I checked the submission site out and you can submit a note with or without a picture. You have a week to get it to them! It’s easy and free! You can submit to have your message online or in print. I submitted one for my son this morning.

Stars and Stripes Holiday Messages are now open for submissions!

Visit the Stripes Holiday Messages website to submit a Holiday Message to a loved one.

Messages submitted before Nov 27th will appear in the newspaper according to their publishing schedule.

H/t Brat at Assoluta Tranquillita

There are many ways to help out during this time, and the need is great. Please see what you are able to do. This time of year is usually very focused on shopping and doing — maybe you can cut one thing out and give a donation to the Ft. Hood families this year. Do what your conscience directs you to do.

How You Can Help the Fort Hood Family

[11/9/2009]

Source: Army Well-Being and combined sources

The Central Texas community is rallying in support of those who died in the mass shooting at Fort Hood Thursday. Some events going on around town in memorial of the victims are:

• President Obama has ordered that all flags be flown at half-staff until Veteran’s Day in honor of the victims of the Fort Hood tragedy on November 5.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9

• A local grassroots organization is asking everyone to drive with their headlights on to honor those directly or indirectly affected.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10

• Fort Hood will host a memorial service for those lost on November 5. More details to follow.

FUNDRAISERS

• Barton Creek Square and Killeen Mall will support the recent tragedies at Fort Hood by hosting a fundraiser at Kay’s Hallmark. Both Hallmark locations will sell wooden roses for $1. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Families of the victims at Fort Hood.

DONATIONS ACCEPTED

If you would like to help by donating funds, consider these worthy organizations helping the Fort Hood Family:

AUSA The Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter of Association of the United States Army has set up a Community Response to 11/5 Fund for anyone wishing to make monetary donations to help support the Families of the victims involved in Thursday’s shooting at Fort Hood.Checks should be made payable to:The Central Texas-Fort Hood Chapter
Association of the US Army
ATTN: Community Response to 11/5
P.O. Box 10700
Killeen, Texas 76547

Donations are tax deductible. The tax identification number is 530193361.

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The Fisher House at Fort Hood In this time of national sorrow and grief, many Families may need the services of The Fisher House. Please make donations to:Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center
36000 Darnall Loop
Fort Hood TX 76544
254.286.7927

The Fisher House on Facebook

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Operation Homefront Operation Homefront has established an “Emergency Tragedy Fund” for the Families of the injured and deceased Soldiers at Fort Hood. We are saddened by this tragedy and will provide emergency financial assistance to the Families.If you are a Family directly affected, please contact Operation Homefront Texas at 1-800-779-5921.If you would like to donate to this Fund, please use the Donate Now feature. Be sure to indicate “FORT HOOD” on the donor form.

You can also send donations to:

Operation Homefront Texas
10157 IH 35 North, Suite A
San Antonio, Texas 78233.

100% of the funds collected will be designated for the Families at Fort Hood. Thank you for your generosity and support.

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Friends of TAPS, Fort Hood Friends of TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) provides immediate and long-term grief support for anyone who has lost a military loved one, regardless of the circumstance or location of the death. These Fort Hood Families will need a safe haven to process their grief and suffering for the weeks, months and years to come - and with your help we will be able to care for all of the Families affected by this terrible event.

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Soldiers’ Angels, Fort Hood Project Soldiers’ Angels is assessing the needs and is standing by to offer physical and emotional support to our heroes and their families at Fort Hood.RIGHT NOW: Collecting encouraging notes and NEW stuffed animals for the Families and children of the injured or killed. Please send cards/letters and stuffed animals (and anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child) to:Soldiers’ Angels
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218

Plans are still developing, but the goal is to give these Families and injured heroes something big to smile about when Christmas rolls around. It starts with the $2,000 gift certificate for Christmas for an experience on Christmas Day that will make them forget about it all for at least a little while. To contribute to the effort, click the donation button in the upper left and add type “For Fort Hood” in the comment box that pops up (donations marked this way will be used only for Fort Hood survivors).

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The American Legion Those touched by the Fort Hood event seeking assistance from The American Legion are invited to call 1-800-504-4098 or emailfamilysupport@legion.org.

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Chapel’s Tithes and Offerings Fund Checks can be mailed to:Chaplain’s Fund Office
Bldg. 44, 761st Tank Battalion Ave.
Fort Hood, TX 76544-5000

Checks should be made payable to “CTOF” (Chapel’s Tithes and Offerings Fund) with a note on the memo line stating “Nov. 5 Tragedy.”

