Transitioning from military service? Hiring Our Heroes organization has several programs for those transitioning. Transitioning service members are those active duty service members who plan to transition out of the military within 180 days. The Fellowships through Hiring Our Heroes can be used for SkillBridge. There are four programs through Hiring Our Heroes.

• Corporate Fellowship Program
• Salesforce Fellowship Program
• Career Forward Fellowship Program
• Career Forward Training Track

Corporate Fellowship Program

This program offers professional development training and hands-on experience. Participating organizations have developed relationships with Hiring Our Heroes to provide their insight to participants in the program. Those enrolled in the program are matched with a host company that best fits the candidates’ needs and goals. Then on-the-job training provides knowledge as well as networking opportunities and classes. There are three cohorts a year, with rolling applications.

Salesforce Fellowship Program

The Salesforce Fellowship Program is a partnership between Hiring Our Heroes and Salesforce providing their 12-week program of experience to allow for a transition to a Salesforce career. Like the other Fellowship Program, the host company is matched for the fellowship candidate based on skills and preferences. The Salesforce organization provides training, classes, and certification exams. There are three cohorts a year, with rolling applications.

Career Forward Fellowship Program and Training Track

The Career Forward program is a new program specifically made to train in Google Career Certificates. The certificate fields have in-demand jobs, making it ideal for those transitioning out of military service. Those enrolled in the Google Career Certificate program enroll in a certificate of choice. The certificates are in data analytics, IT support, project management, or user experience design. The programs are self-paced, and can usually be completed part-time in a period of three to six months. The program comes with the support of Hiring Our Heroes staff and others enrolled in the program. The network is invaluable, especially alongside the certificate program. At the end of the program, the Hiring Our Heroes program aids with resume writing, job searching, and interview preparation.  The entire program is virtual and can be completed when living overseas, if returning to the states within one year.

Life outside the military can feel foreign, especially for those who have had a career within the military spanning decades. Hiring Our Heroes recognizes this and has tools to provide a transition into a career of interest.

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is the retirement savings and investment plan offered to federal employees and military service members. TSP is a contribution plan that uses income earned each pay period and invested into the account. A new service provider is taking over as part of the announcement that the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (FRTIB) would make a mutual fund available to TSP participants. 

As part of this transition, there are a few key dates to know.

May 16: Last day to access all forms, online tools or upload forms to TSP

– Last day to complete rollover or transfer request

– Last day to complete loan agreements

– Last day to complete withdrawal requests

May 16 to the first week of June: Expected transition dates from one service provider to the other

May 26: Last day to make investment changes

– Last day to reamortize (change the term and payment amount) the loan

– Last day to make profile changes or access online tools within your account – this is expected to occur throughout the day

May 26 to the first week of June: All transactions will be temporarily unavailable

First week of June: Full access is expected to be restored, and all transactions will be available

All contributions will continue as previously designated during the service provider change over. Any payroll contributions will continue as scheduled during the changeover, even if access is suspended.

When accounts reopen in June, there is expected to be a TSP mobile app in addition to online access.

After the update is complete, all users will need to update their login information upon accessing the new system for the first time. There will be prompts for identification verification in addition to updating contact information while signing into the account.

As part of the upgrade and change, it is expected that sometime in 2022 mutual funds option will be available for investment on the website.

Any specific TSP questions can be directed to the TSP phone number – 1-877-968-3778 from 7 am to 9 pm EST, Monday through Friday.

Retiring from the military is not just a job change. The military life is just that – a lifestyle. It comes with a long list of acronyms one must know and understand to PCS (and that’s just one acronym), it requires patience and understanding through work-ups, deployments, long training. Because of the unique challenges of military life, it also creates a community of those who understand and live it. When you leave the military, you are potentially leaving behind the community you know and understand.

After 20+ years of traveling the country, and perhaps the world, it is now time to choose where to live. When you haven’t chosen a job or location for two decades, it can be an overwhelming choice. One factor for many military families looking to make the decision on where to retire is a financial one. Many states do not charge income tax on military retirement pay, but some limit the amount of pay that is tax-free. Get to know the options when weighing your military retirement move.

Alabama: Retiree pay is tax-free

Alaska: There is no state income tax for the state of Alaska, so retiree pay is tax-free!

