As the parent of a soldier, you should become familiar with some of the other resource information contained on other Army and Dept. of Defense sites for future reference… such as the Army Well-Being site and the Military Homefront page.

I’d really like the Army and the other services to produce content specific to parents (or non-spousal family) with the idea that these people are usually remote (away) from their soldier’s military installation and typically have no idea how to contact the installation or chain of command (or even who that might be) in an emergency… or what resources are available to their soldier/sailor/marine/airman/coastie or to the family member (be that a parent, aunt, uncle, sister or brother…) when faced with serious issues involving their child (for example, post-deployment issues). (And, yes, I know that there are those who actually joined the military to AVOID their parents… but every soldier has a next-of-kin somewhere — that are not “in the loop” but should be!)

I did also find some parent-related information for the other services (some official, some unofficial):

for Parents of Marines
A Parent’s Guide to the Marine Corps
USMC – Recruit Training
Marine Parents.com

For Navy Parents
Navy for Moms
Navy Dads

For Air Force Parents
Parents of the Enlisted

For Coast Guard Parents (nice job CG!!)

For National Guard Families

General informational links for all branches, Guard and Reserves at Today’s Military and Military.com

ARMY PATERNITY LEAVE

I know a bunch of “will-be-daddy” guys and some soon-to-be-moms who will welcome this news!!

My question is, “Does this apply to adoptions as well?? (It should!)

Coffins and media decision made

They Are Not Alone

As you all probably know, the SecDef has made his decision concerning the media access to coffins of the fallen coming into Dover AFB. The decision is that media will be allowed if the family requests it.

No matter how you or I feel about this (and I’m not going to put my opinion out here), this is now the way it is. Now there is paperwork that will be required, I’m sure there will be a form, and procedures and requirements etc. A question that is definitely out there – WHO is the one who will make that decision. Should it be the wife? the parents? the children (my son is an adult, and would put his 2 cents in). One commentor I saw suggested it should be up to the service member, that this should be something they decide.

As we’ve discussed before (well, I did the talking, hope you did the reading!) most of us have planned funerals for our service member. That’s one of those things that military families do that boggle the minds of the civilians. This is part of that planning. As a spouse, would I want my husband’s family to have any say in this decision? good question. As a mom, would I stand back and let my daughter in law make that decision, if I didn’t agree with it? another good one.

Do YOU guys have any answers? and if you want to let us know how you feel about the decision, feel free. Don’t forget, be polite!

LAW

Coffins, Photographs and the families rights

ParentsZone has always been fiercely apolitical, and will remain so. I don’t personally feel this is a totally political action or that it is strictly partisan.  This hits ALL of the military family equally, and there are a lot of questions that we are all asking.   The answers are not easy to find.  With this caveat:

As you may have read, the Secretary of Defense is reviewing the policy of taking photographs of coffins of the recently fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan arriving at Dover AFB. This is one of those subjects that makes those of us who have family members serving – think, twitch and wonder what would we do.

As Andi on SpouseBuzz said – we plan funerals, in our heads. Yes, I’ve planned my husband’s  (with no help from him, other than a request for Dixie played by bagpipes).  I planned my son’s too.  (the music for that one was difficult too)  I haven’t had to use those plans…and I haven’t thought about the media, other than to hope they will show some respect. That, unfortunately, isn’t what has happened at many funerals. I went to nine funerals last deployment, and the media held back – it could have been that Midwestern reticence, but I’ll figure it was the Patriot Guard!

So how do I feel about it? I don’t honestly know. I’ve read other blogs about it, I’ve always thought that maybe the other 99% of the US population should see the true cost of the war; not just the money, but the lives – the lives lost, the lives shattered, the lives of the children losing a parent, the parent losing a child,  the lives of the friends who mourn. But those same families and friends have the right to mourn in private, to survive the pain without cameras in their faces.

How do I feel? Confused. I know that I understand the families’ point of view that don’t want the pictures taken, I know I understand those that say these coffins, when they arrive, don’t have names on them that can be seen by photographers, that no-one is saying that they want to take pictures of widows and parents receiving the coffins, but is this the slippery slope we hear so much about? If we allow a photograph of a coffin on a plane floor, does that mean we will allow a picture of a woman kissing the coffin, of a child hugging the coffin holding her daddy?

And I want Secretary Gates to ask us. Not the Generals, not the under secretary of whatever, ask us. We are the ones who this will affect, we are the ones who live with this possibility. Please, tell me what you think.

LAW

From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs – Military Family Appreciation Week

A new PSA campaign for Veterans.

From Mamaw – an announcement.

******

We’re Making History Today

I want to share something very exciting with you.

Today, IAVA is launching a ground-breaking Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign with the Ad Council. This historic, multi-year, national effort is aimed at easing the transition for veterans returning home from combat.

Even if you’re not familiar with the Ad Council, you know their work. They have been behind some of our country’s most iconic PSA campaigns, including Smokey the Bear, “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk”, and “A Mind is A Terrible Thing to Waste”. Now, they’ve teamed up with IAVA to create the largest campaign to date focused on veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

And at the center of this campaign is a new private social network, exclusively for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, at CommunityOfVeterans.org.

Please help us spread the word about this historic campaign. Forward this email to your friends and family members, and tell the veterans in your life to check out CommunityofVeterans.org.

Together, we have the potential to dramatically improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families nationwide.

Thank you for standing with us, and Happy Veterans Day.

