Recent Articles
Military Life
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 16th, 2012
From education and employment to program cuts and reductions, President Barack Obama's fiscal 2013 budget proposal has been dominating the headlines.
With so much information to process, I figured I'd share the provisions that directly affect troops and their families.
According to an Office of Management and Budget fact sheet, the budget request includes:
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Resources
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 7th, 2012
Navy veteran Hector Hernandez leans down to hug his dog as she pants noisily from her most recent dash around the living room. She nuzzles into his hand -- a momentary calm in the storm of activity that's Bella.
"She's a good girl," Hernandez said affectionately as he throws
Education
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 4th, 2012
The deadline is swiftly approaching for the Fisher House Foundation's 2012 Scholarships for Military Children Program, conducted at military commissaries worldwide.
Applications must be completed and delivered - not postmarked, but delivered - to a commissary by close of business Feb. 24, according to an agency release. People
Military Resources
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 1st, 2012
Caregivers of wounded warriors often make great sacrifices to be at their loved one's side. They quit their jobs, sell their homes and leave family members and friends behind, often for years at a time.
Yesterday, First Lady Michelle Obama and other senior leaders gathered to honor the
Resources
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on January 28th, 2012
Although the wars are drawing down, the deployment schedules for our men and women in uniform aren't easing up. Troops continue to meet multiple operational needs, such as theater security exercises with partner nations, Navy ship cruises and other training requirements.
Many military pet parents struggle with what
Children
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on January 27th, 2012
The Defense Department has launched a new website intended to bolster military children as they deal with deployments and the other stressors of military life.
Military Kids Connect offers military kids - from children to tweens and teens - an online community where they can learn about deployments,
Military Life
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on January 7th, 2012
Senior leaders yesterday underscored their commitment to caring for troops, veterans and their families, and the programs that support them, in a briefing that laid the groundwork for future defense spending.
President Barack Obama joined Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of
Military Life
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on December 29th, 2011
It's that time of year when top 10 lists seem to proliferate across nearly every web and news page in the nation, proclaiming everything from the best movies and TV shows to the most memorable photos and celebrities of the year.
Since I find it tough to encapsulate
Spouses
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on December 24th, 2011
Molly Blake will unveil a special guest on Christmas, someone who is an even bigger hero to her daughters than Santa Claus: their dad.
She'll use technology to enable her deployed husband, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Peter Blake, to participate in the morning festivities.
"We'll prop him up on the
Military Life
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on December 22nd, 2011
Last week, President Barack Obama and other senior officials welcomed the final group of U.S. troops home from Iraq - just in time for the holidays.
But thousands of other service members - deployed in Afghanistan or other locations around the world - won't be so fortunate. They'll be
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Recent Blog Posts
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 16th, 2012
Alongside the nation's top defense officials, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, unveiled a new report yesterday that spotlights military spouses' employment challenges and aims to remove barriers for the thousands of spouses with occupational licenses. Speaking
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on February 14th, 2012
Over the past year, veterans and military spouses have been invited to a host of career fairs across the nation that connect dozens of employers seeking to support the military community with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of job-seeking troops and spouses.
While face-to-face exposure is an
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on January 19th, 2012
Last week, I joined more than 1,000 career-seeking military spouses at the Hiring Our Heroes Military Spouse Career Forum in downtown Washington, D.C.
With more than 100 military-friendly employers on hand, the fair, hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes program, offered D.C.-area spouses a wealth
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on December 17th, 2011
I attended a financial fitness forum yesterday that brought together representatives from the military and financial institutions to discuss how they can better financially empower and educate troops and their families.
Senior enlisted leaders from each service were invited to join a panel to speak about what they
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on December 13th, 2011
Army Sgt. 1st Class Lizandro Mateo-Ortiz suffered serious injuries when he was run over while serving in Iraq in 2007. At the time, he was the family's sole breadwinner, supporting his wife and two teenage daughters.
Suddenly, Milena Mateo-Ortiz found her life changed. She now had to
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on November 29th, 2011
The cast of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" would like to brighten the holidays for a deserving military family this year.
The reality show is seeking nominations for military families in desperate need of a home makeover. The selected family will be featured in an upcoming holiday episode.
"We
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on November 17th, 2011
Service members who spend more time at home between deployments may have a greater chance of being diagnosed with a mental health disorder than those with briefer dwell times, a Defense Department analysis has revealed, but officials urge further research. The study, conducted by the
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on November 6th, 2011
A Veterans Day TV special will celebrate service members and veterans and spotlight the issues they face as they leave the military and re-enter their communities and the workforce.
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 'Rise and Honor' A Veterans Day Special" will air Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. EST
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on October 12th, 2011
The Military Spouse Employment Partnership is successfully connecting highly qualified, job-seeking military spouses with employers who are ready and eager to hire them, the official who oversees the program said today.
The Defense Department launched the program in June with about 60 employers on board, and it
Fort Lewis Blog
Elaine Sanchez/AFPS on September 25th, 2011
Gold Star mothers and families exemplify the selflessness and patriotism that's inherent in our nation's military, President Barack Obama said.
The president proclaimed today Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day in honor of those who have lost a son or daughter while serving in the military. This
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