Week in Review: June 5 – June 11, 2011 (Military News) #MilitaryMon

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What has your favorite assignment been and why?: We all have stories being military families… stories of places we LOVED living, stories of places we weren’t so fond of. Perhaps the dust-storms in Texas just aren’t your thing or perhaps you could have done without the humidity of South Carolina. Maybe you couldn’t get enough of the history of Charleston or the free museums and cherry-blossoms in DC. This is the life of the military. It’s more than an adventure, it is life-changing! You get to see the sites, opportunities to do things you wouldn’t have had you stayed and lived in your hometown.

Giveaway-Extravaganza – We NEED You!: We want to introduce you to the military-community in a fun and exciting way this summer! Be a part of our Giveaway-Extravaganza when “Our Letters to You”, MilitaryAvenue’s award-winning Military-Family Blog hits 1,000 posts. (That’s a lot of writing, a lot of readers and a lot of military-family face time!) This is a great opportunity for you, the MilitaryAvenue Partner. What are we looking for: A gift around $25 to $50 that we will give to a military family. It has to be a national gift. As an example, a $50 Visa Card, or a $25 gift-card to military-family stores like AAFES. …

Mom Without a Clue: I spent the wee-hours of the morning in the ER. Baby Boy *L* has been running a high fever for about 72 hours and last night he didn’t want to nurse, he didn’t want to be held, he didn’t want to be put down. He just wanted to cry and be miserable (and drag all of us down with him. Wait did I just say that?) His misery had made for a long day already and I realized that if this went all night again we both might drown in a puddle of tears together. It is am awful feeling to feel helpless. Especially when the ones you love, those that you hold so close to your heart they feel to be part of you, are in pain. Real pain. …

“Too Sweet a Deal”? You Decide!: The military lifestyle is a tough road! No one can deny that but many civilians do not understand why it is tough either! Long deployments, extensive TDY/TADs, frequent relocations (PCS), and caring for our families despite these conditions are frequently misunderstood. Also largely misunderstood is the impact on the lives of Reserve Forces including the National Guard and Service Reservists. Yep, some civilians may even ignore these situations but I think the major issue is education. …

“They Helped Me Up” Staff Sergeant Eddie Peoples – DoD Blogger’s Roundtable: How do I start? This story is about one of our own, a hero for wearing his country’s uniform, a “Defender” in his one words and certainly a model for caring! United States Army Staff Sergeant Eddie Peoples came home on leave from Vicenza, Italy with his family to care for and see his ill father who had had a stroke. Stopping in the branch of the Sarasota, Florida Bank of America, he saw a robbery “go down” and elected to get involved! …

Arctic Report Assesses Defense Role, Future in Region: The Defense Department has sent to Congress a report on its Arctic operations that leaders say will put the department in a good position to shape U.S. interests as the region undergoes dramatic climate and social changes. The Report to Congress on Arctic Operations and the Northwest Passage, mandated by the fiscal 2011 National Defense Authorization Act, “was true value added” to U.S. policies on the Arctic, a DOD official speaking on background said June 3 when the report was sent to Congress.

Last Day of School and My Mixed Emotions: Storms were rolling into northeast Ohio as the bus was pulling up to the driveway this morning. Tumultuous. Kind of described how I was feeling. Feeling the tears fill up. Feeling the emotion of putting my child on the kindergarten bus for the last time. Feeling like I should be thrilled (I do LOVE summer vacation almost as much as the kids.) and yet for some reason I was lamenting my own boys growing up. Moments of reflection can hit me at the worst of times!…

Paratroopers Commemorate D-Day Anniversary: About 300 U.S. soldiers, most of them combat veterans themselves, joined their British, French and German counterparts in Normandy, France, to honor the sacrifices of World War II veterans who conducted the D-Day invasion 67 years ago today. The troops spent the last few days visiting key battle sites during the mission code-named Operation Overlord: the beaches 160,000 troops stormed on June 6, 1944, during the largest amphibious invasion in world history; and St. Mere Eglis, the first French village to be liberated by U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Division soldiers, among them. …

101 Ways to celebrate the 4th of July!: Stationed in the DC Area? Plan a picnic; Sit on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial and watch the fireworks above. – Find a friend with a boat and sit in a lake so you can see the reflection of the fireworks! – Invite an elderly veteran to your picnic and thank them for their service (our WWII veterans will not be with us much longer). – Study the 50 States. Fifty States… do you know 50 State capitals? – Plant a garden with Red (Petunias, geraniums, salvia, impatience, bleeding hearts to name a few) White (alyssum, geraniums, petunias, asters, daisies) and Blue (delphiniums, pansies, irisies) flowers. – Write a Letter to a soldier stationed overseas. Checkout “A Million Thanks” to find a drop-off location if you don’t have a service-member in mind. …

Getting the word out to the Military Community: I want to reiterate how thankful we are for our MilitaryAvenue Partners! You are the businesses and the communities that support our military and their families. They need to know you stand behind them, beside them and with them. (As a military spouse, I can tell you, that thought is from the heart!) Your story, your discount, your support is a very important piece of the MilitaryAvenue story. (I would say the most important part.) The part that lets the military know about the support they can find in their community. So how do we spread the word for you?

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Moving Tools, Our Moving and Relocation Tools for Military FamiliesbyLeanne KocsisonSunday, June 12, 2011 Email This BlogThis!Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to PinterestMilitary Life:D-Day,Popular Articles