A PCS can take its toll on the whole family, but you’re resilient: you can make it happen. Here are a few key things to remember when it comes to pets and PCSs.

Start Early

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You’ll need to have your pets prepared for a PCS at any given moment. This means their vaccinations will need to be up to date and accurate records maintained. If you’re unable to provide documentation of shots and healthcare, your pet may be quarantined for up to three months at a cost of about $17 a day.

Know the Rules

If you’re married, your whole family will go to your new station and pets are part of the family. However, most base housing won’t allow more than two pets and some breeds of dogs aren’t welcome. If you’re single, different rules apply: many service personnel will be assigned to the barracks where pets aren’t allowed. In this case, you may benefit from having friends, family, or an organization foster your pet until you return.

Have a Plan

You’ll be responsible for the cost of getting your pet to your new home and if it’s not within driving distance, that could mean spending a pretty penny on a pet airline ticket. Military lending establishments may be able to help finance a move for your pet, but it’s also a good idea to have the savings in place. Make the trip as easy as possible on your furry friend, and make sure they have plenty of food and water in their airline-approved containers. Also, try not to fly when it’s very hot or very cold.

Worst Case Scenario

Sometimes, military families must give up a beloved pet when they receive orders to move along. If circumstances dictate you must find a home for your pet, take the time to find the best home possible. Fully inspect the potential new family and make sure it’s a good fit. A shelter should be your absolute last choice. If you must surrender a pet, be sure they go to a no-kill establishment. Finding a new home for a pet due to a PCS is difficult, but making sure they are taken care of should be a priority.

A PCS is hard for pets and personnel alike, but advance planning and research will make it easier on everyone in the long run.

How did you and your family, including your pets, navigate a PCS? What did you do to prepare your pet? Please share your tips and experiences with us!

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Energy drinks have become the top-selling cold beverages on Army and Air Force bases across the world. Now two doctors, concerned about the deaths of more than a dozen people who have consumed the drinks, have suggested that the beverages be banned  from the military completely.

Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard, and Col. Erin Edgar, command surgeon for U.S. Central Command, suggested banning the drinks in a March 2013 article in Stars and Stripes.

The doctors point out that moderate doses of caffeine are safe and effective, and can help troops run longer and improve reaction times. The Army even provides “carefully dosed” caffeinated gum to soldiers in combat.

But unlike other companies and manufacturers who provide services and products to the military, such as military lenders, the manufacturers of energy drinks are subject to few regulations. Because they are not restricted on the amount of caffeine they can include, consuming too many of the drinks can wreak havoc on the user’s nervous system, causing tremors, racing hearts, and deteriorating cognitive performance.

In 2011, 20,783 civilian men, women, and children ended up in emergency rooms after consuming energy drinks. “Civilians may only require rest and intravenous fluids to recover from caffeine overdoses,” Cohen and Edgar write. “But the consequences for our troops in combat, 45% of whom use energy drinks daily… may be far more serious.”

The drinks are often consumed with other performance enhancers, including caffeinated sports supplements and prescription stimulants. “In combat, these cocktails of energy drinks, workout supplements, and prescription drugs can tip a troop over from just feeling on edge to having a full-fledged panic attack,” the doctors write.

Earlier this year, the makers of some energy drinks said they planned to rebrand the products as beverages rather than dietary supplements. That change would mean that the manufacturers would still have to list ingredients on cans, but would not have to report deaths and injuries resulting from drinking the beverages to the FDA.

The doctors say the ideal solution is to limit the amount of caffeine that can be added to any food or supplement, and to ensure that the amount of caffeine is clearly listed on a product’s label. But in the meantime, the doctors believe, stores on military bases should sell only performance-enhancing products that the Department of Defense considers safe and effective.

Do you consume energy drinks? What other methods do you have for staying awake and alert? Please share your thoughts and stories.

