Back to school shopping shouldn’t break your bank!

Be sure to check sales flyers to compare prices. Review newspaper advertisements and catalogs to stay informed about varying prices at different stores.

Take advantage of the benefits of shopping at your local post or base exchange.

 The exchange stores offer a price matching program, which includes “warehouse club” prices. On average, an exchange customer saves 17 to 20 percent more on purhases over civilian retailers. That savings does not factor in the exclusion of sales tax!  Also, unlike the commissary, there is no surcharge on exchange purchases.

However, if you don’t have access to an exchange or prefer to shop off post/base, remember that your military ID can save you a lot of money. There are many and varied  discounts  available to military personnel and their families.

Always call your local vendors to be sure they participate in the program. Also, never be afraid to ask a store if they offer a military discount, even if one is not advertised. You may be pleasantly surprised. I’ve found that a lot of “mom and pop” type businesses in our local community are very patriotic and happily offer at least a 10% discount.

I’ve started compiling a list of national companies that offer military discounts here. If you’re aware of any other businesses that are not included, please e-mail me and let me know. I hope we can keep the list growing!

Student On-line Achievement Resources (SOAR) in an  innovative program that makes it easy for parents to play an active role in their children’s education. SOAR is designed for military families, and is easily accessible worldwide.

Parents can register their children through SOARS and are provided with educational resources, access to their children’s student account and program tutorials. Students take an assessment aligned to state standards, and SOAR directs them to individualized tutorials to improve skills where needed. Parents can monitor their children’s progress from anywhere, and are provided with resource materials.

Learn more here.

Military children can strap on their American pride and head back to school in style.

Accessories, Apparel, Shoes,& Sporting Goods

• Academy Sports
• Aeropostale
• The Buckle
• Bass Pro Shop
• Dick’s Sporting Goods
• Dress Barn
• The Finish Line
• Foot Action
• Foot Locker
• Gadzooks
• Goody’s
• Hot Topic
• Jockey
• Jos. A. Bank
• Jockey
• K-Mart
• Kohl’s
• New York & Company
• Nike
• Pac Sun
• Play it Again Sports
• Rack Room Shoes
• Sportsman’s Warehouse
• Suncoast
• Timberland Outlets
• Wilson’s Leather

Restaurants

• Arby’s
• Applebee’s
• A&W
• Back Yard Burgers
• Barnhill’s
• Burger King
• Captain D’s
• Carl’s Jr.
• CiCi’s Pizza (buffet and a drink for $5.50)
• Chick-Fil-A
• Cotton Patch
• Denny’s
• Dunkin’ Donuts
• Golden Corral
• IHOP (20 percent discount with military identification)
• Java Café
• Starbucks (active duty in uniform)
• KFC
• Long John Silver
• Maggie Moo’s
• McDonald’s
• Melting Pot
• Moe’s
• Pancho’s Mexican Buffet
• Panda Express
• Papa Murphy’s
• Pat & Oscar’s
• Pizza Hut
• Quizno’s
• Red Robin
• Shoney’s
• Sizzler
• Sonic
• Taco Bell
• Texas Roadhouse
• Wendy’s
• Whataburger

Other

• Amtrak
• Anheuser-Busch’s SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place Parks (single-day complimentary admission: http://www.herosalute.com/ for up to 4 family dependents)
• Apple Computers
• AT&T
• Auto Zone
• Beaches Family Resorts
• Bath and Body Works
• Blockbuster
• Big Ten Tires
• Budget truck rental (10-20%)
• California Cryobank
• Camp Jellystone
• Carnival Cruises
• Checker Auto Parts
• Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn and Suites, Quality Inn, Clarion Hotel, Sleep Inn, Rodeway, EconoLodge and MainStay Suite; also allow pets)
• Continental Airlines
• Dell
• DIRECTV ($5 off for 6 months)
• The Discovery Channel Store
• Geico
• GNC
• Greyhound
• Jiffy Lube
• Kragen Auto Parts
• Lowe’s
• Michael’s
• Meineke
• NAPA Auto Parts
• O’Reilly Auto Parts
• Payless Shoes
• Pure Beauty
• Sally’s Beauty Supplies
• Sandals Beach Resorts
• Sears Portrait Studio

Cell Phone Service Discount

Most federal employees qualify for a 15% discount on their personal cell phones by calling their carrier and mentioning the “Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 - Discount to Federal Employees Past and Present.”

