains, Military Family Life Counselors and through Military One Source.

When the weather outside is cold, and deployment mixed with a pandemic makes life frightful, we hope these tips help just a little. What are your favorite tips to surviving deployment that can be used during the pandemic-lifestyle in the winter?

Outdoor entertainment is fun and safe entertainment for the entire family. The military air shows have a lot to offer, from the music to the amazing aerial skills on display.

There may be an associated cost to shows that do not occur on military bases, so make sure to contact the event or location for specific information.

Thunderbirds 2021 Air Show Schedule

The Thunderbirds will perform 25 shows this season from February to October, with two more planned but currently postponed with no current updated date information at the time of this posting. Due to COVID-19, only 6 shows were performed in 2020, and the 2019-2020 pilots have remained on the team for 2021.

2021 Schedule:

• February 14: Flyover at the Daytona 500 in Daytona, Florida

• April 17-18: Cocoa Beach, Fl
• April 24-25: Davis- Monthan AFB in Arizona is currently POSTPONED

• May 1-2: St. Joseph, MO
• May 8-9: Barksdale AFB, LA
• May 27: USAF Academy, CO
• May 30-31: Wantagh, NY

• June 5-6: Smyrna, TN
• June 12-13: Fairchild AFB, WA
• June 19-20: Tinker AFB, OK

• August 14-15: Westfield, MA
• August 18: Atlantic City, NJ
• August 28-29: Boise, ID POSTPONED

• September 4-6: Cleveland, OH
• September 11-12: Portsmouth, NH
• September 18-19: Reno, NV
• September 25-26: Mather, CA

• October 2-3: San Juan, Puerto Rico
• October 9-10: Houston, TX
• October 16-17: Sanford, FL
• October 23-24: Lancaster, CA
• October 30-31: Salinas, CA

For more information on the USAF Thunderbirds, show locations, and dates, visit their website at www.afthunderbirds.com. It is recommended to check their website and the show’s location for the most up to date information on scheduling.

Blue Angels 2021 Air Show Schedule

The Blue Angels are entering the 75^th anniversary season this year. This is the first show season flying the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. The entire 2020 show season was canceled due to COVID-19 except for flyovers, including Operation America Strong. If the 2021 season can be completed as scheduled, the Blue Angels will fly 30 shows from March to November, ending at their home base of Pensacola, Florida. If you are local to one of their planned performances, it will surely be worth the watch.

2021 Schedule:

• March 13: Open to the public practice at NAF El Centro, CA

• April 10-11: NAS Jacksonville, FL
• April 17-18: Lakeland, FL
• April 24-25: MCAS Beaufort, SC

• May 1-2: NAS Corpus Christi, TX
• May 8-9: Fort Lauderdale, FL
• May 15-16: Melbourne, FL
• May 26-28: Annapolis, MD
• May 29-30: Latrobe, PA

• June 5-6: Lake Charles, LA
• June 12-13: La Crosee, WI
• June 19-20: Niagra Falls, NT
• June 26-27: Duluth, MN

• July 3-4: New Century, KS
• July 10: Pensacola Beach, FL
• July 25-25: Fargo, ND
• July 31-August 1: Eisleon AFB, AK

• August 7-8: Seattle, WA
• August 14-15: Owensboro, KY
• August 21-22: Chicago, IL
• August 28-29: London, Ontario, Canada

• September 4-5: JB Cape Cod, MA
• September 18-19: NAS Oceana, VA
• September 25-26: MCAS Miramar, CA

• October 2-3: Huntington Beach, CA
• October 9-10: San Francisco, CA
• October 16-17: Lovelnad, CO
• October 23-24: Ft. Worth, TX
• October 30-31: Rome, GA

• November 5-6: NAS Pensacola, FL

For more information on the USNA Blue Angels, show locations and dates, visit their website at www.blueangels.navy.mil. It is recommended to check their website and the location of the show for the most up to date information on scheduling.

Pack up those noise-canceling headphones and plan out a picnic lunch and find an airshow near you!

TRICARE has gone through several changes over the last several years. One such change is coverage expanded for retirees. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017  changed TRICARE Standard to TRICARE Select and established a monthly enrollment fee. Enrollment fees for 2021 must be set up for payment in 2020. Starting January 1, 2021, Group A retired beneficiaries on TRICARE Select will be paying new enrollment fees, in a monthly or annual sum, in order to continue TRICARE Select coverage.

Who does this apply to?

