February 2013 - Spouse Buzz - The Network of Care

Are You a Macho Spouse?

Isn’t it time there was a male-specific resource dedicated to providing support and information to male military spouses and their families? Absolutely. And that’s why I started Macho Spouse, an online interactive resource for us male military...

Published Thu, Feb 28 2013 11:56 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: FRG/Spouse Support

3 Ways to Practice Financial Fitness

Save money. Get out of debt. Teach our kids how to make sound financial choices. Those are just a few of the things the Department of Defense wants servicemembers and their families to think about right now during “Military Saves Week 2013.” As part of...

Published Thu, Feb 28 2013 3:25 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Legal & Financial

YDU: Constant Readiness Is the Missing Factor in PTSD

Why Didn’t You Tell Me that constant readiness is the missing factor in PTSD? As a Green Beret with experience in Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa, I sometimes returned in a state that my wife Cindy called “rough shape.” So I know there is a need for a long...

Published Wed, Feb 27 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Reintegration

Yahoo!’s Telecommuting Fail and MilSpouses

There’s no doubt that the growing acceptance of telecommuting is the military spouse’s best friend. But what if that trend is about to turn around? What hope is there then for the career minded among us? Yahoo! last week announced that they will be eliminating...

Published Wed, Feb 27 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Career & Education, Spouse & Family News

Would You Send Your MilKid to Survivalist Camp?

There are guns in my house. More are locked away in a huge safe in our garage. I know how to handle guns. My son knows how to handle guns. When my daughter gets a little older, she will learn how to handle guns. Gun safety and education are common topics...

Published Tue, Feb 26 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: kids, Spouse & Family News

3 Great Questions for a Better Relationship

I’m a closet romantic. Took me 8 months to get a date with the woman who is now my wife and after almost 20 years together, I still love her…and more importantly, she still loves me – which she would tell you hasn’t always been easy. But let’s be honest...

Published Tue, Feb 26 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Marriage & Family

Poll: Should She Tell if Spouse is Cheating?

Military.com’s advice columnist Ms. Vicki recently got a letter from a college student who caught her mom in the arms of another servicemember. The young woman’s father is currently deployed downrange. “Every time I talk to my dad, I feel like I...

Published Mon, Feb 25 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Marriage & Family, Poll

5 Tips for Working From Home

There I was, standing at the bus stop at 3:00 in the afternoon, waving to the bus driver and smiling at my son as he crossed the street. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except I was wearing pajama bottoms. And my hair was tucked under a hat because I had...

Published Mon, Feb 25 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Career & Education

Military Wife Quote: The Greater Part of our Happiness

I’d love to call myself an Optimist. I’d love to wear rose-colored glasses and have five pairs as backups. I’d love to claim that a positive always exists to counterbalance every negative. I’d love to “expect the best possible outcome or dwell on the...

Published Sun, Feb 24 2013 9:12 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Quotes

Should She Bring The Baby For His 4-Day Pass?

Here is the question, Guys: If you only have a four day pass before you deploy downrange, should your wife visit with the baby or without the baby? Paige wrote this week hoping that our experienced SpouseBuzz readers would give her a little advice: Should...

Published Sat, Feb 23 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Military Life, kids

Poll: Commissaries Could Close Wednesdays

All stateside commissaries and most located OCONUS will be closed on Wednesdays starting in April if Congress does not find a way to avoid sequestration, the massive across the board budget cuts, according to a memo from the Defense Commissary Agency’s...

Published Fri, Feb 22 2013 2:04 PM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Spouse & Family News, Poll

My View From the First Lady’s Box at the State of the Union

For nearly three decades, extraordinary Americans who exemplify the themes and ideals laid out in the State of the Union address have been invited to join the First Lady in her viewing box. Feb. 12 I received the honor of representing military families...

Published Fri, Feb 22 2013 10:07 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Spouse & Family News

How to Make Civilians Understand Us

They say “Thank you for your service.” They say “Thank you for your sacrifices.” They say “I could never do what you are doing.” Civilians are all too eager to express their gratitude and appreciation, but no one is willing to dig deeper and to learn...

Published Fri, Feb 22 2013 5:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Civilians

Price Experiment: Commissary vs. WalMart

One of the debates I often see in the comment section here at SpouseBuzz is over whether or not the commissary actually saves a person money. Not long ago we talked the impact the five percent surcharge has on your savings. But I wanted to go one step...

Published Thu, Feb 21 2013 10:00 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com

Filed under: Military Lifestyle

Would You Let Kids Watch Combat Videos?

Confession: I let my 11-year-old play M-rated Call of Duty. When his 19-year old brother is around, the boys play Call of Duty together. I know, I know, I know. I am a horrific mother. That is already a given. I tell myself that it is only a video game...

Published Thu, Feb 21 2013 5:11 AM by SpouseBUZZ.com