Blue Star Stories
Moving with the military? Know this one thing!
It’s a well-known fact that you’re no stranger to moving as a military family. In fact, you could probably consider yourself a moving “expert” thanks to new orders every couple of years. While most of us understand the basics of a move — our stuff gets boxed, moved, we unpack, organize, and more — some…
Read moreGet the Most Out of the School Year: Advice From a Military Teen
As a military family, we often get lost in the sauce when preparing for our kids’ school year. We do the shopping, sign the papers, confirm bus routes, enroll kids at the last minute for reasons that come with our lifestyle, and the list goes on. This year, I took a different approach to keep…
Read moreBeing Authentic: Growing Connections Between More Families of Color with Transparency in the National Capital Region
Metropolitan Washington, D.C. has grown steadily to become more diverse, especially between 2010 and 2020. Today, more than half of the region’s residents identify as non-white. For an area ranked as one of the most diverse places to live in the U.S., it should come as a surprise that military families of color still feel…
Read moreEn route to a new duty station? Protect yourself!
Did you know? Nearly one-third of the military, and their families, are en route to a new duty station right now and are at risk of their sensitive data getting stolen by someone they know. Protect yourself As you shuffle around, beware that your personal info is more accessible to movers, family members, dumpster divers,…
Read moreSaving Money During Back-to-School Season
Many families are feeling stressed and financially strained by inflation and supply chain issues. Amid these challenges, families are prioritizing back-to-school spending. In fact, the National Retail Federation estimates that families with children in elementary through high school will spend an average of $864.35 on school items in 2022. However, when that spending on supplies…
Read moreA Closer Look at Military Children’s Mental Health: 4 Steps You Can Take to Make a Difference
Summer is nearly in our rearview mirror and back-to-school time is here! The large number of families PCSing this season means thousands of children will start the upcoming school year somewhere different. New friends, changes in education delivery due to evolving COVID-19 guidelines, and sometimes unfamiliar curriculum await young minds, many of whom are still…
Read moreStrengthening Food Security in the Force: Strategy and Roadmap
The TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) Version In November 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin issued a memo, “Strengthening Economic Security in the Force.” It directed the following actions: increase Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) extend Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) in areas with housing shortages field a new Military Leaders Economic Security Toolkit to help…
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