Group A retirees on TRICARE Select. Group A applies to any retiree or sponsor who had an initial enlistment or appointment before January 1, 2018. AKA anyone who began their time in military service before January 1, 2018 and is a retiree.

Who doesn’t this apply to?

If you have TRICARE for Life, TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired Reserve, or TRICARE Young Adult – this does not apply to you.

What are the costs?

Individual Plan: if you are the only individual on your plan

• Monthly fee of $12.50 OR annual fee of $150

Family Plan: If there is more than one person the plan

• Monthly fee of $25.00 OR annual fee of $300

If anyone in your family is an active duty member, medically retired retiree or family member, or survivor of an active duty sponsor medically retired retiree, the enrollment fee will be waived.

Will the Catastrophic Cap Change?

The catastrophic cap, the most you will pay out of pocket per year for TRICARE covered services, will change to $3,500 from a previous $3,000. Paid enrollment fees go towards the catastrophic cap.

What Do I Do Next?

• Set up a monthly enrollment fee by December 31, 2020 to avoid a gap in healthcare coverage.
• Set up payment plans here.
• Questions? Contact your regional contractor.

What if I don’t setup a payment plan by December 31, 2020?

• You, and or your family, will be disenrolled from TRICARE Select – meaning you will not have TRICARE Select health coverage.
• You can request reinstatement of TRICARE Select within 180 days from disenrollment through your regional contractor.
• You can get healthcare through military treatment facilities if there is space available

If you are a Group A retiree on TRICARE Select – set up your payment plan today to avoid a lapse in TRICARE Select coverage in 2021!

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working with the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) to assist Veterans who are facing homelessness to also find and maintain a job. The VA’s Homeless Programs Office can support Veterans with support services, medical care, and housing to help those who are homeless or facing homelessness. A key element in keeping Veterans off the street is employment.

As part of the collaboration, the VA’s Homeless Veteran Community Employment Services (HVCES) and the DoL’s Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) hosted a webinar on their programs and how they both work in tandem to promote housing stability and employment opportunities for Veterans. The two organizations provided overviews of their ongoing partnership and highlighted their programs in action.

Paul Cary is a Veteran who used both programs after living on the streets for three months. Having no family or friends he could turn to he felt all alone and too ashamed to ask for help. The two programs got him back on his feet by helping him access all the benefits he was eligible for. They were able to let him know he received a 70% disability rating which provides a monthly income which he didn’t know about due to his homelessness. The HVRP helped Cary find employment by teaching him how to build a resume and apply online for jobs. He now lives in Long Beach, California and is employed.

The VA has Community Resource and Referral Centers which are designed to help Veterans get the help they need and access to all their benefits and community resources available to them. They are a one-stop access point to assist with permanent housing, health and mental health care, employment as well as access to VA and non-VA benefits. The VA assigned more than 200 vocational development specialists to serve as Community Employment Coordinators at VA medical centers around the country. They help Veterans access community employment resources to find employers who are ready to hire Veterans.

HVCES was created by the VA to improve employment outcomes for Veterans who have experienced homelessness. Housing alone is not enough to end homelessness among the Veteran population. Employment improves the quality of life after homelessness, increases self-confidence and independence while reducing reliance on institutional care.

The DoL’s HVRP is an employment focused competitive grant program. It is the only federal grant to focus exclusively on competitive employment for homeless veterans. The two objectives of the program are to provide services to assist homeless Veterans to obtain meaningful employment and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address the complex problems facing homeless veterans. The program prioritizes three veteran populations to receive services, chronically homeless Veterans, homeless female Veterans and Veterans with families and incarcerated veterans.

Organizations that receive HVRP grants work to gain competitive employment for Veterans in these priority groups. They provide six core services: knowledge of population, outreach, assessment/intake, case management, job driven training and placement, and collaboration.

Both the VA and the DoL are committed to getting Veterans housed and employed so that they can avoid homelessness in the future.

Getting outdoors is imperative. It is a crucial building block of mental health, boosts the immune system with vitamin D provided by the sun and improves circulation with moving around. When it is cold outside, it is darn difficult to get motivated to go outside. Especially when you have to think about layers on yourself, or putting all. those. layers. on the potty-training toddler.  Do yourself the mental health break and try to get outside every couple of days. Don’t forget the sunblock – even if it is clouded sky, there is still ultraviolet rays from the sun so protect your skin when you are outdoors with at least an SPF of 15 or higher. It should go without saying, if the winter conditions are unsafe, do not venture outdoors.