Arizona: Retiree pay is tax-free after the 2021 bill was passed.

Arkansas: Retiree pay is tax-free

California: Following federal rules, California does not currently offer tax exceptions on military retiree pay.

Colorado: Retiree pay under the age of 55 can exclude up to $10,000 income from their taxable income, those age 55064 can exclude up to $20,000, and those age 65 and up can exclude $24,000 of income

Connecticut: Retiree pay is tax-free

Delaware: Up to $2,000 of military retirement is excluded for those under age 60 and $12,500 for those 60 and older

District of Columbia: Following federal rules, DC does not currently offer tax exemptions on military retiree pay.

Florida: There is no state income tax for Florida, so retiree pay is tax free.

Georgia: Retirees who are over 62 or permanently disabled may be eligible for an exclusion of retiree pay.

Hawaii: Retiree pay is tax-free

Idaho: Retiree pay is tax-free for those over age 65, and over 62 for disabled retirees.

Illinois: Retiree pay is tax-free

Indiana: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2022.

Iowa: Retiree pay is tax-free

Kansas: Retiree pay is tax-free

Kentucky: Up to $31,110 is tax-free.

Louisiana: Retiree pay is tax-free

Maine: Retiree pay is tax-free

Maryland: The first $5,000 is tax-free and once age 55 or older $15,000 is tax-free.

Massachusetts: Retiree pay is tax-free

Michigan: Retiree pay is tax-free

Minnesota: Retiree pay is tax-free

Mississippi: Retiree pay is tax-free

Missouri: Retiree pay is tax-free

Montana: Following federal rules, Montana does not currently offer tax exemption on military retiree pay. Additionally, up to $4370 is tax-free if the adjusted gross income is below $36,420 and the amount tax-free decreases for funds above this.

Nebraska: As of 2022, all military retirement is tax-free.

Nevada: There is no state income tax in Nevada.

New Hampshire: There is no state income tax in New Hampshire, there is tax on interest and dividends.

New Jersey: Retiree pay is tax-free. Honorably discharged veterans qualify for a one-time $6,000 tax deduction in the year after discharge.

New Mexico: Following federal rules, does not offer tax exemption currently.

New York: Retiree pay is tax-free

North Carolina: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2021.

North Dakota: Retiree pay is tax-free

Ohio: Retiree pay is tax-free

Oklahoma: The greater of 75% of retirement pay or $10,000 is tax exempt.

Oregon: Any military service before October 1, 1991 may be able to deduct a portion of retirement pay. Any military retirement for service after that is taxed normally.

Pennsylvania: Retiree pay is tax-free

Rhode Island: Retiree pay is tax-free

South Carolina: Those under the age of 65 can deduct up to $17,000 of retirement pay while those 65 and older can deduct up to $30,000. However, there must be other income outside of military retirement to qualify for this.

South Dakota: There is no state income tax in South Dakota.

Tennessee: There is no state income tax in Tennessee, there is tax on interest and dividends.

Texas: There is no state income tax for the state of Texas.

Utah: Retiree pay is tax-free as of 2021.

Vermont: Retiree pay is taxed based on federal rules.

Virginia: Retiree pay is taxed based on federal rules.

Washington State: There is no state income tax for the state of Washington.

West Virginia: Retiree pay is tax-free

Wisconsin: Retiree pay is tax-free

Wyoming: There is no state income tax for the state of Wyoming.

While taxes aren’t the only thing that is a deciding factor for military families retiring, it certainly is part of the equation for long-term financial stability. Where are you looking at retiring after the military?

While nursery decorating and clothes shopping may be more enjoyable tasks for first-time parents, there are many other aspects of child-rearing that need to be discussed as a family prior to welcoming a new family member into the home. Financial readiness is probably the biggest building block.

Budget

The immediate expenses like diapers, wipes, burp cloths, and clothes make sense, but what about planning for child care costs or schooling? Making a budget even without including children is not an easy task. Check out your Family and Fleet Services or Community Services to see if they offer a budgeting class. Being prepared for the usual costs can prepare you for the unusual. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society offers a Budget for Baby class that reviews not just budgeting in general, including helping your family to make a personalized budget for all expenses, and cover what expenses and what amounts to expect for Marine Corps and Navy families.

