Orders dropped in February, and while a PCS is old hat for my husband and me, we knew for our oldest, our fifth move would feel like his first. When we left Italy, our son was 3, and now at nearly 7, Virginia Beach is his home. And just to ensure maximum mom guilt, Jack’s first reaction to the news was a sad, “But I’m supposed to go to first grade at St. John’s,” before bursting into tears. We talked about the name of his future new school and showed him pictures of the beautiful Hawaiian beaches. We reassured him that we were all going together as a family of five and that we would be very ha ..read more

Roughly 11% of veterans call Maine home, benefitting from low unemployment rates, property tax exemptions and tax exclusions for military retirement pay. One organization, Boots2Roots is working to bring awareness to the pro-veteran atmosphere offered by The Pine Tree State. Disa Chadwick, a veteran spouse who currently works as a military transition specialist for Boots2Roots, grew up in Dayton, Maine. The town was so small that each grade up until middle school only had one teacher or classroom. Her knowledge of the military was, she says, nonexistent. “I met my husband in middle school, and ..read more

A group of military chaplains and chaplaincy supporters are calling on government and Arlington National Cemetery officials to update the hallowed graveyard’s chaplains’ monuments.   “This is a no-brainer,” said retired Navy Capt. Jack Lea, executive director of the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, an umbrella organization for 95 faith groups and the professional clergy representatives who endorse military and VA chaplains. “When did our nation decide it was no longer going to honor chaplains’ service?”  At the heart of the issue are a group of stone mon ..read more

“Fly … or die.” With these words, the Empyrean world of “Fourth Wing” that author Rebecca Yarros created catapulted her to No. 1 on just about every bestseller’s list — creating a fan frenzy in the process. “I did not expect this and I’m just so immensely grateful for it all. It’s also very surreal and overwhelming,” Yarros, an Army spouse, told Military Families Magazine during an interview.   The hashtags for her name and books have been viewed more than 1 billion times on TikTok alone. When “Iron Flame” (book 2 in the series) shattered pre-order records — and the books were picked ..read more

Were it not for free pizza and cookies, Spc. Angelina Trillo may not have found her vocational mission nor been named the 2023 Student Veteran of the Year by Student Veterans of America. “It has completely changed the trajectory of my career and given me professional and academic opportunities I couldn’t have found elsewhere,” said Trillo, a 2024 graduate in political science at Oregon State University. “It has become my passion and community.” Trillo is speaking of SVA and its goal of ensuring that student veterans and military-connected students achieve their greatest potential. She initiall ..read more

A company that provides stress-free solutions for moving and junk-hauling needs is providing veterans with special incentives to pursue franchise ownership.  College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving, a moving company, was named #23 of 150 on the Entrepreneur 2023 Top Franchise for Veterans list, according to a press release. It currently has 35 veteran-owned locations including South Denver, Colorado, Springfield, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. The company’s co-founder said College HUNKS is “honored” to partner with those transitioning from the military.  “Veterans are known for t ..read more

“You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby!” yelled out Air Force Master Sgt. Derriel Morris from the elevated stage, Guns N’ Roses style, guitars beside him shredding. Directly behind him, the flightline at Luke AFB in Arizona hummed with the activity of fighter jets. The crowd in front was comprised mostly of men and women dressed in OCP uniforms and flight suits, just like Morris and his rhythm guitarist, base commander Brig. Gen. Jason “Ox” Rueschhoff.  It was only the first gig for the band known as Dead 2 Rites. But under the umbrella of Fighter Country Talent Squad, a coll ..read more

I am 31 weeks pregnant with our third child and we’re in a whirlwind of all things PCS. And this isn’t the first time I’ve moved pregnant; when we moved to our current station, I was six months pregnant. I must enjoy it to keep putting myself in the same position [insert *eye roll*]. To be fair, this PCS is not like the others. When I say it was a short-notice move, it was a very short-notice move. We received our official orders on Jan. 2nd and my husband’s show-no-later-than date is Feb. 12th. However, to be cleared to PCS at this point in my pregnancy, I have to be six weeks out from my due ..read more

In most families, parents take their kids on vacation. Not in our family. A few years ago, I dreamed up a plan to take my dad, an aircraft technician with the U.S. Navy, to the Grand Canyon, a place both of us had always wanted to visit. I had no idea how much such a trip would cost, but I was younger then — and persistent. A couple months before dad deployed, I started saving. When I was 11, I opened a 12-month certificate of deposit at my financial institution, Navy Federal Credit Union. It was a great option to save money with a guaranteed return — and especially because my savings goal had ..read more

Dave Jenkins passed out while out for a run during his second deployment to Iraq in 2008. Doctors suspected bronchitis, but exposure to burn pits had reduced his lung capacity to 66%. Over the next nine years it would decline to 30%. Dave and his wife, Ginger, moved from Ohio to Florida seeking better air. They found it, though PTSD and other physical limitations led to Dave withdrawing from the world. But now, thanks to Hope For The Warriors granting his Warrior’s Wish, Dave and Ginger are kayaking up and down the canal behind their home, letting him interact with neighbors and enjoy nature ..read more