Make the most of the extra pay you get when you get promoted! One thing’s for sure, if you don’t pay attention, you’ll end up spending your extra pay and never notice. Let’s explore some ways to make the most of your pay raises. Increasing retirement savings Retirement may not be top of mind when you get promoted, but this is a great time to bump up your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions. You could save a lot more in your TSP without cramping your lifestyle by increasing your TSP by 1% at each promotion or pay raise. This could mean an extra 2-3% going toward retirement fairly quickly. D ..read more

An adequate life insurance policy can provide surviving family members some peace of mind — but more specifically, it can also provide financial security to loved ones, should its insured die; it does so by transferring what is called a death benefit to designated beneficiaries. In most cases, this is a tax-exempt sum, and beneficiaries can then use the funds in whatever way they choose. For many years, however, active-duty military personnel faced barriers in finding and securing life insurance coverage for combat-related deaths. That’s why the Uniformed Services Benefit Association (USBA), a ..read more

Liberty University knows that our nation’s freedoms exist because of the dedicated service of men and women like you. You deserve opportunities to further your professional career, and we want to help make that possible. Because of your sacrifice, our ambition is to make your educational journey accessible and affordable. It is Liberty’s privilege to provide financial and educational benefits to eligible active and retired military students and their families. One of the ways we do this is through exclusive online tuition discounts for qualified military students and military spouses. These di ..read more

Gary Sinise is on a mission to encourage others to “always do a little more.” The “Forrest Gump” actor was at the beginning of his movie career when he portrayed the character of Lt. Dan Taylor, an Army officer who lost his legs in the Vietnam War. The role, Sinise says, ultimately changed his trajectory professionally and personally. “Thirty years ago, when I got the part in ‘Forrest Gump,’ I had done only a couple of movies,” Sinise told Military Families Magazine ahead of the three-decades long anniversary of his Oscar nominated role. “After ‘Forrest Gump’ came out, I didn’t have to auditio ..read more

Tribute to valor: Celebrating our heroes This past May, Branson proudly hosted the Tribute to Valor Armed Forces Day STEAM-Liner Expo at the Branson Airport, a free event that celebrated American heroes and showcased STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) initiatives in aviation. Attendees had the unique opportunity to meet one of only 62 living Medal of Honor recipients, Gary Litrell, and engage with Air Force Reserve Pilot Major Trevor Aldridge. The event featured aircraft tours, hands-on robotics demonstrations by FIRST Robotics of Springfield, MO, and a vibrant cel ..read more

Some veterans and same-sex couples are now eligible to receive in vitro fertilization (IVF) services through the Department of Veterans Affairs. But one military advocacy organization doesn’t believe that the focus on service-related injuries is enough. “This is something that my predecessor had advocated for and had worked on moving this forward policywise,” Rachel Branaman, Modern Military Association of America (MMAA) executive director, said. “It’s definitely a win. The organization as a whole is excited. However, we know there is a lot more to go. We would really like this to be extended ..read more

Tribute to valor: Celebrating our heroes This past May, Branson proudly hosted the Tribute to Valor Armed Forces Day STEAM-Liner Expo at the Branson Airport, a free event that celebrated American heroes and showcased STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) initiatives in aviation. Attendees had the unique opportunity to meet one of only 62 living Medal of Honor recipients, Gary Litrell, and engage with Air Force Reserve Pilot Major Trevor Aldridge. The event featured aircraft tours, hands-on robotics demonstrations by FIRST Robotics of Springfield, MO, and a vibrant cel ..read more

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of U.S. Military Publishing. Have a personal perspective essay to share? Submissions can be made online for consideration at this link. The life of military service members and their families is not for the faint of heart – frequent deployments and rotations, high-stress environments, and a uniquely challenging work/life balance. As an Army veteran, decade-plus Army spouse, and mother, I know these challenges are worth it to defend the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as Americans.  But on ..read more

Every time Gold Star daughter Hanna Davis gets a chance to talk about her dad, Army 1st Lt. Jeffrey Davis, she takes it. So when Folds of Honor, a military-focused nonprofit that provides academic scholarships to Gold Star spouses and children, asked her to speak at the launch of their new partnership with Blaze Pizza at Disney World, the scholarship recipient gave an enthusiastic ‘yes’. “I would be in a very different position in my life as a young adult if not for Folds of Honor,” Davis said amongst the crowd of approximately 100 people on June 13. “More than the financial support, especiall ..read more

I never imagined that I’d be in a delivery room having a baby without my husband holding my hand. I never imagined I’d be in the thick of postpartum life without him or that he wouldn’t be there when I bring home our third — and final — tiny addition. In our 11 years as a military family, I’ve been extremely lucky. My husband has always been able to be there. He was in the rooms for our other two babies, and he helped me get through the ups and downs of being a first-time parent, the crazy transition from one to two kids, and he was there to help me navigate postpartum anxiety and depression ..read more