The post Should Energy Drinks Be Banished from Bases? appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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The organization provides emergency financial help to wounded warriors and military families. Their concentrated efforts help free up other organizations to focus on civilians affected by the storms. Operation Homefront personnel are currently on-site in Oklahoma and ready to offer any assistance they can. Military families are urged to call 580-580-0772 or request more information here.

Created in 2002, Operation Homefront has helped nearly a quarter of a million active duty and returning service personnel. Headquartered in San Antonio, they provide financial and emotional assistance to those who serve our country and maintain field offices all over the U.S. In times of tragedy, members from Operation Homefront have all hands on deck.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to remain unaffected by the tornadoes can help the organization help others. Operation Homefront is asking for donations of gift cards, diapers, formula, water, and clothing. Online monetary donations can be made here. An Amazon.com wish list has also been created for those who wish to purchase necessary items and have them shipped directly to the victims in Oklahoma.

The sheer resilience of military personnel and their families helps to ensure their survival. Homes can be rebuilt and possessions can be replaced. Armed forces loans, disaster grants, and assistance from organizations, like Operation Homefront, can help those impacted by a tragedy or disaster pick up the pieces.

The tornadoes may have torn up towns, but they can never tear down the fighting spirit of our military personnel. We salute Operation Homefront for their dedication and assistance throughout this crisis and urge our affected military personnel in the area to contact them immediately. If you are in a position to help Oklahoma, please do so. Together, we can make life better for those who have lost so much.

Are you a military member who’s been impacted by the tornadoes in Oklahoma? Have you worked with Operation Homefront? We’d love to hear your stories and feedback.

The post Operation Homefront: Providing Assistance to Military Families Affected by the Oklahoma Tornadoes appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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Almost one out of every four military spouses who would like to work is out of a job, according to Department of Defense (DoD) statistics.

The reasons are quite familiar to military families. Service members are deployed to combat zones, hardship-duty stations or unaccompanied tours, or they leave for training exercises, often for weeks or months at a time. That leaves the remaining spouse to run the household.

Taking care of the family and holding down a job can be difficult under the best of circumstances, but military families also have the added obstacle of relocating every three years. Not only does this make it hard to hold down a job, but some employers don’t want to risk hiring someone that may end up moving away. Some military spouses are able to work from home or find  jobs that fit with their lifestyles, but now a new program is aiming to make things a little easier for them to land a stable job.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the DoD have teamed up to help military spouses find jobs through the Military Spouse Employment Partnership Program (MSEP).  The DoD contacted hundreds of companies, both nationally and globally, that can benefit by tapping the large, underutilized pool of talent who are married to active-duty members of the armed forces.

Each of the hundreds of companies participating in the program has agreed to these stipulations:

• Employers will co-sign statements of support with the armed forces.

• Employers will identify and promote career employment opportunities for military spouses.

• Employers will post job openings and a corporate employment page on the partnership’s website.

• Employers will offer transferable, portable career opportunities to relocating military spouse employees.

• Employers will mentor new partnership corporate partners.

• Employers will document and provide employment data on military spouses who are hired.

Among the participating employers: Sears, Verizon, Lockheed, Home Depot, Starbucks, Dell, Hyatt Hotels, Toys R Us, AT&T, Walmart, Bank of America and H&R Block. A full list of employers is available here.

The first thing you’ll need to do to participate in the MSEP is fill out an online profile. The site also offers assistance in job-hunting techniques, including creating a resume, cover-letter templates and basic networking advice.

Life in the military is, by its very definition, an uncertain one. For short-term financial assistance, service members can find help through such avenues as short-term military loans; however, spouses who want to add a steady paycheck to the family coffers now have another tool.

Are you a part of the MSEP? How has it helped you or your spouse? We’d love to hear about your experiences.

The post Portable Careers: Helping Military Spouses Land a Good Job appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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The main goal of an FRG is empowerment, not only for soldiers but for their families and extended families. The groups work to help families become more knowledgeable and self-reliant during long and frequent deployments, and to help military units foster a sense of esprit de corps.

