Don’t Forget Our Troops and Their Families!--An Essay by Meredith Leyva
With Operation Iraqi Freedom winding down, it’s easy to forget about our military troops and their families. Unfortunately, the peacekeeping effort is the most dangerous part of the battle, and even after the January elections in Iraq many service members have no idea when they will be sent home. Your support means so much to our troops and their families, and here are some things you can do to wave the flag: Nearly every neighborhood in America is home to a deployed service member who has left behind a spouse and kids. Help these families by offering to babysit the kids or mow the lawn. The spouse will be overjoyed, and the service member will be relieved to know that his or her community is taking care of his family while he is gone. If you don’t know any military families, donate to a charity like Operation Homefront that provides emergency services to these families. You’ll help offset the "Murphy’s Law" of the military, which is the minute a service member deploys away from his family the roof will leak, the car will break down and the plumbing will burst. Knowing their families are cared for, service members can then focus on the dangerous task at hand. Send a greeting to a service member through Operation Dear Abby (http://www.OperationDearAbby.net) or Defend America’s virtual thank you card (http://www.defendamerica.mil). You’d be surprised at how many service members in Iraq actually read your comments and find themselves inspired. Donate blood to the American Red Cross. Military hospitals are filled with wounded, and you never know what hero needs your blood to continue the fight. Most importantly, don’t forget to thank our troops and families in person. If you see a young mom with a military sticker on her car, take a moment to thank her for doing her part. Nothing brightens up the day of a struggling military wife like your heartfelt appreciation.


Book Description
The Unofficial Scoop on Military Life Whether you're dating, engaged, or married to an active military servicemember or reservist -- or you've just signed up yourself -- you may feel as if you've somehow married the United States military! While there are plenty of orientation books for him, there are almost no handy, user-friendly resources for you. Meredith Leyva, a military wife and founder of CinCHouse.com, the Internet's largest community for military wives, girlfriends, and women in uniform, details everything you need to know to manage day-to-day issues and get on with the adventure of military life. From relocation to deployment, protocol to finances, and career to kids, Leyva offers time-tested advice about: • Keeping your love life together during deployments • Relocating yourself and your family around the world • Maintaining your own career when you're expected to move every three years • Understanding what pay and benefits you're entitled to -- and how to maximize them • Translating those odd acronyms and jargon Written by a seasoned military wife, this smart and savvy guide will help you take control at every point of your servicemember's career -- from filing marriage papers as newlyweds to choosing prenatal and child care when you start a family to figuring out his pension when he's ready to retire.


About the Author
Meredith Leyva is the founder of CinCHouse.com. She has worked as a public relations consultant and lobbyist for Fortune 500 companies and was named Congressional Staffer of the Year by the Retired Enlisted Association for her work with the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. She lives in Panama City Beach, Florida, with her husband, a Navy diver and physician, and their son.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Whether you're dating, engaged, or married to an active military servicemember or reservist -- or you've just signed up yourself -- you may feel as if you've somehow married the United States military! While there are plenty of orientation books for him, there are almost no handy, user-friendly resources for you. Meredith Leyva, a military wife and founder of CinCHouse.com, the Internet's largest community for military wives, girlfriends, and women in uniform, details everything you need to know to manage day-to-day issues and get on with the adventure of military life. From relocation to deployment, protocol to finances, and career to kids, Leyva offers time-tested advice about:

• Keeping your love life together during deployments

• Relocating yourself and your family around the world

• Maintaining your own career when you're expected to move every three years

• Understanding what pay and benefits you're entitled to -- and how to maximize them

• Translating those odd acronyms and jargon