Hurry Up and Wait

On episode 24, Rachel from Countdowns and Cupcakes gives us all the best tips and tricks for making a great care package. She makes awesome care package designs that you can buy. I ask about inexpensive ideas for things to send, unique ideas, homemade, staples to send every time etc. She sends a large flat rate USPS box about once a month full of goodies when her husband is deployed. We talk care package themes, her favorite one to put together, his favorite one he has received. She also gives the best tip: wrap all the contents inside the care package for a little extra fun and surprise. You don’t need to do this every time but it’s a fun surprise.

Rachel also mentions how during Christmas time she will spend a box full of stuff that her husband can give to the other guys because some guys don’t receive mail during their deployments. I get the run down on just how to ship care packages to deployed soldiers: hint use the USPS (they are the cheapest and will have all the forms you need.) 

One of the things I love most about Rachel’s shop is when you buy a care package design she includes a list of things that could go with the theme of the care package you bought. How cool, right? 

Rachel’s instagram 

Rachel’s shop: Countdowns and Cupcakes

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On episode 23, I talk about the importance of having a duty station bucket list. Get your free printable checklist here. Start making a duty station bucket list 2 months before you PCS to your new duty station. First make a bucket list of the things you want to do at your current base with only 2 months left. Is there a restaurant you have been meaning to try or an activity that you loved doing and you want to do it again before you PCS? Setting up a duty station bucket list also helps you get out of PCS mode. PCSes are stressful and usually I keep my head down and power through but that means lost time that I could be enjoying the area I am in. So this is a good reminder to do that. 

I would start my bucket list for the base I am PCSing to about a month before. This gets you excited about going to a new military installation even though you are in the mist of a stressful time. First category to think about when making your list is food/ restaurants. What is your favorite food or a food that is unique to that area? Maybe you are going to Washington State and you need to try the coffee at the original Starbucks. Maybe you are going to the south and need to try the pulled pork. Then think about outdoor or nature activities that you could do. Are there state parks near by? What about museum or education things to do? 

Don’t forget about free activities. And things to do at home like painting a wall or making a really delicious dessert you don’t make often. Also, a great way to find cool things is searching the events of the towns near you and seeing what they are putting on. 

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On Episode 22 of Hurry Up and Wait, I talk with Lizann Lightfoot, the Seasoned Spouse, about the new book she wrote called Ultimate Deployment Guide which is available on Amazon. Her and her husband have been together for 19 years and through 7 deployments so she knows a thing or two. She is a writer and blogger and creates awesome resources for other military spouses which can all be found through the links on her blog. 

She is passionate about answering questions, sharing knowledge with other spouses and pointing them in the direction of the resources they have available to them. We then drive into her recently published book Ultimate Deployment Guide. She created this guide as a way for spouses to feel more confident and at peace when facing a deployment. The book is non branch specific so it should work no matter what branch of the military your service member is in. This book includes checklists and worksheets which means it is personal and you make it your own. The worksheets include getting emergency contact info, writing down all the joint account passwords/ usernames, household budget, car maintenance, etc. The book also includes information on care packages, self-care, and creating a bucket list for yourself during the deployment. 

Then, we chat about communication during a deployment. Lizann gives some great advice about keeping expectations manageable. You don’t really know what communication options are going to be available for a certain deployment until your service member is gone. They might have an idea but remember every deployment is different. Also, Lizann says she gets a ton of questions about the homecoming part of deployment and this again comes down to expectations and communication. Also, I ask about sharing stressful news with your service member that is deployed and how to go about that if they can’t really help with the situation. Will it just make them more stressed? 

I end the interview by asking Lizann some logistical questions about writing and publishing a book as well as other resources. 

Go find Lizann at Seasoned Spouse and you can get her book on Amazon. 

Also, remember to contact her if you are buying in bulk because she can give you a discount! 

Instagram: The Seasoned Spouse 

Most popular post on the Seasoned Spouse: 17 unusual things military families get for free. 

Hurry Up and Wait

On Episode 21, I talk all things PCS Binder. The PCS Binder is a school binder you make and fill with all your important documents, in transits papers, and other useful information to stay organized and help you be a little less stressed during your PCS. There is a lot of paperwork that goes into a PCS and having it all in one place is necessary to stay sane. Keep this binder on your person throughout your PCS. You want to know where it is and you never know who is going to need a copy of your orders.

How to make the PCS binder? First you need a binder, minimum of 2 inches. I have and love the one that fully zips around, you know like the ones we had in elementary school. Then you’ll need dividers to divid your sections, plastic page protectors, and a pencil pouch. 

Then I walk you through my PCS binder. First is the pencil pouch which has our passports, extra car keys, check book, and other random things. The first page after the pencil pouch is all the copies of our orders. I have about 10 copies all within one plastic sleeve. Orders are really one of the most important pieces of information in your binder so I keep them at the front. Next I have is an emergency contact list. On this list are numbers of friends, hotels, airlines, etc, this is just in case your phone dies or you lose it at some point. Get the Master List of all things to possibly include in your PCS Binder. 