FRGs are customarily made up of family members, volunteers, soldiers, and civilian employees associated with a specific unit. They organize activities and offer support to everyone involved and have been organized within the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Reserve, the U.S. Army National Guard, and the U.S. Navy. The groups are usually organized at company and battalion levels, and fall under the responsibility of the unit’s commanding officer.

Activities sponsored by the groups vary depending on whether the associated unit is in pre-deployment, post-deployment, active deployment or in training at a home station.

One of the goals of an FRG is to support the military mission through support, outreach, and information for family members; to that end, some FRG activities are common among all groups, including member meetings, staff and committee meetings, the publication and distribution of newsletters, maintenance of FRG websites, updated rosters, and readiness plans, and member telephone trees and e-mail distribution lists.

An FRG’s mission is to:

• Foster competent, knowledgeable, and resilient families.

• Act as an extension of the unit in providing official, accurate command information.

• Provide mutual support.

• Build soldier and family cohesion and foster a positive outlook.

• Advocate more efficient use of community resources.

• Help families solve problems at the lowest level. (This could encompass everything from helping with babysitting to advice on how to obtain a short-term military loan.)

• Reduce stress and promote soldier and family readiness.

• Contribute to the well-being and high morale of the unit.

An FRG’s activities can run the gamut from classes and workshops to unit sendoff and welcome-home events to orientation and sponsorship for military newcomers.

These organizations provide valuable and much-needed services and support to their affiliated units, and help those serving our country do their jobs successfully.

For more information on FRGs, check out the Army FRG home page or NavyForMoms.com.

Are you involved in an FRG? How has an FRG helped you or your family? We’d love to hear about your experiences.

The post Family Readiness Groups: They’ve Got Your Back appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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There are pros and cons to both options. But there are some things to consider before you choose exactly what to do with the extra cash, including:

• Do you already have an emergency savings account? Everyone needs one, because an emergency could happen at any time. You may need dental work, a plane ticket, or repairs to the refrigerator.

• How much is your debt costing you? To do the math, make a list of all your obligations, including auto loans, mortgage, and credit-card debt. Then write down the interest rate on each debt. Multiply the two numbers to find out how much each loan is costing you each year.

• What are your financial goals? If you’re thinking of buying a vehicle, sending the kids to college, or maybe even doing some traveling, you might want to consider stashing away the extra money in a savings account.

• How much could your savings earn? If you do save the cash, would you put it in a bank account, or possibly a money-market fund? Which pays more? Check the numbers on how much your debt is costing you. If paying off a chunk of that debt would save you more money than putting the cash in a savings account, you’re probably better off getting rid of the debt.

• What are your expected earnings in the near future? If you expect another windfall or extra cash, anytime soon, you’ll have a little more flexibility. You might be able to pay off your debt and stash away some cash for the future.

If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you should carefully consider all the options before you decide what to do with the extra cash. Whether you pay down debt or save the money, remember that if you find yourself in a temporary cash crunch, a military loan can help to get you through without feeling squeezed.

If you still can’t decide between saving or paying off your debts, do a little bit of both. It might take longer to pay off your credit-card balances, and your savings will grow more slowly, but you’ll eventually be able to achieve both financial goals.

How do you decide what to do with extra cash? What are your thoughts on saving versus paying off debts? Please share your thoughts and insights with us!

The post Saving Versus Debt: The Battle of What to Do with Extra Cash appeared first on Just Military Loans.

The app, which uses only an iPad and a heart-rate monitor clipped to the user’s earlobe, is made up of four sections:

• Know How: Provides users with information about stress and resilience and how to apply that knowledge to their missions.

• Techniques: Explains how users can bring themselves into the best mental and physiological state possible to build resilience and achieve peak performance.

• Games: Allow sailors and Marines to practice applying those resilience skills.

• Review: Helps track a user’s training progress.

