Today on Army Wife Talk Radio it's a Military Women's Health Update. We have the rare opportunity to get a glimpse into the inner workings of the Department of Health Affairs with the current Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, Ms. Seileen Mullen. 

On today's episode, Ms. Mullen shares the latest about military women's health and contraception (for both military members and milspouses), mental health services, and how to prepare for the winter flu, RSV, and COVID season. Check out tricare.mil and health.mil for the latest information about viruses and vaccines. Ms. Mullen has got our six. Her passion for advocating for women's health and autonomy is truly empowering! A big thanks to Ms. Seileen Mullen.

As milspouses, we often learn that each assignment brings new circumstances and helps us expand our knowledge of the military. Joint Service Installations (bases of the armed forces of the United States utilized by multiple military services) can seem overwhelming as a new assignment. In today's Milspouse Empowerment Moment, KateLynn helps us find our footing in a joint service world. Whether or not you are on a Joint Service Installation now or may be PCSing to one in the future, tune in for our empowering and informative message.

As milspouses, we often learn that each assignment brings new circumstances and helps us expand our knowledge of the military. Joint Service Installations (bases of the armed forces of the United States utilized by multiple military services) can sometimes seem overwhelming as a new assignment. In today’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, KateLynn helps us find our footing in a joint service world.

She offers insight into navigating:

* Uniform differences

* Terminology

* Finding information

* Helpful trainings to attend (Newcomer’s Brief)

* Opportunities to get involved

KateLynn reminds us, at the end of the day, every base is what you make it. Being in a joint base can give you so many opportunities to grow, you just have to dive into the chaos and something truly beautiful can come out of it

Whether or not you are on a Joint Service Installation now or may be PCSing to one in the future, tune in for our empowering and informative message.

It’s no secret that military families are constantly reinventing what home means to them. The state of military housing has long been a topic of discussion and a need that must be addressed to improve the quality of life for our active duty families. On today's empowering episode Kathleen speaks with Sarah Lenox, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Armed Forces Housing Advocates (also known as AFHA).

AFHA was founded to protect all current and future military families. They strive to provide comprehensive, free-of-cost services that empower residents to navigate the MHPI system, ensuring their homes are safe and habitable. They are moving the needle in the fight for safe housing for military families.

It’s no secret that military families are constantly reinventing what home means to them. The state of military housing has long been a topic of discussion and a need that must be addressed to improve the quality of life for our active-duty families. On today’s empowering episode Kathleen speaks with Sarah Lenox, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Armed Forces Housing Advocates (AFHA).

AFHA was founded to protect all current and future military families. They strive to provide comprehensive, free-of-cost services that empower residents to navigate the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI) system, ensuring their homes are safe and habitable. AFHA supports military families through a variety of housing situations including, but not limited to: mold, lead, asbestos, clean water, window falls, reasonable accommodations for families with disabilities, and PCS homelessness.  AFHA is primarily focused on CONUS situations, but does receive cases for OCONUS issues and does its best to research and advocate for military spouses wherever the base/post is located.

In today’s episode, Sarah shares information about AFHA, tips for families who may encounter housing difficulties, and her own personal experiences with housing struggles. She is committed to helping military families know their rights while they navigate through difficult housing situations. 

“Empowerment is the kinetic energy of the individual and of the community that drives lasting progress and change”. 

Thank you again to Sarah Lenox for joining us this week to talk about the amazing resource that is the Armed Forces Housing Advocates. If you would like to connect with Sarah and Armed Forces Housing Advocates, you can find them online or on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

News 6

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of November 7th, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Emma Tighe:

If the Bra Fits, Issue it!

We all know the army issues everything but a spouse and the kitchen sink for incoming service members.

But for Female soldiers, noticeably missing from the list has always been bras.

Instead they are given an allotment and sent to the nearest post exchange for their undergarments.

Not only that, but it has been a concern for years that while service members are given flame and weather resistant top and under clothing, bras have never been included.

That may soon change as the Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, or DEVCOM, has come up with four prototypes for combat sports bras for female military members.

These bras carry important features such as flame resistant materials, a dog tag pouch, a front zipper for medical emergencies and breathable mesh, which is imperative for female soldiers in training or war zones going days without changing. 

More than 200 female soldiers are testing the brassieres and the results will be brought to the army uniform board on December 7th.

