Earlier this week, Congressman Bill Owens joined Blue Star Families in celebrating Armed Forces Day by hosting a book donation event benefiting local military families. Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces brings the joy of reading to military children by donating new books to military-impacted libraries and schools, and providing individual kids with books of their own. Books donated free of charge by Owens came from the Library of Congress and were considered surplus.

Military families around the country are experiencing the heavy burdens of multiple deployments. The goal of Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces is to give military kids creative outlets to dream and learn that will also help them cope with the challenges faced by military families. The goal of this program is to have a positive impact on children from military families through book donation.

“Our military families are the unsung heroes of our nation’s defense, and no one is more deserving of our support than children whose mother or father are overseas, fighting to keep us safe,” said Owens. “I thank Blue Star families for their tireless effort in organizing this event to benefit our friends at Fort Drum and their families.”

Congressman Owens joined with Fort Drum’s chapter of Blue Star Families to create a new Congressional Edition of Blue Star’s Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces program. The Congressional Edition would expand Blue Star Families’ program by encouraging Members of Congress to secure and deliver free surplus children’s books from the Library of Congress for libraries on military bases across the country. In addition, the Congressional Edition encourages members of Congress to perform a “celebrity book reading” to children at on-post libraries. Books on Bases is a successful nationwide program to bring the joy of reading to military children by encouraging donations of new books to military-impacted libraries and schools, and providing individual kids with books of their own. The program has donated over 25,000 books to military libraries, schools and children in the last year. Blue Star Families is hoping to replicate this event with members of congress across the country.

by Cachet B. Prescott, MA, MSCCN Training & Development Volunteer

Ahhhh…the interview is finally over. Now, it’s time to kick back, relax, and wait for the “You’ve Got the Job” phone call, right? WRONG! And so the process continues, and you still have some work to do to prove that you are the perfect candidate for the job.

Message Sent

Show your professionalism by promptly sending a Thank You note (and by promptly, I mean within 24 to 48 hours after the interview). With the advent of electronic communication, I advise using the rapid pace of sending a thank you e-mail (which is appropriate in most cases) and then follow up with a handwritten thank you card (for a more personalized touch and to show off your lovely penmanship) via snail mail. When writing your thank you note(s):

• Remember that “brevity is the soul of wit”…keep it simple and brief. If you ramble on and write a thank you novel instead of a simple note, you may lose your audience (and thus, your future job).
• If you were interviewed by more than one person, send separate thank you notes tailored to each person. You should not expect that one generic thank you will suffice and will be passed around to each interviewer like a bowl of popcorn.
• Get the correct title(s) (i.e. Ms., Dr., Capt., etc.) and spelling of your interviewer(s) name(s). If you are not sure about this information, call the office and ask the administrative assistant or operator. Not taking these necessary precautions may count as a strike against you in the decision-making process.
• This note is your chance to: (1) thank the hiring official for the opportunity to interview for the position; (2) reiterate your interest in the position; (3) highlight the reasons why YOU are the right person for the job; and (4) add any additional pertinent information that you may have left out during the interview or any follow-up details that the interviewer asked you to provide. Do not use this note to address any mistakes during your interview; only accentuate the positive!
• Proofreading is your friend. Read the note over and over and over again. Check for any spelling or grammatical errors and typos. When you can’t look over it anymore, have someone else look at it with a fresh pair of eyes. Don’t let a typo cost you your dream job.

by Wife on the Roller Coaster

A few weeks ago my son, New Man of the House, was supposed to attend the opening ceremonies kicking off his baseball season.  I suited him up in his new uniform and dropped his sister off at a friend’s house so I could focus my full attention on his exciting day.  I watched as New Man proudly trotted over to his team and joined them in a catch.  But before I could finish introducing myself to the other moms, a fastball made a direct hit to New Man’s face.

After assessing the damage, I directed New Man away from the crime scene as he fought to catch his breath through sobs.  He begged me to take him home, while I mentally searched my pep talk database to find the right words to convince him to stay.  I knew his pride was more injured than his face, and I didn’t want him to regret missing the ceremony.  But nothing I said changed his mind, and when he locked himself in the car, I had no choice but to tell the coach we were leaving before the festivities even began.

As I stood in the crowded parking lot with my hysterical son clutching my leg and my useless words hitting upon deaf ears, all I could think was, “If my husband were here, he’d know what to say.  He’d have New Man laughing and sprinting back onto that field in less time than it took to exchange a high five.”  But my husband wasn’t there. I am the dad now.  And at that moment, I was failing miserably as a father.

For me, the hardest part of this deployment is my new role as Interim Dad.  How am I supposed to replace someone who is irreplaceable?  I don’t tickle the kids the way he does.  I don’t make up silly stories for them at the dinner table the way he does.  I don’t even make them smile the way he does.  Being a father extends far beyond the realm of chasing the kids around the backyard, taking them fishing, or teaching them how to change the oil in the car.  Somehow, a father offers his children a special kind of love and affection that a mother can’t. 

Happy Mother's Day from the cast of Lifetime Television's Army Wives!