Medical

With TRICARE coverage, the labor, delivery, and any newborn screenings or treatments like circumcision and immunizations are covered. There may be a copay for certain hospitals or based on the TRICARE coverage plan you have, but these are typically very clear in regards to what to expect in regards to cost. For the last several years, TRICARE has also begun to cover breast pumps and all required supplies.  This means tubing, bottles, bottle caps, and storage bags are even covered. If you need a converter to use a breast pump overseas, that is covered. One breast pump is covered per birth.

If you received a referral to an in-network provider for breastfeeding counseling, the provider can bill TRICARE for services. Even non-network providers can submit for coverage. Starting January 1, 2022, TRICARE covers breastfeeding counseling from lactation consultants and counselors as part of the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Support Demonstration (CBSD) program that will run until December 31, 2026 at this time. The CBSD program will begin in overseas locations beginning January 1, 2025. No referrals are needed for services unless in TRICARE Prime and a referral is needed from the primary care provider. In fact, under the new program, non-medical support doulas will also be covered for those enrolled in the TRICARE Prime and Select programs.

Don’t forget the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line can also provide medical assistance via phone 24/7.

Wills and Power of Attorneys

Planning ahead with power of attorneys is a familiar dilemma for military families. When children are added to the military family, you also need to consider care plans for children. Head to the legal assistance office on your installation, and get wills completed and notarized without legal fees. If you have more complex family concerns, they can also refer you to a legal team that may provide legal advice for a discounted rate.

On Base Programming

Programming through your bases’ Family and Fleet Services or Community Services like New Parent Support programs can also help you navigate the world of child-rearing through free programming. Some groups offer visiting nurses without incurring a cost to help navigate feeding or diapering questions. If your local military installation has a USO, check to see if they are hosting a USO Baby Shower – these events offer parental advice books and workshops, and some people even get goodies that can help offset the cost in the short term.

Adding a family member to your family takes planning beyond the short-term, and there are many ways to get ahead financially thanks to these military resources. Is there a resource you have used on your base? Let us know!

With the active duty service members mobile career taking prominence in the military family, it is difficult for the non-military spouse to gain and maintain a career. Mobile careers are not common and are often seen as unicorn jobs. Gaining experience and educational opportunities also become expensive, especially if spouses have to change job types with each move due to the availability of job opportunities, childcare, and the military schedule.  The higher-than-average unemployment rate among military spouses, in addition to a wage gap among those who are working, has led to the development of these resources for military families to utilize.  

MyCAA

My CAA is My Career Advancement Account. This scholarship is $4,000 of tuition assistance to spouses of active duty service members in the paygrade of E1-E5, W1-W2, and O1-O2. Spouses additionally must have completed high school to apply for tuition assistance. There are restrictions on what tuition assistance can be used for. It does not cover tuition assistance, preparatory courses, general studies, transportation, childcare, lodging, study abroad programs, or high school programs. In addition, assistance cannot be used for books, supplies, equipment, or past courses.  This tuition is also extended to spouses of active reserve and National Guard members. Looking to become a yoga instructor, masseuse, or work in cosmetics, this tuition assistance can help. Check out which courses and schools are covered here, and apply if desired.

Military One Source Spouse and Education Career Opportunities

The Spouse and Education Career Opportunities services are for military spouses of active duty, National Guard and Reserve military members, spouses of military members who separated from military service in less than 365 days, and surviving military spouses who died while on active duty service. The Military Spouse Employment partnership offers a job search engine with jobs from companies looking to hire military family members. These are often telework positions in addition to traditional work.

Not sure where to start, or what to do for work? Take the career assessment here.

Part of SECO is the Spouse Ambassador Network Organizations, a list of organizations associated with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership. These organizations are dedicated to being aware of military spouse education and employment resources, in addition, to recruiting, hiring, promote and retain military spouses.

Blue Star Families

The Blue Star Families network providers a range of tools and networks for military spouses. The Blue Star Families toolkit offers resume tips including translation tips on how to phrase duties performed while doing volunteering, ombudsman, or family readiness in addition to life skills.