Lead designer Annette Lafluer told ABC news that “The less that they can think about what they’re wearing and focus on their mission or their training, the easier it’s going to be for them.”

Sounds like they’re hard at work on every woman’s dream sports bra, and no one deserves them more than our female service members!

Find out more at abcnews.com.

Three Soldiers Save Lives at Seoul Halloween Tragedy

Jarmil Taylor, Dane Beathard and Jerome August, three U.S. soldiers stationed at Camp Casey,

One of the most difficult seasons for milspouses can be the holiday season, especially when celebrating from a distance. AWN Director of Development, Chrissy Gibbs, helps us navigate the holiday season on today’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment. Chrissy offers practical and creative ways to feel connected with family and loved ones. She also reminds us to “love the ones we’re with” and reach out to our local community.

For more details and great tips for Celebrating the Holidays from a Distance, you can listen below or on the podcast app of your choice.

Sponsor

This podcast episode is brought to you by Fitbit Health Solutions. Take charge of your health with the latest devices from Fitbit. To thank you and your families for your service, Fitbit is offering 35% off up to 2 Fitbit devices from our latest line-up of wearables, only for the military community. Offer ends, November 25th, visit ID.Me/fitbit-veterans-deals for details. 

As milspouses, we often experience acts of generosity from strangers. The support can look like a snack and a place to rest at the USO or local schools writing cards and encouragement to our deployed spouses. Our guest Brittany Raines shares a way we can give back to our communities through GivingTuesdayMilitary (Nov 29, 2022).

On Army Wife Talk Radio, Annie sat down with the Director of Community Engagement for GivingTuesdayMilitary Brittany Raines to learn more about this amazing organization. Four milspouses launched GivingTuesdayMilitary in 2019 with the goal to inspire intentional acts of kindness that can create a ripple of change that spreads far and wide. That ripple is currently extending through 40 states and five countries. 

Brittany shares how you and your community can join this movement. Anyone can volunteer from milspouses to military members to patriotic community members. Acts of kindness can be as big as a local blood drive or as small as writing encouraging chalk messages in a public space. All acts of kindness contribute to the spirit of creating a calmer and more generous world. 

Check out the website https://givingtuesdaymilitary.com. There are fantastic pictures and examples from previous years. Join the movement this year on social media at Instagram or Twitter

News 6 with Emma

Here is this week’s News 6 mashup of stories for the week of November 7th, 2022, straight from AWN News 6 Correspondent, Emma Tighe:

Navy Destroyer Lends a Hand

A coast guard call went out on October 18th in Hawaii asking for all available boats to assist in a rescue. What they did not expect was for the Navy destroyer USS Daniel Inouye to answer the call. The Sea Diamond, a commercial fishing boat, was dealing with a broken propeller shaft and was stranded out at sea. The coast guard sent out a mayday request on their behalf and the USS Inouye happened to be at the right place at the right time.

Two hours after the call went out the Navy destroyer had the fishing boat towed into harbor.

“It is our duty to provide help to our fellow mariners whenever and wherever they need it, and Inouye’s crew responded admirably and professionally to make sure we could return the Sea Diamond and her crew to safe harbor,” said US Navy Cmdr. Dave Haile, the commanding officer of the destroyer turned rescue vessel, in a released statement. We all know fishermen are known for their tall tales, but this true story might top them all for the Sea Diamond crew!

Learn more at coffeeordie.com

 Speaking of Coffee, Starbucks Brews Up Some Appreciation for US Veterans 

Current and former military service men and women will have the opportunity to start their Veterans Day celebrations strong with a free coffee from Starbucks! Veterans can receive one tall hot coffee on November 11th. This free coffee is also being offered to all dependents with a valid military ID. 

Splurging on a macchiato instead? Fortunately, That’s not the only love Starbucks is showing to military members this Veterans Day.  25 cents of every coffee served on the 11th will be donated evenly between two military charities. These organizations are Headstrong and Team Red White and Blue. 

Headstrong provides no-cost counseling to veterans and their families. They are paired with counselors trained in PTSD and other combat-related mental health issues. Their services are provided in person in 12 different states or through telehealth. Team Red White And Blue, or RWB for short, offers events, workouts and running groups for military members, veterans, and their families.