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Killeen Red Cross Killeen Red Cross
208 W. Avenue A
Killeen, Texas 76541

You can contact the Killeen Red Cross by phone at 254-200-4400.

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USO Fort Hood USO Fort Hood
Building #1871, 50th St.
Fort Hood, Texas 76544

You can also contact the USO by phone at 254-768-2771.

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Combat Warrior Crisis Network The Combat Warrior Crisis Network is accepting donation to support the Families in the aftermath to help them pick up the pieces and help them move forward. When making a donation please annotate “FORT HOOD” on the donation.For PayPal or Credit Card please visit: Donate to The Combat Warrior Crisis NetworkChecks may be mailed to:

Combat Warrior Crisis Network
3450 FM 1829
Gatesville, TX 76528

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USA Cares

USA Cares has set up an Emergency Fund for the victims of the Fort Hood shootings. Call USA Cares at 800-773-0387 and ask for Frank or Forrest. Let them know that you are wanting to donate to Fort Hood. USA Cares exists to provide military Families with financial support and other critical resources in their time of need.

Click to view larger image

Military Family Appreciation Month: “Honoring the sacrifices of the military family”

What is it?

Military Family Appreciation Month is a time to honor the sacrifices of our military families. Army families of Active, Guard, Reserve, veterans, and retirees are giving back in a time of need and sustain and support the Soldiers who defend our Nation. Army Families are Army Strong.

What has the Army done?

Throughout the month of November, Army families serving around the world are being honored through a variety of observances and are being recognized for the commitment and contributions they make every day. Efforts to recognize the sacrifices of the Army family by Active, Guard, and Reserve leaders are being joined and supported by DoD organizations to include the Army Air Force Exchange Service, Defense Commissary Agency, and others. In coordination with the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs, U.S. Army Entertainment, and the Army Multimedia Visual Information Directorate, a music video is being produced featuring the song “Life of a Soldier,” written and performed by Spc. Daniel Jens (America’s Got Talent) and Sgt 1st Class Sean Bennett (Nashville Star). The song is dedicated to Army families world-wide.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

Through Army Family Covenant commitments, the Army will continue to build trust and confidence that the Army cares for Soldiers and families. At all levels, we will continue to recognize the continued support and sacrifices Army families make every day, knowing that the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their families, and sustaining Soldiers is critical to sustaining an all-volunteer force. Through the commitments represented by the Army Family Covenant, the Army will continue to standardize and fund existing family programs and services, increase accessibility and quality of health care, improve Soldier and family housing, increase excellence in schools, youth services and child care, expand education and employment opportunities for family members, and continue to provide families a strong, supportive environment where they can thrive.

Why is it important to the Army?

Army families are important as the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their families. They are a vital connection between Soldiers and the Army’s ability to remain strong. All Army families, Active, Guard, Reserve, veterans and retirees are giving back in this time of need. With thousands of Soldiers deployed, recognizing the daily sacrifices made by Army families has never been more important.

Resources:

My Army One Source

Army Entertainment

Defense Commissary Agency

Army Air Force Exchange Service

Army National Guard

Army Reserve

Tell the world the story of your Army hero! The faithful men and women who bravely serve protect us and allow us to enjoy the rights we enjoy each and every day. Now, we’re asking you to share the real stories of those brave individuals.

Every Army soldier will receive a dedicated hero page on Army.net that will live on indefinitely. And as part of the contest, you’ll also have a chance to win some wonderful patriotic gifts for your special soldier.

Contest dates are between October 29th, 2009 and December 10th 2009. Submit your photos early to gain more chances to win!

Contest Details

Send us a photo and essay (as short or long as you would like!) to info@army.net telling us about your soldier and why he or she is a hero to you. We will post your soldier’s photo and your essay on it’s own dedicated page on Army.net in honor of their service.

Prize #1

The Army hero with the most comment ‘votes’ will receive a custom engraved US Army Stainless Steel Watch.

Includes 3 lines of custom engraving with up to 18 characters per line, for example:

• Line 1: Rank
• Line 2: Name
• Line 3: Years of Service, Troop Number, Badge Number, Etc.)

This stunning stainless steel watch features scratch resistant mineral glass crystal, luminescent hands and markers, a calendar feature, unidirectional rotating ratchet bezel, and is water resistant.

Present this thoughtful, personalized gift to your hero in thanks and recognition of what he or she means to you and our country.

How to win:

Rally friends and relatives and encourage them to ‘vote’ for your hero by leaving a comment in the comments section of the page. The hero with the most votes wins! In the event of a tie, those with the tied winning vote count will be given 2 additional days to drum up votes to determine winner. If the tie still holds, one of these winners will be randomly selected.

