Remember when you picked up your first camera? Remember that feeling of excitement and possibility surging through your fingers? Three and a half years ago that was me, so excited and anxious to take photos of everyone and everything. I felt like I could take on the world. Then reality kicked in.
0 Comments
Article by Rose E
Years ago I was working with my church youth group and we played a game called “If You Really Knew Me.” In this game, students and leaders would tell a story about themselves that revealed things people wouldn’t automatically assume about them. Every time I am asked what I do for a living I feel as though I am in the middle of that game again. By Ariele O’Brien
All military moves and separations are difficult to some degree. Unaccompanied tours add a different type of angst because they equate to a separation by location, not war. Sometimes spouses choose to relocate to foreign countries unsponsored. This doesn’t happen very often because it is difficult to move without the military’s support. First, it is the family’s responsibility to move the spouse (and if applicable, kids) on their own dime. Flying space available is an option, however, unsponsored family members are the lowest priority. Second, pets have to remain behind, as well as furniture, toys, books, musical instruments, and anything else that won’t meet the airlines two piece per person luggage rule. Third, unsponsored families do not have the same privileges as sponsored family members. Aside from the financial disadvantages to an unsponsored tour, the biggest obstacle to overcome (and the reason most families do not join their spouse during a year-long unaccompanied tour) is schooling. Unsponsored children may not attend the Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDs) unless there is space available for them, which is determined after the school year has started and usually not available. Other areas impacted by being unsponsored are health care (which is available but changed to co-pay and off post in a foreign country), Child and Youth School Services (again space available only), driving privileges (this is a big one), visas, and more. All of these challenges generally contribute to the family members remaining stateside for the year. by: Meg Flanagan
Dear America, We need to talk. Like really talk. And we need to talk about guns. Right now. Because just the other day, nine more students were killed on their college campus in Oregon. Just last month, two journalists were shot dead, on air, during their morning broadcast in Virginia. Three years ago, 26 elementary students and teachers were killed in Connecticut. There has been a mass shooting of some kind, mostly at schools or colleges, every few months since 1999. Since Columbine. by: Melissa Gomez
Goodbye Florida, hello Arizona. Wow! Talk about a long drive and a change of scenery. So it seems I’m the new girl in town yet again. I can’t help but feel like I should be some sort of expert at this by now, but truth be told I feel so lost. by: Nichole Weakley
Aylan, today marks 5 days since the world saw your picture. Your perfect little body looked as if it were resting peacefully, like you had spent the day playing. If one just glanced at your picture, one could imagine that you were just a regular boy. That you had chased down all of the mud puddles, goldfish crackers, and happiness in your day until you fell asleep where you stood, exhausted, with your shoes on. By Meg Flanagan
When I moved to Camp Pendleton in 2010, I noticed parents talking at command events about how lost their kids felt in school or how they were pulling them to homeschool because moving had left so many holes in their education. On a whim, I posted an ad on Camp Pendleton Yard Sales advertising my tutoring and homeschooling services. I had an immediate response. By Carolyn Herrick
Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day. To raise awareness of this staggering fact and promote veterans getting help instead of ending their lives, my friend and fellow veteran, Susanna organized a 22-day challenge that I’m participating in with a bunch of other folks all over the world. We are walking or running at least one mile a day for 22 days. by: Many Kind Regards Staff
In the military, something happens every summer around the entire country. It even goes beyond our borders to include places from Europe to Japan. It’s called PCS season. PCS (permanent change of station) season stretches from late May to early September. It’s darn near impossible to be a military family and not experience a PCS, or at the very least an EAS (separation from the military), which still feels like a PCS. So, in honor of the 2015 PCS Season, we at Many Kind Regards have compiled a list of 37 #PCSTruths, based on our experiences and divided into handy sections because, let’s face it, PCS’s that are not organized are actually #PCSNightmares. What #PCSTruths do you have? Comment, Tweet us, join our Facebook discussion - We want to hear from you! |
Archives
October 2015
Categories
All
Many Kind Regards is an online writing community. Our Guest Writers receive coaching, a mentor and support in creating meaningful, effective content for an online audience. For more information about how to join this exclusive group, follow this link!
|