Embrace the Snow

Resist the cuddle up and stay inside all day idea and bundle up for some fun in the snow! Build a snowman, make snow angels and throw some snowballs. You might have to come inside for some warm up breaks depending on the temperature, but snow is but temporary. Even Olaf melted a couple times, and was only saved by Elsa’s icy powers. Consider taking food coloring out to color the snow, or adding food coloring to water as you make ice and toss the ice cubes in the snow. Don’t forget about sledding – it’s the acceptable time to push those kiddos down the hill…on the sled!

Hiking

If you are properly dressed with layers of gloves, coats, scarves, and hats, hiking can be enjoyable. Getting out and walking around will warm everyone in the hiking party and you might find yourself shedding layers. Explore a National Park or State Park near you – you can head back and forth to the heat of the car if needed, but also explore somewhere outside your house preventing cabin fever.

Enjoy the Ice

For the little kids and big kids alike, freezing bubbles is an exciting experiment. All you need is a bubble wand and soap water – blow a bubble in the freezing temperatures and watch it freeze! Better yet, you can enjoy this outdoor winter fun on your doorstoop or deck with layers on and heat and a warm bathroom nearby.

Make it a White Snow Beach Day

It might sound silly – but go with me here. When you have the whispy snow, it is the perfect time for a “beach” day.  Break out the beach toys and bring them into the snow! Toss a beach ball around, build snow dunes and use the sand toys to build snow castles. It sounds crazy, but the fully-bundled littles will not once complain about it being cold when they are playing beach in the snow. Olaf likes summer after all.

Make a Maze

If you have snow – make a maze out of snow! It may not be four feet tall, but just walking through a path is a fun distraction. No snow? Make a maze our of boxes, chairs or whatever you have outside. Maybe even with chalk if it is warm enough. Anything to make the outdoor time more enjoyable and different will add variety and fun to outdoor time.

Winter Family Photo Shoot

While the cold means you are bundled up, it doesn’t mean you can’t have some awesome and hilarious photos. Set up a camera on a table or chair, or a tripod if you have one, and go to town taking photos! Set up the auto shoot and start throwing snowballs, or build play a game of tag. It is not the traditional matching outfits family photo, but guarantee it will be a memorable one.

Now, if you are living on Southern California or Florida, you might have to rely on the house of mouse or use bubbles to make faux snow, but you are still able get out and hike and explore! And those beach photos in the winter will surely be memorable.

I think this year, after all of the quarantining, social distancing and indoor time, we are all feeling cabin fever and it isn’t even cold outside yet. We will be doing all the outdoor things we can do this winter safely. We are stocked up on winter gear so we can be appropriately bundled in a jacket, gloves, scarves, hats and boots to make the most out of being outdoors.

What is your favorite winter outdoor activity?

Located on a publicly accessible area of Fort Belvoir, Virginia

The National Museum of the United States Army opened on Veterans Day, November 11, 2020. It is the first museum to tell the entire history of the U.S. Army from 1775 to the present day. The museum is located on a publicly accessible area of Fort Belvoir, Virginia allowed the general public to easily access it without having to get a pass and go through a gate of the installation.

“The U.S. Army and the American Soldier forged the birth of our nation,” said Secretary of the Army, Ryan D. McCarthy. “The National Army Museum will be a place for members of the total Army family to gather and share their stories, while also creating an opportunity for visitors to connect with our nation’s history through the eyes and voices of individual Soldiers.”

The U.S. Army and the Army Historical Foundation (AHF), the official fundraising 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the museum established in 1983, partnered to establish the National Museum of the United States Army.  The Army provided the land, roads, utilities, infrastructure, and exhibit work while the AHF raised money and constructed the building. The foundation manages retail, catering and events and the Army operates the museum.

“The museum is stunning, and it is an honor to present this history in a way that shows the connection between the American Soldier, the U.S. Army and the nation,” said the museum’s director, Ms. Tammy E. Call. The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges to the health and safety of visitors. To mitigate this free, timed-entry tickets are required and not walk-up tickets are available. “We have worked hard to ensure the safety of our staff and visitors, and we are excited to open the doors of this long-awaited national museum,” added Call.

The museum covers over 245 years of Army history and highlights soldiers from the past, present and future from the Regulars Army, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard. “The Army is people. They are our greatest strength and our most important weapon system,” said the Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. James C. McConville. “The National Museum of the United States Army is designed to tell the compelling and heroic stories of our people and take visitors on an exciting journey through the history of the U.S. Army as told through the American Soldiers’ point of view.”