Prize #2

One Army hero will be randomly selected to win an Army tribute photo frame to display your winning photo and a US Army challenge coin.

This specialty gold trim picture frame measures 9 1/8″ x 7″ and displays a standard size wallet photo. Army green picture mat and gold 3D metal Army insignia proudly display your hero.

This quality U.S. Army Challenge Coin is polished bronze with a diamond wave cut edge that measures 1 5/8″ diameter and produced by the nation’s leading manufacturer of military products.

How to win:

Post about the contest on blogs, websites, and forums and link back to the main contest page and/or your hero page. For every online mention, you will receive an entry to win in a random drawing. Simply email us at info@army.net with the link to the page where you’ve posted about the contest to earn an entry. The more mentions, the more chances to win!

The following general safety comes from the CDC:

• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
• Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
• Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
• Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
• Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
• Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
• Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
• Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
• Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
• Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
• Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
• Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
• Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

Flu Safety:

SOURCE LINK

Walmart Joins Army Spouse Employment Partnership

Partnership Aims to Provide Employment and Career Opportunities Nationwide

BENTONVILLE, Ark., October 6, 2009 – Walmart announced it joined the Army Spouse Employment Partnership (ASEP) as part of its ongoing commitment to provide employment and career opportunities to the military community. Walmart made its participation official through an induction and signing ceremony that took place yesterday in Washington, D.C. during the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition. The ceremony featured Walmart Executive Vice President Susan Chambers, Global People Division; U.S. Army Secretary John McHugh; U.S. Army Assistant Secretary Thomas Lamont, Manpower and Reserve Affairs: and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Reuben Jones, Commander, Army Welfare and Recreation Command.

“From Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton, to many of our current executives and associates, our company has greatly benefited from the experiences our veterans and their families have brought to Walmart from their time in the military,” said Susan Chambers. “Walmart’s relationship with ASEP is a natural extension of our company’s efforts to be an employer of choice for military veterans and other important communities.”

ASEP provides Army spouses with job opportunities, career mobility and enhanced employment options through partnerships with corporate and private partners looking to employ diverse and talented candidates. According to the Army, last year ASEP partners hired more than 8,200 military spouses, bringing the grand total of spouses employed to 42,100 since the program began in late 2003.

“The Army recruits soldiers, but retaining families is part of the commitment ASEP and its partners have made toward helping our spouses establish and maintain careers,” said U.S. Army Secretary McHugh. “It is important to Army leadership, and I thank Walmart and all the ASEP partners for their commitment.”

Besides joining with ASEP, Walmart’s commitment to be an employer of choice for military communities is further demonstrated through the company’s partnership with the U.S. Army Reserve to offer career opportunities to serving Reserve Soldiers. Walmart also launched last year the Junior Military Officer program, an initiative designed to recruit commissioned and non-commissioned officers transitioning into the civilian workforce to store management positions. To date, more than 150 veterans have been selected to the program and will be serving in various store management capacities upon completion of their training.

Walmart’s overall commitment to military communities extends beyond its stores and clubs and into the communities it serves. Through the Walmart Foundation, the company has been able to support programs to honor members of the armed forces and provide assistance to soldiers and their families. Some of these programs include honoring the memory of soldiers through Wreaths Across America, grants to veterans’ assistance programs through the American Council on Education and support for military families through Fisher House.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), or “Walmart,” serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,000 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune Magazine’s 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com.

# # #

From Patti:

Many thanks to Shannon Ethridge as she graced us with her presence on our live talk radio program on October 10, 2009.

Shannon is a million-copy best-selling author, speaker, lay counselor, and advocate for healthy sexuality with a master’s degree in counseling/human relations from Liberty University. She has spoken to youth, college students, and adults since 1989 and her passions include: Challenging adults and teens to embrace a life of sexual integrity, encouraging married couples in their pursuit of sexual and emotional fulfillment, counseling women who have looked for love in all the wrong places and equipping parents to instill sexual values in children at an early age.

Her passion for healthy sexuality actually began in mortuary college. Her first career choice, becoming a mortician, led Ethridge to work on dead bodies. Many she embalmed were young people who had died from AIDS or committed suicide as a result an HIV positive diagnosis. Because of her own promiscuous teenage years, she knew it was a miracle that she was standing over the embalming table rather than laying on top of it. These experiences inspired her to begin speaking boldly and bluntly to teen, college-age, and adult audiences about the benefits of sexual integrity. She has taught and counseled thousands of young singles and married couples over the past decade. She is the author of 18 books, including the best-selling Every Woman’s Battle series, the 5-book Completely His series, and her new book for the mainstream market,The Sexually Confident Wife.