An Important Survey – for Warrior Care Month

(Hat tip – Andi at SpouseBuzz)

This is a VERY important Survey  – which is designed to try to get real, honest assessments of the programs for wounded, ill or injured servicemembers – and it’s ANONYMOUS!  there is one for the servicemember and one for the family – which includes Parents!

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2008 – As the Defense Department observes November as Warrior Care Month, officials have extended to Nov. 28 the deadline for wounded, ill and injured servicemembers and their families to respond to a survey designed to assess the programs and services they receive.

Dr. S. Ward Casscells, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, said the extension resulted from overwhelming response.

Two Military Health System questionnaires, one for servicemembers and another for their family members, solicit feedback about satisfaction with the care and services provided. All responses to the online surveys are anonymous to encourage honest assessments, officials said.

The survey is HERE.

Update on PFC Levine – 10/24

It’s been an intense, crazy-busy couple of days around here but in a good way! We are so proud of our readers for jumping into action when it counted! Your cards, letters of encouragement,etc are definitely doing the trick and lifting Hunter’s spirits.!

We are extra proud of our PZ Tech Mama – Tammy for jumping in and helping out the point of contact for this endeavor! She responded to  all the emails and phone calls to make sure that Hunter got letters of encourgment, cards,etc. and that the right information was being sent out! Tammy will continue to be working on this directly with Hunter, his Foundation, Hearts for Hunter as well as Blake Meaux, long time freind of Hunter and foundation executor. So,  check out her blog for more information about that.

The biggest HAT TIP goes to 1SG Brian Disque! Brian made sure that one of his soldiers got the help and support that he needed by letting the blogosphere know about Hunter. Brian certainly is a shining example of what a 1SG should be!

I AM A FIRST SERGEANT
My job is people — Every One is My Business.
I dedicate my time and energy to their needs;
their health, morale, discipline, and welfare.
I grow in strength by strengthening my people.
My job is done in faith; my people build faith.
My job is people –EVERY ONE IS MY BUSINESS.

- US Army First Sergeant (1SG) Creed

We also want to acknowledge the sites that first posted about Hunter : The Veterans Voice & Email Our Military for first publishing 1SG Levine’s story.

Kudos to Matt at BlackFive, Milblogs, Michelle Malkin, Some Soldiers Mom, Liberal Army Wife, Army Household6, Mark Levinfan.com, Calistalee , Jihad Gene, NiceDoggie.net, and Greyhawk and many many more! Also a big thank you to everyone who emailed others to let them know about it!  You guys picked up  Hunter’s story as ran with it!  We’re so proud to be part of this awesome blogging community!

Hunter’s friend Blake are working on the details for Hunter’s Foundation,  Hearts for Hunter. The website currently is under construction but  will be up & ready to go by Monday October 27th.

Also, Tammy recently started a list called HASMO (Help a Service Member Out). It is an email list comprised of Rapid Response Team Members to be able to help out soldiers like Hunter and many others. It will also be available to help out service member’s immediate families as well. You can sign up for it on Tammy’s site and its a free service!

So, thanks again and now back to our regular programming..

Update on PFC Hunter Levine

Well I just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone who emailed/commented over the last 24 hours about PFC Levine. If I haven’t responded to you yet.. don’t worry I will tonight/tomorrow. There has been an outpouring of support so we are trying to filter it all and get Hunter what he needs. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me at tammy.munson@gmail.com.

I am currently working with the executor of Hunter’s foundation to get a list of what Hunter may need and to setup a fundraiser for him.

Also we’re working on setting up a email list of rapid responders when we hear of things like this if you’d like to be included, please sign up at http://www.armyhousehold6.com (left side of page)

To read Hunter’s story click here

I received this email from Julie  with BlueStarMoms who visited with Hunter on Saturday .. so I wanted to pass it along..

Well, we already went today and just got back actually but we wouldn’t mind going again.  When I say we, I took my daughter-in-law and granddaughters too.  One of the staff did go in ahead and asked Hunter if he minded us coming in.  That was Hunters request to be notified ahead of time.

I figured that if he did not want visitors today that we would just leave what we had brought for him there for him to have and I understood his request. He let us come in because I told the nurse about my son serving in Iraq.  That seemed to make Hunter feel better.

We just stopped in for a minute and took a card, a box of See’s lollipops, some other candy and a small fimo clay frog wind chime. (FROG=Freely Rely On God) That made him sorta laugh, the wind chime. He said he didn’t know where to put it so we suggested over the a/c unit or hang it on the window that way he could know if the a/c was working or not.

I figured that he could use the practice in getting his other senses a little sharper while his eyesight was getting some work. The room was pretty warm though, and there was a soldier visiting him as well so I didn’t want to take up too much of his time.  I will call Stephanie later this week and see if he wouldn’t mind having us visit again, without the girls though. I would love to have you come with or meet me there.  I have a map now and it is pretty easy to get to.

He has a DVD player and an i-pod and told me he has all the music he needs, he is still pretty angry inside.  I know that later in life he will look back and think about us going there, it will be just a random thought but I hope it will be a good one.

Also, my granddaughters class is going to make a mobile for his room, that should help him with some eye coordination exercises without him knowing that he is actually doing them.

I did see that he had the DVD Gladiator (great movie!) so he has some vision.  He also had a watch on with a magnifier on it.  Also, the lollipops will help with the muscles in his neck which will in turn help with the face restructuring.

In fact, I am thinking that getting some crossword puzzle books and other items like that as well as some cards for other soldiers who are there would be worthwhile.  There were a couple who had no visitors and looked like they could use someone to visit with.

Thanks,
Household6

Next Page »