Networking is often a variable of difficulty for military spouses. Networks are often built over time while living in an area, but with frequent moving that network is evermoving. Blue Star Networks has created groups for military spouse professionals. There are online networks for teachers, counselors, social workers, and educators in Blue Star Educators. Health care workers and professionals can network within the Blue Star Health Care Professionals. Those spouses who own their own business or work as independent contractors are able to network in Blue Star Entrepreneurs. Technology-skilled spouses are invited to check out the Blue Star Tech network.

SpouseForce is a virtual community online with tips, employer, and resource spotlights in addition to questions and answers.

Salesforce Military

Salesforce is a software as a service technology business. Military spouses in addition to active duty, reserve, guard and veterans are offered tech training curriculum, fellowships and interviews.  The first step is registering and then taking the first course which can be completed at your own pace and then take the exam cost-free. Interviews can be set up for a position with a tech company. In fact there are over 500 companies that partner with Salesforce that have agreed to interviews with Salesforce graduates. There is no limit to the number of courses or certificates that can be completed and earned. There is also a partnership between Hiring Our Heroes and Salesforce for a 12-week fellowship program developing and nurturing the skills needed for the tech realm.

Hiring Our Heroes

Hiring Our Heroes offers hiring events, fellowship programs, education, and networking. The Career Forward program is a free program that offers Google Career certificates to all, even without prior education or experience in the technology world or field.  Google Career Certifcates are offered in Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management, and User Experience (UX) Design. The certificate program is flexible and can be easily completed part-time (about 8-10 hours a week) over three to six months. After the certificate is earned, there are interview preparation and career workshops prior to interviews with potential employers. You can even participate in the program while living overseas if you plan to return to the United States within one year and after returning to the states can apply for the fellowship program.

Networking for military spouses is also linked in their Facebook group of Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Professional Network. The AMPLIFY program offers a two-day career intensive prep program for a small group to allow for one-on-one attention. The 2022 programs will be a mix of virtual and in-person based on region, including overseas in Germany, England, and Okinawa. Check out locations here.

Military Spouse Advocacy Network

The nonprofit provides a virtual education and resource center, military spouse mentorship program, and military spouse leadership development program which offers peer-to-peer mentorship. Virtual training of all types are available for review.

LinkedIn Premium

LinkedIn offers one free year of LinkedIn Premium for military spouses and veterans to help with the job search.

ACP Spouses

ACP was developed to ease the transition from active duty to civilian life for military veterans. Active Duty Spouses can apply to be linked with a mentor for a year-long relationship with at least once a month connection to help develop career exploration, development, and networking as part of their mentoring program.

National Military Family Association

The NMFA organization was created by military spouses who wanted to create a network of support for each other. The program has grown over the years to include many programs. The NMFA offers scholarships to cover the costs of earning degrees, professional licenses, and certifications including re-licensure, business, and entrepreneurial expenses, continuing education, and supervised clinical hours. Eligibility is open to spouses of the active-duty service member, retirees, 100% disabled veterans, guardsmen, reservists, fallen service members, or a 20/20/20 spouse and hold an eligible and valid military/uniformed services ID. Applicants can currently apply once a year.

MilSpouseFest

MilSpouseFest is a virtual and in-person event all over the United States. In addition to events, MilSpouseFest has grown into a large online community providing resources and spouse content for the modern military spouse who has lived through multiple military moves, deployment, and building community along the way.

Veterati

This platform allows service members, veterans, and military spouses to select mentors to assist with shaping the job and career desired. Job hunting time after time, move after move requires effort and the mentorship platform makes that effort a little bit easier.

The Rosie Network

The Rosie Network has a mission to build strong military families through developing entrepreneurial programming and support services. One program is the Service2CEO Program where free training is provided to small businesses through virtual programs, one-on-one mentoring, and peer-to-peer support. This service is provided fee-free.

Armed Forces Branch Organizations

The Marine Corps Community Services has the Family Member Employment Assistance Program which assists military family members with networking, resume creation, career development, salary negotiations, and hiring events. Each Marine Corps base has its own MCCS offering workshops and classes.

Fleet and Family Services offers to program for military families living on their bases with career services, resume assistance, and classes. Look at the calendar for your base Fleet and Family Service Center to see what is offered.