Shannon has been featured on the cover of Today’s Christian Woman Magazinee, and is a frequent guest on international radio & television shows such as The 700 Club, Life Today with James & Betty Robison, FamilyLife Today with Dennis Rainey, and New Life Live! with Stephen Arterburn. She has also been published in numerous magazines such as Focus on the Family,Brio, and LifeWay and is the winner of a Gold Medallion Award for Excellence in Publishing.

Although grateful for the opportunities to influence this generation as a writer and speaker, Shannon remains most passionate about her role as a wife and best friend to her husband of 18 years, Greg, and a mother and cheerleader to their two children, Erin (17) and Matthew (14).

Please be sure to check out Shannons Website.

CLICK HERE to listen to our recorded show geared to military wives as we talk to Shannon about Sexual Integrity and Sexual Confidence in marriage.

I found the following at the Baby Designers… if you know someone, or if you are someone who qualifies for the contest, enter today! Let us know if you win!

We’re looking for 15 very deserving pregnant military wives. We understand that it can be stressful having their husbands so far away at such an important time. That’s why we want to help! This is a way of saying Thank You to our soldier’s and giving back to the community so all services that we are offering to the military wives are free of charge. The package includes customized birth plans, product shopping, clothing shopping (mom and baby), product demonstration, hospital preparation, full baby shower planning, diva day makeover, birthing classes, car seat installation, c.p.r. classes, 24/7 support, referrals, and reminder service.

If you know a pregnant military wife who deserves all that we have to offer please email us today.

militarywives@thebabydesigners.com

DO TO THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN THIS CONTEST WE ARE NOT ABLE TO TAKE PHONE CALLS REGARDING THIS CONTEST. PLEASE SEND EMAIL TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.

· Customized Birth Plan – We want to make sure that you are fully prepared and the hospital room is set up to your liking. We prepare a customized birth plan just for your wants and needs.

· Product Shopping – With new products coming out daily it’s easy to get confused on what’s really needed. We are the experts who can show you the latest products and trends.

· Baby Shower Planning – We will handle the tedious task of planning your baby shower. Invitation preparation, assistance with gift registry, gift return, product demonstration, and thank you notes.

· Hospital Preparation – Where will my other children go? Who’s going to get me to the hospital? What should I pack? Calm down and relax. Let us do the work for you.

· Diva Day Makeover – We want to make you a diva…hair, nails, makeup, and clothing.

· Reminder Service – No need to forget an important appointment because we do all of the remembering for you.

· 24/7 Support – It doesn’t matter if you have a question about childbirth, or need a listening ear, we are here.

· Birthing and C.P.R. Classes – These are classes every parent should take. It will make your life easier.

· Referrals – From infant play classes to a new doctor in the area, we can help.

The value of this package is $1,500.

Do to the popularity of this contest we have decided to extend our end date. Our new submission date will end 10/31/2009.

Winners will be picked by 11/30/09

Lord’s Prayer For The Military Wife

Lord, Grant me the greatness
of heart to see,
the difference in duty
and his love for me.

Give me the
understanding to know,
that when duty calls
he must go.

Give me a task to do each day
to fill the time
while he is away.
And Lord when duty
is in the field,
Please protect him,
and be his shield.

Getting kids this age to talk is vital to their mental health and their development. No matter how creepy they may act, they do want you to reach out to them. I found a great website that offers materials and resources — free and instantly downloadable, for doing just that task!

Here’s a blurb about the site and a link to find it:
Free Talk Kit for Parents of Military Families (link)
Designed specifically for military parents of tweens and teens, this kit provides ideas on how to start the conversation about drugs and alcohol, scripts to help you find the right words, and tips for answering tough questions and getting support from other adults around you.

Here’s an example of what you can find on their website:

RECOGNIZE TRANSITIONS
Major events like deployments, changing schools and injury/illness in the family are clearly stressors for
kids and parents alike. But even life events that are natural and expected – starting puberty, moving up
a grade – may also feel like a big deal to your tween or teen. By knowing what transitions usually affect
military kids the most and why, it will be easier for you to recognize the situations in which your child
might need more support.

THE TRANSITION:
Your family has just relocated to a different town.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:
Military kids move more often than other kids and may be used to starting over, but don’t take for
granted that your child will adjust easily to a new routine. Being the new kid in school is hard! Your
teen is probably worried about meeting new people and making friends in this unfamiliar environment.
Plus, kids often target a group or clique that they want to become friendly with – but they either feel
unwelcome or don’t know how to fit in.