Exhibits

The museum has a wide variety of state-of-the-art exhibits. One of the first you encounter is the Soldiers’ Stories. It is a grouping of freestanding pylons with a soldier’s etched image and their biography. They are lined up in a formation and begin in the museum’s exterior to the entryway, into the lobby and end at the Army Concourse. The exhibit really highlights the diversity in the U.S. Army and shows both male and female soldiers and of different races. Other exhibits are based around various conflicts. Colonial Warfare covers the historical period from 1607-1835. It explores the forming of the Continental Army, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Army becoming a professional force.

In addition to the permanent exhibits the museum has space for temporary exhibitions. The Two Front War is a temporary exhibit and shares the rarely told story of Japanese American Nisei Soldiers during World War II. This history highlights the struggle of the Nisei and their courage. Highlights include receiving the Congressional Gold Medal as recognition of their service.

The museum’s Welcome Desk has a limited supply of audio tours. Bring your own personal headphones to use (standard headphone jack wireless not compatible) or use the museum’s which are sanitized after each use. The audio tours are free.

Museum Cafe

There is so much to see and do at the museum you may want to take a break. The Museum Café has a variety of options. During COVID-19 all tables are set six feet apart and a self-service contactless transactions option is available. The café is open 8 am to 3pm and you can preorder your food with a  quick access app.

Army Action Center

For more interactive fun check out the Army Action Center: Virtual Reality and Motion Theater Experiences. It is currently open during the visitor day and offers a variety of experiences. Allow plenty of time for COVID-19 measures and special cleaning. The three experiences are:

Holdout! Bunker Defense VR

Up to four people at a time can participate in the HoldOut! Bunker Defense VR Arena. Don high-tech head-mounted VR goggles with simulated rifles which give a realistic recoil as you fire at your targets. The thrill increases with 4D effects such as floor vibrations and wind which simulates battlefield conditions. Compete with others as you take out artificial intelligent (AI) enemies.

Tank Commander Virtual Reality Transporter

Jump on the elevated motion platform and don electronic 3D goggles to feel like you a commanding a World War II Sherman Tank. Order your massive 75-millimeter gun to fire on enemy vehicles and gun nests. Collaborate with other tank commanders to advance your positions.

Wingwalker VR Adventures of an Air Show Stuntwoman

Simulate riding on the wing of a vintage ex-Army 1943 Boeing Super Stearman biplane. Watch a daring stuntwoman wing walk and show off for the air show crowd while you hang on as the plane dips and turns.

Army Action Pod Simulator

You can experience over 110 years of aviation history in this simulator which takes you from the birthplace of flight at Kitty Hawk to modern day jets. Learn about daring first flights, aviation’s golden age of air racing, the Tuskegee Airmen and much more.

Capture Your Visit

Remember your visit with a purchase from the Museum Store with a variety of Army themed merchandise and books. Make sure to visit the photo kiosk provided by Foto ATM. Print smartphone photos or personalize your images for social media.

The National Museum of the United States Army is open everyday except December 25 from 9 am to 5 pm.

While it seems that the Grinch has taken over holiday celebrations this year, canceling the holidays all together cannot happen. Across the U.S. outdoor celebrations are continuing.

At Army Base Fort Hood, the holiday tradition of Nature in Lights at the BLORA Ranch, a five and a half mile holiday lights attraction will continue from November 13, 2020 – January 3, 2021.

Cost:

• Car, Mini-van, and Truck: $20
• Limos, 15-Passenger Vans and RVs: $35
• 24-Passenger Van: $55
• 47-Passenger Van or Bus:  $80

Navy Base Little Creek’s MWR Fitness is continuing their Reinder Run 5k complete with wearing holiday attire! Registration can be completed by December 4^th. The run is completed outdoors and masks must be worn if cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance.

Navy MWR is hosting two virtual events in December. The Virtual Scavenger Hunt and Virtual Murder Mystery will be completed on Zoom. Because they are virtual, the event is open to all authorized Navy MWR Patrons after 18 and older or at least 17 years old and on active duty at any base.

Portsmouth MWR is hosting a virtual Gingerbread House contest. All the supplies to build the gingerbread house are available at the River’s Edge Recreation are available for pickup, or create with supplies at home. All pictures of the creation are submitted to their Facebook messenger. Planning ahead to New Years’, they are also planning a Happy Noon’s Year Eve. Who wants to stay up late when you can celebrate early and have an early bedtime! Yes!

MCCS Camp Pendleton is creating a drive-through Winter Fest Express. The drive through includes a free Tree from Trees for Troops, a holiday treat, children’s gifts, and a holiday box. Two additional events of Santa Cruise where you can do a “drive-by” visit with Santa and Mrs. Clause.