Army Community Services offers to program to military service members, civilian employees, and families who are assigned to their post through their Employment Readiness Program (ERP) offering coaching skills, classes, job fairs, networking, and resume assistance.  Check your post’s MWR for more information about your location.

Air Force Family Support Programs (AFAS) runs the spouse employment program offering training to military family members with tuition, fees, and coordination of classes at local community colleges. Check out your local Airman and Family Readiness Center to learn what is on offer.

Coast Guard bases offer programming through Fleet and Family Support Program (FFSP) through family employment programming offering spouse licensure reimbursement, classes about the Military Spouse Preference Program, volunteer opportunities, and federal employment.

There are difficulties and challenges with career maintenance and advancement for military spouses. There are many organizations available and ready – look them up, get plugged in and see where your journey takes you! Have you used any of these organizations – tell us about your experience!

The most wonderful time of year is followed by what feels like the most complicated time of year for military families. Tax Season. There are unique challenges to taxes each after year for military families. Permanent Changes of Station create a state or even country changes mid-tax year which is just oh so much fun. Homeownership for military families often exists across state lines. If the non-active duty military spouse works there is the challenge of filing state taxes in the state of residence instead of the state you are living in. Get prepared this season with these tips.

Where To Start

If you have complicated taxes and think you will need help, find a trusted Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Enrolled Agent (EA) early. Tax preparers with experience and knowledge are typically booked in advance and unable to take on new tax clients during the tax months of January through April. If you find someone you really want and they are not able to help you file by the April deadline, you may be able to file an extension for filing in the offseason – just make sure you don’t owe more money as there will be interest added from the date the payment is due (Tax filing day).

What is an EA?

An Enrolled Agent, or EA, is a tax practitioner authorized by the federal government to represent individuals for audits, provide tax advice, and file tax returns. EAs are authorized only after they pass a three-part test, apply to the IRS, pass a background check, and complete 72 hours of continuing education every three years.

What is a CPA?

A Certified Public Accountant, or CPA, are professionals in accounting who have passed a four-part exam and completed all the state-required training and education. Each state differs on what is required for continuing education but typically most require at least 40 hours of education per year. CPAs practice as accountants, forensic accountants, and tax consultants but also work as auditors, business advisors, and financial planners.

Free Tax Filing

There are many options for filing for free with the IRS for military families.

One option is a Free File on the IRS website. The online platform allows you to prepare and file federal income tax online. There are two types divided by income amount. For those who have an income of $72,000 and below there is free federal tax filing on the IRS partner site, state tax filing which has free some options, and guided preparation that does the calculations for you. The other option is for those who have income above $72,000 with electronic forms completed online but does require basic calculations with limited guidance and does not include state tax filing.

Miltax is a free tax service for the military offered by Military One Source. The online preparation and e-filing software is available from mid-January through mid-October of the tax year and is specifically designed to address the specific and unique challenges of the military lifestyle. You will need a Military OneSource account to access the software, and it is free to set up the account.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or the VITA program, may be located at your base or installation. These are tax specialists who understand and are trained to specifically complete taxes for military families and their unique tax situations. VITA is located in both CONUS (within the United States) and OCONUS (outside of the United States) locations. Check for the closest location to you here.

What To Gather

When preparing for taxes make sure you have these labeled and organized:

– Copy of the previous year’s tax return if you have one

– Social security numbers for everyone included on the tax return

– All forms of compensation including social security benefits, unemployment completed, income for rental, real estate, or investments

– Traditional income statements including W2, 1099-INT from the bank showing any interest earned through the year, 1099-G showing refund or credits to offset taxes, and 1099-DIV or 1099-R with dividends earned from retirement accounts

– Any work-related statements – purchases for small business or mil

Filing An Extension

If the military service member is serving in a combat zone or a contingency operation, you are able to file an extension for filing your tax return. The extension is for 180 days after you leave the combat zone or when the operation is no longer considered a contingency operation.

If you are living outside of the United States or Puerto Rico, you qualify for an automatic 2-month extension. If you need more time than the 2-month extension, you can get an additional 4 months but interest will be charged on the amount owed from the date the amount is due.

If you just need time to complete taxes, complete IRS Form 4868 to file an extension. With this extension, you will still owe interest on any amount owed to the federal government from the due date of payment (typically the original filing deadline).