THE TRANSITION:
Your child has just moved from grade school to middle school or from middle school to high school.

WHY IT’S TOUGH:
Your child has just gone from being a big fish in a little pond to a little fish in a big pond. “Cool” older
kids can be intimidating and may even purposely try to make younger students feel unwelcome (elevator
pass, anyone?). Freshmen boys tend to have a particularly hard time with this transition because the
girls in their grade want to date juniors and seniors – and they ignore all the boys their own age.

TRANSITIONS & TEENS: A GUIDE FOR MILITARY PARENTS
They say that “the only thing permanent in life is change,” and as the parent in a military family, you know that that’s true. Between moves and deployments, your family life is in constant transition. Unfortunately, studies show that adolescents who haven’t used drugs are more likely to start during times of transition in order to cope with stress. But don’t worry – while change is a part of the military life, risky behavior, like using drugs and alcohol, doesn’t have to be. This kit has everything you need to know to help keep your child healthy during transition periods.

CONTINUE READING

So far my grocery list has the following items listed on it:

Apple Chips
Individual Caramel Dips
Candy Apples (the packaged kind… they ship well)
Candy Corn
Popcorn Balls
Ingredients for Pumpkin Cookies (recipe below)
Plastic Jack-o-Lantern trick or treat bucket (filled with candy)

Can you think of any other items that would go well with a Fall themed box? I am thinking of putting a small plastic bag with some colored leaves in it from a nature walk.

Here’s the recipe for the pumpkin cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1 cup LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
**Glaze (recipe follows) (I do not glaze these when shipping)

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease baking sheets.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.

BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle Glaze over cookies.

**FOR GLAZE:
COMBINE 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl until smooth.

It sounds great! Let me know if you take advantage of the program!

Original post below found at 1st MLG Resources.

Military OneSource: Healthy Habits Coaching Program

The Military OneSource program continues to expand our support to service members and their families with the addition of the Military OneSource Healthy Habits Coaching Program. This new support will enhance the overall readiness of the military community offers service members and their families the tools to take charge of health. Who is eligible? Active duty, National Guard and Reserve service members (regardless of their activation status) and their families are eligible for health coaching. As with all Military OneSource services, the program is offered at no cost to the user.

What is Healthy Habits Health Coaching? Participants will receive personal, telephonic coaching from a dedicated health coach with expertise in nutrition, exercise physiology, and behavioral health. Coaching takes place over a number of scheduled coaching sessions as needed (average use is seven sessions). Participants can also access their coach at any time via voice messaging service. Callers can receive coaching in three areas: Weight Management (iCanChange): Callers learn to set goals and put new eating and physical activity habits into place. The coach provides follow-up over a course of months, as needed. The iCanChange(tm) weight management toolkit includes an educational workbook, pedometer, tape measure, and motivational magnet. Stress Management (iCanRelax): Callers learn about stress triggers and coping methods. The coach provides follow-up over a course of months, as needed. The iCanRelax(tm) stress management toolkit contains an educational workbook, relaxation CD, stress-relieving “stress” putty, and a motivational magnet. Cardiovascular Health (iCanThrive): Callers learn to set fitness goals and make lifestyle changes. The coach follows up over a course of months, as needed. The iCanThrive(tm) cardiovascular health toolkit offers an educational workbook, plastic cutting board, heart-shaped stress ball, and a motivational magnet. How do members access the program? Participants can call into Military OneSource and request enrollment in the program. A Military OneSource Consultant will complete an assessment and arrange for a health coach to contact them within three business days. Participants can also access the program by taking an online Life Health Assessment. If assessment results reveal potential health risks, a coach will reach out to the participant and introduce the coaching programs and enroll them if desired. To find out more, visit the Healthy Habits Health Coaching Program web page (please note that you must be a registered Military OneSource user and be logged into the site to view this page).

Go to their website and check it out. Click on the “learn more” link below. If you wind up getting a canvas portrait, will you share the picture here, with us, please? I will post it on the blog.

Canvas on Demand wants to honor our troops who are deployed overseas… and their spouses who are holding down the home front. Operation Hi Honey will award hundreds of our deployed men and women a free fine art canvas, printed from a favorite photo, which will be presented to their Honey on their anniversary.  It’s a way for soldiers to say I love you… and it’s a way for Canvas on Demand to say to our troops, Thanks for a job well-done! Learn more…