Navy MWR Bahrain has a host of activities to celebrate the holidays while maintaining social distance. A drive-in holiday movie, drive-through Winter Wonderland, a Command Tree Decorating Contest, and online-hosted holiday bingo series. These creative activities allow for families or quarun-teams to celebrate in their own cars or homes while still promoting community holiday spirit which can be challenging when stationed far away from loved ones.

S’mores Holiday Fun at MCCS Lejeune has plans for a scavenger hunt and s’mores over a firepit for each family allowing for appropriate social distance while enjoying the outdoors and an outdoor visit with Santa, holiday cheer, and ooey-gooey s’mores.

In true New Orleans fashion, the holiday in December is the time to plan (via Zoom meetings and online groups) the continuation of the Mardi Gras season. In lieu of parades, this year families are asked to decorate their house as a float – yup House Floats! And in lieu of throwing beads, face masks are being thrown – from a distance or down a shoot to follow social distancing rules. Can’t keep that NOLA spirit down!

Christmas Tree lightings around the world are being hosted by MCCS and MWR and streamed on social media so everyone can enjoy them from a safe distance. Check out your bases’ social media pages to what they are doing. Even if you don’t watch it “Live,” the beauty of streaming is that you can watch it whenever is convenient for you or your family.

Whatever, wherever, and however you celebrate the season, have a healthy and safe holiday season!

What is your base doing to support the holidays this season? Let us know so we can share it!

The holiday time can be a difficult time for military families. It can be a time spent apart from families due to deployment. Even when the military service member is stateside, it doesn’t mean families can travel back home as it can be expensive, and use precious leave. In 2020, traveling is not recommended due to the requirement of quarantine prior to travel and returning home. Creating that sense of holiday in any year can be emotionally taxing, and in 2020 it is even more so. There are many organizations that plan throughout the year to support military families, and this year is no different. If your family or someone you know would love a tree, food, or holiday spirit, check out these organizations.

Trees for Troops

Trees for Troops has been operating for over 15 years delivering live Christmas trees to military bases across the United States for military families to pick up for FREE. All the trees are donated by farms, nurseries, or individuals across America who want to demonstrate their support of military families with this gift of appreciation. The organization is planning delivery to 79 bases from November 30^th to December 11^th. Check to see if your base is on the list here.

Operation Homefront Holiday Meals

The tradition of a holiday meal in November and December is a common practice across America. For some military families, the expense of such a large meal is not something that can be accommodated in the budget. And quite honestly, if a military family is going through a deployment during the holidays it is emotionally taxing as well. Through partnerships with local businesses, Operation Homefront has been able to provide Holiday Meals for military families. Meal pick-up times and locations are pre-arranged and registration is required. Eligibility is extended for E1-E6 active duty military families and post 9-11 wounded, ill, or injured service members of any rank even if no longer serving on active duty. Registration is open by searching for the location nearest you here.

Operation Holiday Joy – ASYMCA

The Armed Services YMCA organization is committed to supporting active-duty military families throughout the year, and the holiday season is no different. Operation Holiday Joy provides food baskets to military families and toys to military children every year. Look up your local branch for registration details and pick up times.

If you want to donate to the program, they are always accepting donations here.

Operation Christmas Spirit

A part of the Operation Help a Hero program in California, Operation Christmas Spirit adopts military families to provide them gifts for Christmas. The entire family is adopted and through donations provided toys, gas and grocery gift cards, and much more. The goal of the organization is to provide support to any active duty military family who is concerned about providing Christmas presents to their children.

If you are an active duty or Gold Star family in need of assistance or know someone who is, click this link here. While some locations are full, many locations are not. To be an eligible active-duty family, families must be E5 or below, any rank with 4+ children, any rank with a justification of a need, or families with a legitimate need for assistance. Gold Star families with children age 17 and under, Gold Star spouses, or guardians of Gold Star children are eligible to apply.

Full Circle Home

Full Circle Home is an organization that helps deployed troops send reminders of their love home to their loved ones. Since the organization’s start in 2007, Full Circle Home has helped over 21,000 troops send holiday wishes to their family members at home. Being the military family member at home during the holidays is emotionally and mentally challenging, and this year it is even more so. If you are a deployed service member and want to send a gift home, sign up here to complete the registration form. Currently, gifts sent are for adult women only – so military members can send gifts to their mother, adult female family member, or spouse. The gifts are chosen for the service member and the service member writes a love note on the registration form.

