Today – for us – the proud and grateful military spouses one and all. On a day we remember the veterans, and the military families who supported them, the President signed the MSRRA. For us.
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
November 11, 2009
Statement by the President on S.475
Today I have signed into law S. 475, the “Military Spouses Residency Relief Act”. This Act, among other things, would provide that when a service member leaves his or her home State in accord with military or naval orders, the service member’s spouse may retain residency in his or her home State for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that State to accompany the service member.
When the military orders service members to move, spouses who move with them often have to pay taxes in a new State or locality and lose the right to vote in the place considered to be home. This legislation will alleviate these and other burdens on our military families. As the Congress has recognized, and as the legislative history reflects, this legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued service personnel.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE,
November 11, 2009.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-s475
To the Vets – to the Coasties of USCG Spencer (best damned boat in the fleet) who served with my dad – to the Navy Submarine Fleet, who served with my father in law – to the men who served in the Pacific Theatre (Leyte, Okinawa and all those islands in between) with my uncle – to the men and women of 1st Armored who served with my son and my daughter in law – to the men and women of the Army Security Agency/INSCOM who served and serve with my husband; to the Grenadiers of the Coldstream Guards, to the men and women of the Inniskilling Dragoon Guards; the men and women of 1st Cav who broke our hearts yesterday at Ft. Hood; to the men and women who will march today, visit the graves today, lay wreathes today, who wore or wear the uniform –
Thank you.
LAW
For immediate release: please post widely Saturday, November 8, 2009
Pagan Spiritual Counseling available for Pagans stressed by the Fort Hood Tragedy
A team of Pagan spiritual counselors has been formed by Circle Sanctuary to provide free telephone counseling support this month for Pagans, Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, Pantheists, and other Nature religion practitioners distressed by the shootings at Fort Hood in Texas this past Thursday.
Fort Hood is the largest military installation in the United States. On Thursday afternoon, November 5, an Army psychiatrist stationed at Fort Hood went on a shooting rampage, killing 13 and wounding 30 at the base. This tragedy has shaken and stressed those at Fort Hood and in neighboring areas as well as across the nation and at US military installations around the world.
More than 150 Pagans of many paths live in and around Fort Hood. Many are part of the Fort Hood Open Circle, which is sponsored by the Sacred Well Congregation. Some are connected with other groups, and some are solitary practitioners.
Circle Sanctuary formed this Pagan counseling support team as part of its services to Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, and other Pagans in the US Military. This special response team consists of sixteen Pagan leaders from across the nation who are among those doing various forms of Pagan ministry through Circle Sanctuary. The team is collaborating with other Pagan leaders in the Fort Hood area in providing help. Circle Sanctuary is offering free Pagan oriented counseling by telephone to supplement grief counseling resources at Fort Hood.
Circle Sanctuary’s Fort Hood Tragedy response counseling services are for Pagans in and around Fort Hood as well as for Pagans at other US military installations and elsewhere who have been adversely impacted by the Fort Hood shootings. The counseling work being offered is specific to distress resulting from the Fort Hood shootings and will be offered throughout the month on November.
NEED HELP? CONTACT: counselingsupport@circlesanctuary.org
Please include your name, email address, phone number(s) and best days & times to call, and a brief description of how the Fort Hood shootings have stressed you. Information you share will be kept confidential by those assisting you.
TELL OTHERS: please post this notice to blogs, websites, e-lists, elsewhere to help get the word out to those in need of this support.
MORE INFO;
Info about the Fort Hood rampage & healing process:
Google News
Circle Sanctuary
Our thoughts are with the families at Fort Hood, with the deployed soldiers who have family there, and the entire military community. Friday Feature will not appear today, we are trying to find groups that are assisting the families at Hood. If you know of any groups, please comment here so we can get the word out.
We all have friends who were either previously at Hood, are PCSing there in the future, or who have friends there still. There isn ‘t much any of us can do right now other than be there for those friends, let them talk or cry or lean. So take a minute, call that friend, let them know you are there – and say a prayer for those who need it. Let’s make sure that all the disinformation out there isn’t spread by us, gently tell the civilian co workers and friends the truth about military life and remember NOT to spread rumours about any of this – there’s plenty of that on TV.
LAW
A couple of years ago, two military spouses, Rebecca Poynter and Joanna Williamson – entrepreneurs and businesswomen – decided that they had just had ENOUGH of the tax differences, the standing in line to change their drivers licenses, not having their personal property with joint title because of tax issues, and the myriad of other consequences of having to change their state of residency every time they PCSed with their military spouses. They went to Congressman John Carter (R/Tex) who represents that behemoth in Texas – Fort Hood. He was very surprised to realize that the SCRA covered those in uniform, but not their spouses. So they began. During the first cycle, it didn’t pass through all the committees in time. But this time, it worked. Now, in the Month of the Military Family, so proclaimed by the President – we got a present.