The game-based app allows a user to choose from several increasingly challenging training scenarios while the monitor records when his or her heart-rate rhythm becomes incoherent – a sign of stress. By playing the game, sailors and Marines can learn which techniques, such as deep breathing or muscle relaxation, help them maintain or regain coherence and manage their unique stress responses.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Developers of the app hope that once those techniques are learned, users can apply them to real-life situations.

The new app underwent field-testing in April 2013 at the Naval Center for Combat and Operational Stress Control in San Diego.

Analysts say lessening the impact of PTSD is crucial not only to sufferers, but to the military and the nation. According to a 2012 report by the Congressional Budget Office, 21% of military personnel returning from overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan and Iraq suffer from PTSD. The cost to treat those victims is almost 3.5 times higher than treating someone without PTSD or traumatic brain injury.

Those numbers work out to almost $1 billion in costs when multiplied by the total number of overseas contingency operations patients, according to statistics.

Stress can come from a variety of situations, and some are easier to work through than others. Financial stress can be eased with the help of a military loan; marital stress can often be resolved with counseling. But some stress associated with being a Mariner or sailor is harder to deal with. Officials believe that working to prevent PTSD will go a long way toward helping members of the military make an easier transition from active duty back into civilian life.

Are you an active duty military member? How do you cope with your stress? We’d love to hear your input.

The post Managing Post-Traumatic Stress: There’s an App for That appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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No one is better at the art of getting by than military families. You’ve become a pro at juggling household bills, managing your military loans and savings, and you’ve even managed to set up an emergency fund for life’s little surprises. You make difficult decisions everyday regarding your finances and you realize that every corner you cut puts more money in your pocket. Unfortunately, all deals are not created equal. To really save money, you’ll need to look at cost versus benefit. Here are some things to remember when evaluating that “too good to be true” score.

Time Is Money

Think of yourself as your own employee. What is your time worth? Sure, refinishing the deck in true DIY fashion seems like a good way to save money. However, before you dive into any project, you should factor in the cost of raw materials, your own labor, and your personal skill set. Sometimes it really is cheaper in the long run to hire an expert and leave the work to them.

Buyer Beware

Many military families look for pre-owned or refurbished items to save cash. People often sell pricey merchandise second-hand for a fraction of the cost, and most of the time everyone is satisfied. Whenever you buy something used, however, you run the risk of winding up with a very expensive paperweight. Even if your item is functional when it arrives, it’s important to remember that wear and tear has already taken its toll. Saving $100 on a new flat screen isn’t the best deal if you’ll need to replace it in a year or so.

Whenever possible, be sure to fully investigate the item before purchasing. It’s helpful to keep in mind that the more “high-tech” a specific product or device may be, the higher the chance that something could go wrong. Buying a second-hand blender might not be such a bad investment, but buying a pre-owned computer, TV, or smartphone might be a little bit more risky.

Remembering Rebates

On the surface, a rebate is a great deal. Pay the entire cost now and the company will send part of the money back later. If you’re on top of things, go for it. However, the company is banking on you forgetting to mail in the rebate slip, failing comply with their terms and conditions, or giving up in the face of complicated redemption processes. Rebates aren’t always bad, but you may end up paying more than you otherwise would have by counting on the rebate to make up the difference.

Waste Not, Want Not

Buying in bulk can save you buckets of money, but it’s important to be honest with yourself about how you’ll use the product. Twenty pounds of pancake mix at a bargain price will only save you money if you use it. Never buy anything simply because it’s a good deal. You’re not saving money by purchasing something you wouldn’t have bought if it weren’t on sale.

We all want to save money, but always be aware of the hidden costs when you find that great bargain. There is a big difference between cheap and inexpensive. Knowing how to tell which is which will make spotting a good deal easy.

What corners are worth cutting to save money? Which ones do you avoid cutting? Share your thoughts with us!

The post When Cutting Corners Can Cost You appeared first on Just Military Loans.