While tax time is full of math, paperwork, and sometimes confusion, being prepared and getting help early will allow for a less stressful tax season.

The Department of Defense Fiscal year runs from October to October – so the 2022 year has begun. This also means that the 2022 Defense Budget has been submitted and is now within negotiations between Congress and the White House. While the final approval is still pending, the Defense Budget outlines increases in Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and pay for the 2022 fiscal year.

The proposed 2022 BAH rate is a 2.7 percent increase for all areas. This is a percentage increase in the current BAH rate. The BAH rates differ per duty station zip code. You can look up the BAH calculator at the Defense Travel Management Office link here. The 2022 rates will not be added until the Defense Budget is approved. You can calculate the expected BAH rate by adding 2.7% to the 2021 BAH rate.

The projected pay raise to basic pay is also 2.7%. The 2.7% number is not a random number. It is calculated using the Employment Cost Index, or ECI, formula. The military pay scale is based on grade and years of service. The pay raise would be for all levels. 2021 Military pay tables are available on the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) website here. This increase does not apply to special pays.

If the current Defense Budget is approved, the new pay and BAH rate will be effected January 1, 2022, with the first changes seen in the January 14, 2022, Leave and Earning Statement (LES).

COLA, or Cost of Living Adjustment, which is an annual inflation-based allowance will be determined by the government in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2022. The fiscal year ends on September 30th. COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which is measured by the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor measures the average change over time on the prices paid for certain categories, like select utility, automotive fuel, and food items as part of the CPI. The CPI is separated by geographic regions and done as one nation. Overall in 2021, the costs for goods and services have increased 5.4% in comparison to the previous year.

What does this mean for pay?

The CPI is used to determine federal employee retirement and social security pay. An increase in CPI means that military retirees and veterans who receive disability compensation will see an increase in their monthly amounts beginning in Fiscal Year 2022. The average monthly increase will be around $160 for military retirees and around $100 for veterans receiving disability compensation.

The increase is there to cover the increasing costs of living, but the increase can help cover healthcare costs as retirees pay for their healthcare.

How many military retirees and veterans receiving disability compensation are there?

Per the Department of Defense, there are 1.87 million military retirees and 5.1 million veterans who receive disability compensation.

When will the determination be made?

Since CPI is calculated using the entire previous year’s data, the completion of CPI calculations will not be completed until September 30^th. Once the final calculation is completed with all 12 months of data, the final CPI will be released on the Department of Labor website. As of August 2021, the COLA was 5.4% and unless there is a drastic drop in costs, the CPI is expected to be around this number.  The COLA for the fiscal year 2022 that runs from October 2021 to September 2022 will be released in early October 2021.

Stay tuned for any updates on pay here as well.

4/30/2021 By: Janet A. Aker, MHS Communications

Military families may face financial challenges for a variety of reasons, and without assistance these issues could affect the health and well-being of children of those families.

But help is readily available. Military families have access to financial counselors and other Department of Defense personnel – for free.

“Service members and families have access to free financial counseling and education services through Military and Family Support Centers and Military OneSource,” said Beth Darius, a program analyst and an accredited financial counselor in the Department of Defense Office of Financial Readiness. “With the assistance of a financial counselor, service members and families proactively create realistic spending plans to meet financial challenges and goals such as planning for retirement, paying down debt, and making major purchases.”

For families experiencing shortfalls, “the best place to start is to examine your spending plan. Determine your food expenses, your monthly bill expenses and any additional expenses. Help is available to walk families through this process and provide referrals to additional resources as needed,” she said. “Additionally, you can include your children in meal planning, shopping and determining total food costs, which is a great way to build their financial literacy skills and nutrition habits.”

“There are many places to go online to get free, unbiased financial information,” she noted. These no-cost resources include the Office of Financial Readiness website, and the Milspouse Money Mission website, which has a section on raising financially fit children. Additionally, there is the Military OneSource website, the “Developing Your Spending Plan” course on the MilLife Learning portal, and the ‘Sen$e’ mobile application.

Military members also receive financial information and how to use these services when making a permanent change of station.

Establishing and following a spending plan is good to “ensure debts are paid, food is on the table, and financial goals are met,” Darius said. “If there is a financial issue that’s causing stress in the military family, reviewing the spending plan can help them gain some control and decrease stress.”