Next the dividers. Go check out the awesome company List and File they create beautiful PCS binder dividers. They make military life more beautifully organized while giving you greater confidence and peace of mind.

First divider, Personal Info, this divider should include things like birth certificates, social security cards, marriage certificates, copies of passports/ IDs. Listen to the full episode to get the list of all the things I actually put in my binder behind each divider. Second divider is housing which includes lease agreements, security deposit receipts, HHG shipment paperwork, inventory, etc. Next, is auto/ vehicle under this tab you should include car titles, registrations, any shipment info. Next, is the pet divider this should include rabies vaccinations, health certificates, microchip numbers etc. Other dividers to include medical (health), legal, finance, and any other ones that apply to you and your family like if you have kids you might have an education tab for their school records. 

The PCS Binder is a must have for any military family. Remember there is no right way to do it, just make it work for you. 

PCS Binder paperwork list. 

Again, check out List and File to order beautiful PCS binder dividers and find them on Instagram. 

These look like great PCS Binder Printable’s if you are looking for some.

Today I talk with Samantha about the program her husband is currently doing called Green to Gold. It’s a program in the military that allows enlisted soldiers to transition to officers. The option in this program that Samantha’s husband chose is for 2 years where he finishes his Bachelor’s degree and does ROTC at the college as well. 

I ask Samantha about pay, benefits, and BAH. What does healthcare look like since they aren’t close to a base? How did their family go about choosing a college? Does the GI Bill pay for his school? What was the application process like? She said that the process is super competitive and takes about a year to complete all the requirements. The basic requirements are you have to be 30 or under and have enough time in service to complete the program. 

Samantha talks about going back to work full time. I ask Samantha about any role changes in the home since they do have young kids and since she is working full time. She says that her husband has taken on lots of those responsibility now and they are all joyful to be getting to spend more time together since Samantha’s husband was previously in a drill sergeants position. Now he is in college and making his own schedule. 

This program is a great option for those that are looking to be career service members. Your soldier gets payed while going to college, you get more family time, you have more stability (no unexpected deployments) and when the soldier is finished they will be an officer. 

Instagram: @raisealittlewonder

Blog: Raise A Little Wonder

Articles by Samantha on Military Family Magazine. 

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On this episode I give you the most important acronyms that any military significant other or spouse should know. I say there are 25 but in reality there are closer to 35 acronyms in this episode because some that I placed under one number are actually multiple acronyms depending on the branch or where you are located. Anyway, here I am just going to give you the top 10 acronyms you should know and you will have to listen to the episode to get all 35! 

1. DOD - Department of Defense. The executive branch department of the federal government in charge of the military and national security. So all service members are employees of the DOD. 
2. MOS - Military Occupational Specialty. The job that the solider has. In the Navy they call them ratings.  
3. PCS - Permanent Change of Station.
4. CONUS - Continental United States (the 48 states) 
5. OCONUS - Outside the Continental United States so everything overseas and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam. 
6. BAH- Basic Housing Allowance. The money you are allotted to pay for housing if you live off base. 
7. DEERS - Defense Enrollment Eligibly Reporting System. You need to be enrolled in this system to get any benefits, have TriCare insurance, etc. 
8. OPSEC - Operational Security 
9. FRG- Family Readiness Group. A group to help support the family members of the soldiers. 
10. TLA/TLE - Temporary Lodging Allowance or Expense. The allowance you get or expenses you accumulate when you are PCSing. 

Listen to the full episode to get all 25 acronyms. Which is closer to 35 since some acronyms had multiple variations. 

The cool thing I am sharing with you this week is the children’s book My Letter to Daddy by Renee Walker. 

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On episode 18, I talk with Shawna about the pressures and stereotypes of being an officer’s wife. She mentions the expectations of being an FRG leader and also the pressure to know the language of the army since her husband is a Major and in a command position. We chat about why higher ranking officer wives and enlisted wives are usually the ones in the FRG or Spouse club leadership positions. This shows that there is community and supportiveness not just for the soldiers but also for their families. 

I ask about dress and behavior since the family might be seen as an extension of the spouse in command. Shawna mentions it is not too much of a concern for her but she is aware of what is appropriate to wear and how to behave. Shawna answers the question “Is being an officer really ‘political’?” 

Then, I ask Shawna about all the officer wive stereotypes. Can enlisted wives and officer wives be friends? Shawna says yes absolutely. The only time it might get iffy is when the enlisted personnel is under the command of the officer. Do officer wives really request to be saluted at the gate? Do they think they are better than enlisted wives? Shawna gives us the run down on all the stereotypes and busts the myths that are out there. We then end on a positive note and Shawna gives us a wonderful example of the community coming together to help each other out.