In your milspouse journey have you experienced isolation (especially in a season of transition or PCS)? Toady on Army Wife Talk Radio, Deputy Director of Empowerment, Amie offers some solidarity and advice for spouses who find themselves without community in a new place. Her tried and true advice is to “Give yourselves a three month window” to start building community, but if you find yourself still struggling at around five months in a new place she has three points to consider.

First, reflect on the ways you may be creating the problem for yourself (could you use a refresher?). Second, you should find ways to be proactive. She offers some practical tips to do this. Third, if you are established, find ways to be there for others who are struggling.

Check out AWN resources for support – especially our “Post with the Most” series for information about bases and posts. Or reach out to Amie through email at [email protected] or on Instagram, if you need help finding someone in your area.

Dispatches from the Cowgirl and First Command, it’s Double Feature Day at Army Wife Talk Radio.

First up, Dispatches from the Cowgirl with Julie Tully.

After leaving her career and everything she knew behind to follow her military husband across the globe, Julie Tully was rapidly approaching forty and wondering “What is my place in the world?” Enter Africa, the continent she had dreamed of since childhood, a chance to reinvigorate her life. In a world where diplomacy is key, Julie became the person she was meant to be.

In her new memoir, “Dispatches from the Cowgirl: Through the Looking Glass with a Navy Diplomat’s Wife,” Julie writes about the eight years she spent living in Africa as the trailing spouse of a Navy Foreign Area Officer and how that leap of faith changed her life forever.

In AWTR episode #937, Julie shares some highlights from her twenty-plus years as a nomadic navy spouse with Kathleen. Her life reads like a novel—from her roots as part of the fifth generation of a cattle ranching family in Northern California to the expat life she led for almost two decades. She is equally at home on the back of a horse rounding up cattle as she is at a formal diplomatic dinner.

During her time overseas, Julie became a diplomat by default, utilizing not only her public relations skills but also lessons learned on the ranch to navigate and successfully work within that world. Beyond the social aspects of her diplomatic life, she has trained U.S. embassy personnel in public relations and crisis management, worked alongside both our own military and international militaries, and serves as a mentor for incoming spouses in the foreign area officer community.

Learn more about Julie via Facebook, Instagram, or her website. And you can find Dispatches from the Cowgirl here or anywhere that sells books online.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda

Today we are showcasing one of our volunteers who is an MRE winner, which by the way, that stands for Motivated and Ready to Empower. A huge congratulations to Army Wife Network Command Team Member, our Deputy Director of Empowerment, Amie Fisher.

Full-time Army Wife and mother of three, Amie Fisher is a certified Life Coach and Retreat Speaker. Amie has led SFRGs, served on various leadership teams, spoken at Army Strong Bond Retreats, and mentored other military wives through 23 months of combat deployments. She led her family through 12 PCS moves in 16 years of active duty service. She is also a proud Military “Coastie” Mom.

Amie has served alongside her husband of 25 years, Ron, in premier Army organizations like the 10th Mountain Division, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), and the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne). Recognized by the National Infantry Museum and the Fort Benning Infantry Community, Amie is a recipient of the Shield of Sparta. She is also a contributor to the book From Reveille to Retreat, a handbook for the Army Chaplain’s spouse. Amie consistently seeks opportunities to encourage other military families challenging them to make the most of the shared military adventure. 

When Amie is not homeschooling, coaching clients, or speaking, she enjoys spending time with her family at the beach, crafting, reading, traveling, and cooking. She loves making new and enduring friendships around the world and helping these friends connect with one another for the betterment of the home mission.

So much thanks goes out to Amie for doing your part to empower military families all across the globe.

News 6 with Emma

Have you ever found yourself comparing your life to others? Well, in this week’s Milspouse Empowerment Moment, Annie talks about how we tend to compare ourselves to others and the negative effects it can have on our mental health. She also gives us tips on how to stop or at least limit how much we compare ourselves. Just know that you are not alone, don’t compare yourself to others, and that despite what you may think you are doing great!

Thank you to today’s sponsor, First Command Financial Services. With four out of five financial coaches coming from the ranks of military spouses or veterans, they’re uniquely qualified to help you pursue financial security. Visit www.firstcommand.com to learn more and find a financial coach near you.

To hear Annie’s tips on how not to compare yourself, listen below.