If you know someone who wants to donate to help with this mission, check out the donate page here.

Soldiers Angels Adopt a Family

Soldiers Angels’ Adopt a Family program is open for families of deployed service members, post 9-11 wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans and their families or veteran families enrolled in the HUD/VASH program. The deployed service member must be E1-E6 rank, not be scheduled to return from deployment prior to December 25th, and must demonstrate financial need. Further details on eligibility read here. To register to be adopted, click here. If adopted, the team will ask for details of what is on the children’s wish list to provide gifts for the children and the grocery store for a grocery gift card.

If you know someone who wants to donate to help support the Adopt A Family program, the volunteer time link is here.

Wreaths Across America

Saturday, December 19^th is National Wreaths Across America this year. Meaning, you can sign up to volunteer at any of the 2100 cemeteries for wreath-laying across the United States and abroad. This amazing effort to let no fallen service member be forgotten cannot be completed without donated time, funds, and sponsored wreaths. You can sponsor a hand-crafted all-American balsam wreath to be laid at this event in honor of a family member or friend. In addition to sponsorship, wreaths can be purchased as gifts with service-specific flags on them. For every wreath purchased, a wreath is sponsored. The non-profit runs with a small staff, and thousands of volunteers every year. The volunteer number often grows to the millions on the wreath-laying day. While initially the wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery was canceled, there is still a plan for the wreath-laying to occur on the 19^th in person with a small group and will be streamed virtually.

Toys for Tots

The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program provides new, unwrapped toys to children in need. The deadline to request a toy varies per the location so make sure to click the link to learn more about the Toys for Tots Campaign nearest you.

Donations of toys can be completed in person at drop off locations or online with their virtual drop box.

Meals and Programming from the USO

Since 1941, the USO has been supporting service members as they prepare for deployment and while serving overseas. The organization continues support overseas by bringing holiday meals to those deployed or living overseas, and they also provide Turkeys for Troops or holidays meals at each of their 250+ locations worldwide. Check your local USO to see what programs they are providing this holiday season.

The holiday season can be a difficult period in a normal year for those military family members deployed or far from family. It can be an expensive time of year that challenges the family finances and these organizations desire to demonstrate support and care to military families during this time of year. Share with anyone you know who would be interested in learning or sharing these programs!

By Marguerite Cleveland

The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted the mission of Honor Flight to bring America’s veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials that are dedicated to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our country. “Sadly we’ve had to suspend flights due to COVID-19 but we are closely monitoring state and federal guidelines as well as those of the District of Columbia. We intend to continue our Honor Flight trips as soon as it’s safe to do so,” said Carol Harlow, Public Relations for Honor Flight Network.

Currently the program serves veterans from the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War eras as well as terminally ill veterans who served in any era. Unfortunately, these veterans fall into the high risk category in regards to COVID-19.

The network consists of independent hubs that work together to support the Honor Flight Mission. The common goal is to show our nation’s veterans appreciation and honor they deserve for their service to our country. With no cost to the veteran, an Honor Flight trip allows them to share their experience and stories, and to remember friends and comrades lost. It is a very significant occasion for them.

According to Harlow until the program is safe to run again, “many of our 130 Hubs across the country are running virtual programs for veterans. They’re also spearheading socially distant drive by’s or “parades” within the community to keep veterans spirits up.  We also have Hubs placing yard signs in Veterans yards thanking them for his or her service and reminding them they will participate in an Honor Flight as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

“Here at the national Honor Flight office, we’ve arranged for several celebrities and high-profile individuals to record messages to the approximately 23,000 veterans who would have flown on a Honor Flight this year.  We refer to this initiative as Operation Reassurance.  We will post the video messages on our social media (Facebook: Honor Flight Network and Twitter: HonorFlightNet) from November 1 through November 10 culminating with a compilation video on Veteran’s Day that hubs can use to send to the veterans who were unable to fly this year – reassuring them they will receive an opportunity to experience a Honor Flight as soon as it’s safe to do so,” she added.

If you’d like to assist the program Harlow said, “We encourage your readers to reach out to his or her local Hub to participate as a volunteer or to sign up a veteran to participate on a Honor Flight.  We are currently accepting applications from veterans who served in WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the service periods in between.  We also highly encourage terminally ill veterans of all service eras to participate in our Lone Eagle Program which is administered via our national office along with a program to fly veterans who do not live within 120 miles of an existing Honor Flight Hub.  They can find the nearest Hub and more information on all of our programs at, www.honorflight.org”