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The question, “Will you marry me?” is sometimes a hard one to ask, and a hard one to answer. But once you’ve answered it – or gotten an affirmative answer – there’s a whole a wealth of new questions to address, and not all of them pertain to cake flavors, centerpieces, and honeymoon locations.

Money is now, and has almost always been, the No. 1 reason why married couples argue – and often why they split up. It’s often even more contentious for military couples who have to manage a tight budget. So it’s prudent to have the money talk before the wedding ceremony. In fact, the earlier you have “the talk” the better. Here are some financial subjects you and your fiancé should tackle before the “I dos.”

• Debt - You both need to be up front about the amount of debt you’ll be bringing into the marriage. If your partner’s debt load seems high, find out why. Are student loans still being paid off? Do one or both of you have a tendency to rack up credit-card charges? Discuss who will be responsible for paying off debts incurred before you get married, and find out one another’s credit scores.

• Attitude toward money - Your saving and spending habits as an adult are greatly influenced by the way you were raised. If one of you is thrifty and the other lives to shop, now is the time to sort out how you will handle those differences. You might consider opening a joint bank account to pay shared expenses – like rent/mortgage, groceries, and utilities – and keep separate accounts for personal use.

• Financial problems - Almost 80% of people admit lying to their spouses about how they spend money, and lies are unhealthy in any marriage. Before you walk down the aisle, set some ground rules that will make talking about money easy for both of you. And decide now which one of you will be responsible for paying the monthly bills, and when necessary, what you’ll do in emergency financial situations, such as applying for a short-term military loan.

• Future financial plans - Discuss what kind of home you want to own, how often you want to take vacations, how many children you’ll have, and whether one of you will stay home with them. Set your goals now then build your budget around them.

Debt doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker. But understanding and agreeing on finances before marriage can help forge a successful, long-term union that’s free from money squabbles.

How do you and your spouse handle financial sticky spots? Do you have any advice for soon-to-be military brides and grooms? Please share your thoughts!

The post Till Debt Do Us Part: Having the ‘Money Talk’ Before Marriage appeared first on Just Military Loans.

Since its inception, the group has responded to disasters in Chile, Burma, Pakistan, Sudan, and at home – in Vermont, Maryland, Missouri, Alabama, and the East Coast, after Hurricane Sandy devastated thousands in 2012. More than 1,000 Team Rubicon members participated in “Operation: Greased Lightning,” responding to the area affected by Hurricane Sandy even before the storm hit, and performed search-and-rescue operations, shelter management, and debris clearing in the aftermath.

Jake Wood, a Team Rubicon co-founder and veteran, spoke in 2011 about the organization’s mission and work.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Veterans lose three things when they get out of the military: mission, community, and a sense of self,” Wood said. “Team Rubicon is able to provide these things to veterans in spades.

“We have a clearly defined mission that veterans buy into: They once again find themselves on the front lines, only this time in their communities after disasters rather than in the Middle East.”

Experienced military veterans possess disaster-relief skills that many other Americans lack. Working with Team Rubicon can give returning service members a sense of purpose and help them make the transition back to civilian life.

“Team Rubicon pioneered a new paradigm in disaster response while redefining the meaning of veteran reintegration into society,” the group’s website explains.

Team Rubicon’s most recent mission was in April 2013, when members were deployed to Monroe County, Tenn. to provide home repair and debris cleanup in areas damaged by severe storms.

Team Rubicon’s slogan, “Bridge the Gap,” refers to its mission to provide disaster relief between the moment a disaster occurs and the point at which more conventional aid organizations respond. When that gap closes, and conventional aid organizations arrive, Team Rubicon moves on.

Most Team Rubicon members are volunteers, so those applying may need some help bridging their own financial gap. If this is the case, a military loan from Just Military Loans can help you maintain your financial security so you can help others in need.

For more information about Team Rubicon or to apply for a position, visit the group’s website.

Are you a member of Team Rubicon or veteran volunteering with similar organization? How are you using your military skills in civilian life? Please share your thoughts and experiences with us!

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