• Cingular - 800-319-6393 (17% or 18% off bill and 25% off accessories)
• Sprint - 877-812-1223
• T-Mobile - 866-646-4688
• Nextel - 800-639-6111
• Verizon - 800-865-1825 (17%)

You will need to know the military member’s supervisor’s name, phone number, and full address, so that his/her military status can be verified.

Websites with lists of military discounts:

• http://www.4militaryfamilies.com/militarydiscounts.htm
• http://benefits.military.com/misc/DC/DealIndex.jsp
• http://www.baseops.net/marketplace/
• http://www.govarm.com

We Salute Our Military Olympians!

American servicemembers have been competing in the world Olympic games since they began in 1896. Over a dozen US  Military athletes will be in Beijing to compete.

At least 15 soldiers and airmen will find out this month how they fare against the rest of the world in track and field, Greco-Roman wrestling and marksmanship events.

The competitors and their events are:

– Army Staff Sgt. Dremiel Byers, Greco-Roman wrestling;
– Army Maj. Michael Anti, air rifle;
– Army Staff Sgt. Keith Sanderson, rapid-fire pistol;
– Army Pfc. Vincent Hancock, skeet;
– Army Sgt. 1st Class Jason Parker, air rifle;
– Army Staff Sgt. Daryl Szarenski, free pistol;
– Army Spc. Walton Glenn Eller III, double trap shooting;
– Army Spc. Jeffrey Holguin, double trap shooting;
– Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Bret E. Erickson, trap shooting;
– Army Staff Sgt. Libby Callahan, pistol shooting;
– U.S. Military Academy Cadet Stephen Scherer, air rifle;
– Air Force Capt. Eli Bremer, modern pentathlon;
– Air Force Capt. Seth Kelsey, epee fencing;
– Air Force Capt. Kevin Eastler, 20-kilometer race walk; and
– Air Force Lt. Col. Dominic Grazioli, trap shooting.

The Department of Defense has designated a place here to highlight the accomplishments of America’s military Olympians.

 These national heroes are already gold in our eyes!

Operation Homefront wants to lend a hand to military families and get their children ready to go back to school. Operation Homefront recognizes the sacrifices military families make and with the help of the community we hope to bring a moment of joy to our military families. They are currently  collecting new school supplies for children of all ages. Among the supplies needed are backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, markers, crayons, paper, rulers, colored pencils, calculators and erasers. Donations of money or volunteer time are also welcome and appreciated.

All items collected for back-to-school will be used to stuff backpacks that will be distributed to military school children who need a little help with their back-to-school needs. Operation Homefront chapters will distribute over 10,000 stuffed backpacks this school year.

 Military familes in need of backpacks with supplies must register with their local Operation Homefront chapter. A listing of chapters can be found here.

Donors and military familes who do not have a local Operation Homefront chapter may participate via Operation Homefront’s care package program.

MY HERO: Military Kids Write About Their Moms and Dads

Edited by Allen Appel and Mike Rothmiller

Working through the Armed Services YMCA, Alan Appel and Mike Rothmiller have collected more than 100 essays from children whose parents are serving or have served in the military. The children’s heartfelt, moving, sometimes funny, and completely honest observations about their moms and dads truly capture the emotional connection between parent and child.  It is a connection that cannot be severed even when a parent is thousands of miles away, gone for long stretches of time, and in danger.

Inspiring, heartbreaking, and genuine, this book provides a fascinating look inside the hearts and minds of kids who love and honor their moms and dads as heroes - at home or on the battlefield.

 

The Department of Defense has developed a comprehensive plan that provides military families with the tools and information needed to make informed choices regarding the appropriate educational setting for each child. Through the publications, resources and websites listed here, parents can access information necessary to compare options, make sound education decisions, and become involved and informed advocated of quality education.

What do you think?

I highly encourage you to let your elected representatives know how you feel about this here.  It only takes a few minutes send a letter off. Your voice matters, let it be heard!

A simple, well-fitted black dress should be a wardrobe staple in every military wife’s closet. It is probably the most versatile piece of clothing you’ll ever own. Dressing it up or down is easy when pairing with garments and adding accessories. Knee length, or just below, is ideal. The basic black dress is perfect for daytime events like change of command cereomonies, organizational luncheons, and afternoon teas to evening affairs like a dining outs, retirement dinners, and command receptions. From casual to formal, this simple garment will get you where you need to go in style. And remember, it’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

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