If you haven’t watched legislation being shoved through this system – I can tell you, it’s alternatively eye glazing tedious, listening to hours of testimony (and some of it, when it’s not on YOUR bill, is unintelligible!) and then nail bitingly nervewracking, hoping someone won’t put a roadblock in the way, listening to mutterings about which way a Senator or a Congressman is thinking about maybe voting… As the saying goes, sausage and legislation – you shouldn’t watch either being made.
Then yesterday, instead of it going through another committee, it went to the full House. It passed the Senate a while ago, and this was the final step. With a final plea from Congressman John Carter (R/Tex) – on a voice vote, it passed. IT PASSED!!
From the AP
Congress on Monday sent President Barack Obama a bill that allows military spouses to claim residency in the same state as their wives or husbands.
Under current law, service members can choose to keep their original residency as they relocate.
Spouses who lobbied for the change said having that same right would prevent hassles associated with every move, such as obtaining a new driver’s license and reregistering to vote. In some cases, it also eliminates the need for couples to file separate tax returns and lowers the income taxes that some spouses pay.
Moving is a ritual repeated nearly every three years on average for military families.
The House passed the legislation on a voice vote. Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, a bill sponsor who represents Fort Hood, Texas, said it would give “invaluable relief to numerous military spouses who regularly uproot their entire lives to accommodate our Armed Forces.”
Carter said in a statement that he expects Obama to sign the legislation into law in the next few days.
The legislation had already won approval in the Senate, where it was sponsored by Sens. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
So on behalf of all the readers and the authors of LeftFace – THANK YOU to Rebecca and Joanna, thank you to Congressman Carter, Senators Burr and Feinstein, to all the people who called their elected representatives to support this bill, to the Veterans and Military Associations who supported this effort and who testified at the hearings for it.
LAW
November marks “Military Family Appreciation Month” across all branches of the Armed Services. Being the awesome Army Spouse that I am (hooah!), I wanted to know what the Army was doing in honor of this. Lucky for me, my Stand-To! came today, and this is what they’re saying:
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.
From the MSRRA Facebook Group –
UPDATE: IT’S OFFICIAL!!! Tomorrow, Monday, November 2nd, MSRRA will be considered on the HOUSE Suspension Calendar and should pass the HOUSE by tomorrow evening. (In lay person terms this means it leaped-frogged out of the House VA committee to a “vote” in the full House). We don’t think we will know ABSOUTELY FOR SURE till tomorrow after 6 p.m. EST. We will post when we know. WOW!
Wow, indeed!
LAW
The Friday Feature has been AWOL lately – please accept my apologies. Today – we are highlighting and challenging all of our readers.
Operation Gratitude has a great site, and does some superb work. Right now, there is a push to send hats, scarves and helmet liners to Afghanistan. It’s getting cold there already, Kabul tonight is in the 30s. In the mountains, it’s going to be colder, and it’s only October. The link here will give you patterns and information. There are some more patterns on Ravelry and other sites, I’ll put them below.
There are some rules you need to follow, and these are not suggestions, these are mandatory. First - NO acrylic or rayon or other artificial yarns. It must be 100% wool. Acrylic melts when it burns. When it gets wet, it gets cold and nasty. Wool, even when wet, keeps the body warmth in. I’m told that the Cascade 220 superwash is warm, soft and washable. There are other washable wools too. Second – muted colours. tans, browns, Army green, black, deep maroon if you must, dark blue if you want to send to airforce.
Other sites – patterns
USMC helmet liner
Scarves – any pattern you want, plainer the better and long enough to go around the neck once and get tucked in. A Gaiter is great too. You know how miserable it is when your neck gets cold!
Get the needles smoking – let’s get these guys something warm, something made with care and gratitude. The address to send to by December 5 is
Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, California 91406
If you want to, you can put in your name and email address, enclose a card, or anything else you think they’d like – the list is on the Operation Gratitude page, but those of us in the milspouse community know what to send, right?
See you at the Yarn Store (if you live in the DC area, I’ll be there this Saturday)
LAW
This may be old news to some, but it was news to me last week.
My husband and I went to a wedding two weeks ago for one of his Recruiter friends. After the happy couple got back from their honeymoon they did all the wonderful running around to add her to Tricare, and to get her ID and all the other wonderful things you need to do when you become a military spouse. I got a text message from the wife asking if my full Social Security Number was on my Military ID. I got married last year and indeed my full Social Security Number is on my card. She was afraid that the person that processed her card didnt do it properly and that she would have to go again to get it re-done. Of course it’s not a super fun process of sitting at the ID office for two hours waiting your turn, so my friend did not want to have to do that again.
After a Google search I came across an article on the Army Times site. Apparently the DoD is phasing out the use of Social Security Numbers on Military ID cards in 2009. This is to help protect people from identity theft.
By the end of the year all newly issued Military ID cards should only have the last four digits of the Social Security number, with the rest X’ed out.
So, when your card expires and you go get your new one, and you notice the change… don’t worry. It’s not a mistake 
