Blue Star Stories

3 Ways to Maximize Your National Parks Trip

If you’ve found yourself longing to catch the outdoor adventure fever going around, but you wince at the thought of enduring a 10-mile vertical ascent to that summit vista you saw on Instagram, know you’re not alone. When it comes to the great outdoors, what defines a great trip is less about recreating the experience…

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Stop and read if you or someone in your military family wears prescription eyeglasses or contacts

There’s much to learn as a military spouse when navigating this crazy and sometimes complicated life. So, let us help you out, friend. Stop what you’re doing for two seconds and read this if you or someone in your family wears prescription eyeglasses or contacts because it could save you a ton of money. Here’s…

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Why We Need New Official Government Proclamations of Military Family Support

Blue Star Welcome Week continues to gain support from leaders in communities across the country – leaders who see and recognize the challenges military and Veteran families face and encourage their constituents to support the mission. “The goal of Blue Star Welcome Week is to address the worst problems in our community – awareness of…

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Schlotzsky’s Welcomes Military Families to the Neighborhood

Once upon a time, there was a nonprofit named Blue Star Families, founded by military families for military families. Every year, Blue Star Families would hear peers say, “We’re isolated and lonely” because of the efforts needed to support the homefront — like moving every one to three years.  Because of Blue Star Families’ Military…

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How Volunteering is Helping One Military Spouse Rebuild Community

If you’ve ever moved, then you’re likely no stranger to the anxieties of being new in town. For military families who move every two to three years on average, it’s a common emotional occurrence. Even for those who are considered “seasoned,” each move is different from the last.  Just ask Misty. Play Now We first…

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Healing Wounds with Support: A Purple Heart Story

  “Six months later, I woke up in Germany, not knowing who my parents were because of the extent of injuries that I endured. So, I was out in Germany for a year going through at least 33 surgeries, and at that time, I was told I wouldn’t be able to have any children. Then…

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What You Should Know About Kimberly, the New Housing Insecurity DEPLOY Fellow

As the 2022 Wells Fargo Housing Insecurity DEPLOY Fellow, Kimberly has a lot to offer military families.  For starters, she understands military families. Her mother was the first Korean female Chief Warrant Officer 5 in the U.S. Army. Not to mention, Kimberly was accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy, and her husband is an…

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Military Families: Look to Your Library as a Valuable and Welcoming Resource

Authors: Barry Trott, M.S.L.S., Library of Virginia     Nicole Rawlinson, M.L.I.S., Blue Star Families When it comes to moving, military families know all the ins and outs. The average military family will move every two to three years, and each year, hundreds of thousands of military families across the country move to new communities.…

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From Adversity to Advocate, Get to Know Marla Bautista

Marla Bautista, an Army wife and mother of three, knows firsthand that advocacy can play an important role in building a stronger, more supported community. That’s because she was once food insecure and unhoused. And those challenging experiences have shaped her into who she is today while positively affecting how she can help others. “I…

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The Challenge of Family Building and How Military Spouses Can Help

When Laci married her Air Force service member, she was informed her family building journey would be difficult and conceiving a child naturally wasn’t likely.  Laci’s story, though heartbreaking, is a common one. Research indicates that the natural fertility rate is only 20%, and 1 in 8 couples will have difficulty getting pregnant. For military…

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