Shawna's Instagram: @fieldslikehome

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On episode 17, I give you the run down on the Loaner Closet or Lending Locker (it has various names) resource that the military provides during your relocation or PCS move. Almost all bases have one and it is a service that provides household items during your PCS either in or out of the duty station while you are waiting for your goods to arrive. There is definitely going to be a time when you are without your things and this resource is helpful to reduce costs and makes it so you don’t have to buy duplicate items. 

The resource will be located at your base's family/community center. In order to use the resource you need to show your military ID and your PCS orders. When you go into the loan closet you will most likely fill out a form with contact info and mark down on an inventory sheet what you are taking. 

The average check out window for items is 30 days for CONUS stations. A few bases policy was 2 weeks for check out time. OCONUS the check out time is usually 90 days. Usually you can get an extension if you still need the items. Makes sure to clean the stuff before you return it. And this service doesn’t take personal donations. 

So what’s available? Kitchen stuff is going to be the most important items for day to day use. Things like plates, bowls, cups, silverware, pots, pans, bakewear, knives, mugs, can openers, etc. Some bases also have small appliances like coffee pots, blenders, tvs, and irons. It’s all first some first serve but you might luck out and find air mattresses, sleeping cots, or futons available. Most bases listed some baby items like high chairs, pack and plays, strollers. One big thing to note: no one is going to provide linens. So when you are packing for your upcoming PCS pack linens with you for when you're in limbo and sleeping on an air mattress. 

Today’s shout out is to the subscription box for military spouses, Brave Crate. It is a box full of products, calendars, challenges, and inspiration to help you get through and count down the months until your soldier returns from deployment. Check it out on instagram. 

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On this episode I talk with Michelle about the opportunity and her family’s decision to stay at one duty station for another 5 years. So Michelle will be at the same duty station for 8 years (10 years for her husband) which isn’t really normal by military standards.

They decided to stay because, for one no one likes moving. But more importantly because Michelle has established a career, they have purchased their home, and they have great friends. Pros of staying at one base: really making it your home, knowing the area better, keeping the same doctor, being at the same church, getting to know people better, and having stability while there are unknowns like trainings and deployments. Cons: not getting to experience other places.

I ask about having friends come in and out of her life while she stays at the same base. She gives some great advice that any military spouse should take: continue to expand your friend group, even when you think you have a good one. Then we talk Michelle’s job and how lucky she has been to have a great career but staying in the lower 48 states was needed.

I ask her about routines and Michelle says they aren’t routine people and hey, that’s okay. They don’t like routines but they love the stability and knowing they have a home to come back to especially since Michelle travels for work and her husband has trainings and deployments.

I ask her what she likes about Fort Bragg because being in one duty station would not be fun if you didn’t like that duty station! She says it has everything a person could want. It’s driving distance to the beach, major cities and airports and just 4 hours to the mountains. She also mentions how Fayetteville is an awesome town and the people have great respect for their military community.

Michelle’s Instagram 

Michelle’s Podcast

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This episode is all about preparing for the day the movers come to pack out your household goods. I know it might seem like since the military is moving you, you shouldn’t have to do any prepping but if you want a smooth move for yourself then there are a few things you should do. Most of these things will make it easier for your future self when you go to unpack your goods, some of these things are to help with making the moving day as easy as possible, and some things are to help with everyone’s sanity. 

First, clean! Vacuum out your couches, dust of places that haven’t been seen in a while (like the tops of printers), and wash your towels and linens. Declutter and then declutter some more. 1st episode of this podcast on declutter before a PCS. Don’t forget to remove all the garbage from your house. Have you heard that horror story of people’s trash getting backed with their stuff or what about someones plunger getting packed with their clothes! ewww. 

That leads me to my second point, organize. You need to separate shipments. What are you packing and taking with you on your flight or in the car? Do you have an unaccompanied baggage shipment? If so, separate those and remove them from the area where the movers will be. Locking things in your car or in a bathroom is a good idea. This is especially crucial for important documents and necessary items, like medication. 

You need to remove the photos and shelves from the walls. Put similar items in gallon size ziplocks things like pens and pencils, silverware, hair ties and bobby pins etc. This just makes it easier for your to find things later. The movers won’t care if this is done or not they will pack everything the way it is when they come into your home. Every company is different but this is a pretty good list of items the movers won’t pack. 

Next, be prepared to label your boxes on the day of the move. I print out categories on the Avery 3x4 labels but a big sharpie pen will do and just walk around and label the boxes as the packers are packing. You probably should provide water for your packers and also getting a light lunch or box of donuts is nice although not necessary. 

Last, if you have kids or pets it is a good idea to arrange day care for them on the day the packers come. It is a long stressful day(s) even for adults! 

Podcast instagram: @hurryupandwait_