Steve Harris, a personal financial manager and accredited financial counselor at the Navy’s Fleet and Family Support Center in Washington, D.C., said: “A good financial plan represents both the needs and the wants of a military family.” This could include items such as saving for a college fund for their children.

Military families that have appointments with the center for free financial planning should bring their pay stubs, leave and earnings statements, a list of bills and their bank statements for review.

“Basically, we have a confidential conversation about income coming in and expenses going out. ‘What did you think you spent and what did you actually spend?'” Harris said. “We are looking at needs first and goals second. We like to nudge them back on the right track.”

Echoing Darius, Harris said: “If there are stressors about finances, coming to see a personal financial manager can make a military family leave with less stress. A service member shouldn’t have to be distracted about finances while supporting the mission.”

For children, the Navy has a curriculum that addresses ages 3 to 19 called “Raising Financially Fit Kids.” The other services have similar programs.

“Lessons include how parents can approach children about finances, introducing kids to money, costs, and allowances, how to set goals through saving – such as for the purchase of a new toy or electronic device – and an introduction to debit and credit cards and how to use them wisely,” Harris said.

“Prioritizing is up the individual client, he said. “If there is a surplus of money or a shortfall, what are the two or three most important, often competing, goals? We want to address all of them.”

*This article originally appeared on Health.mil, the official website of the Military Health System. To read the original article click here. Appearance of this article does not constitute endorsement by the Military Health System or the federal government.

Communication is key. We have heard this at just about every military family event – communication about expectations for work, deployments, exercises, and work-ups helps build appropriate expectations. The hard part about communication with military family members is sometimes the difficulty of actually talking. When the military family member is in the field, on a ship, or deployed overseas, they will likely not have the cellular service we are all used to having available to us. Or if they do have a cell phone overseas, they will need an internet connection to connect with family. What about email, or connecting with friends and family through email? How do you maintain communication across the miles when it is not as easy as picking up the phone or having a predictable internet connection to write an email?

Enter Sapphire Portable HotSpots. TravelWifi, formerly DHI Telecom, has been serving the U.S. Armed Forces, NATO coalition forces and government contractors for over a decade.

Their recent addition of Sapphire is an International mobile hotspot. The devices are available at select Navy Exchanges and online. Once the device is purchased, all you do is create an account using the Sapphire app or by logging on to Sapphire’s website. From there, any mobile phone or other Wif-Fi enabled device can connect to Sapphire just like you connect to Wi-Fi.

There are two portable hot spot options. One has the additional feature of a touchscreen, making it easy to use. A touchscreen makes connecting a device that much simpler.

Sapphire 2 Features:

• Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot That Works in 130+ countries
• 4G LTE Speeds
• 1GB Global Data Included
• CloudSIM Technology Connects you to the Strongest Signal
• Connect up to 5 devices
• 12 Hour Battery Life
• Flexible, Prepaid Data Plans
• Manage and View Data Usage through the Sapphire app
• Simple & Easy to Use

Sapphire T2 Features:

• Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot That Works in 130+ countries
• 5-Inch HD Touchscreen to Manage and View Data Usage
• Preloaded Sapphire app and Google Maps app
• Built-in Powerbank 
• 2GB Global Data Included
• 4G LTE Speeds
• CloudSIM Technology Connects you to the Strongest Signal
• Connect up to 5 devices
• 12 Hour Battery Life
• Flexible, Prepaid Data Plans
• Simple & Easy to Use

The private network provided by this hotspot is password-protected, allowing for more security.

Multiple data plans are available ranging from a single country, regional or global coverage with a variety of data plans within each group. There are over 130 countries to choose from for the single country plan and 10 regions for the regional plan.  

In addition to active duty service members, when families are PCSing across the world and now have the additional hurdle of restricted movement as part of COVID, this device allows for connectivity without the need for a local phone. Sapphire Customer Service is available 24/7/365 by phone, email, and WhatsApp.

Whether deploying on a ship, or in the field; PCSing, or on restricted movement, the Sapphire portable hot spot will keep you connected to friends, family and the outside world.

For more information on data plans and Sapphire devices,  look for the Sapphire device banner on https://www.mynavyexchange.com/CellServices