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By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com Only one month into our previous deployment, my husband’s ship spent a few days in port. Everyone reveled in the…, Can a deployment really have too much communication?, For most military couples, the biggest challenge during a deployment is the lack of communication. Service members typically cannot use cell phones during overseas deployments and internet access is…, Should you share everything with your spouse during deployment?, The other problem with deployment communication is knowing how much to share with a deployed spouse. Most military spouses don’t want to trouble the deployed service member with problems that will…,  , Lizann Lightfoot is an associate editor at Military One Click and a Marine Corps spouse. She can be reached at lizann@militaryoneclick.com.   More…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com There are numerous articles which praise the strength and resilience of military kids. For the most part, I agree with them…, 30 Secrets We Don’t Tell Our Military Kids, No, that toy isn’t lost. I threw it out during the last PCS because I was so sick of hearing it. When we move, I miss my friends, too. Not everyone appreciates what the military does. Sometimes I…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com The first time it happened to me, I was rushing to bring my children to swim lessons on base. My mom was visiting to help…, Why do military base buildings have a military dress code?, Most military bases have an official dress code for base buildings. These include offices, the commissary, the Exchange, the gas station and even the base gym. The idea of a military dress code is…, Who enforces the base military dress code?, You can find dress code posters near the main entrance of base buildings such as an Exchange, gym or commissary. It’s up to service members to be responsible for their guests and family members who…, Don’t make these fashion faux pas on a military base., Bathing suits, : As I experienced, these are not permitted in official buildings. Always wear a shirt or cover-up over a bathing suit. This is true even at the mini-mart next to the beach or swimming pool., Sandals or flip flops:, Yes, I know people who have been asked to leave the Exchange because of their shoes! A shoe with a strap around the back is considered appropriate. Any flip flop or sandal that does not have a strap…, Work-out attire:, Everyone wears activewear these days, but Spandex doesn’t fit base dress code regulations. Any clothing that fits too tightly or reveals a sports bra, midriff or underwear is not appropriate on base…, Pajamas:, I shouldn’t have to say this, but I will. Pajamas are not clothes, and they are not accepted in the military dress code. Please do not wear pajama pants to pick up your children at a base school or…, Revealing shirts, shorts or skirts, : When entering a building on base, women cannot wear shirts that reveal the midriff, too much cleavage or bra straps. In some places, a tank top is considered inappropriate. You can also be asked to…, Dress code for men:, Dress code regulations apply to both men and women. Men cannot wear a tank top or short shorts into official base buildings. The phrase “no shirt, no shoes, no service” applies even if you are…, No hats:, No one should wear a hat or cover when indoors. This includes service members and dependents, male and female. Lizann Lightfoot is an associate editor at Military…

Military rules dictating how spouses should interact with each other are garbage.

Like other segments of society, food insecurity -- defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as lacking consistent access to enough food to be active and healthy -- is a big issue for military…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com   Last weekend, news first broke from The War Horse and Reveal that a Facebook group, Marines United, had a link to a…, The Marine Corps reacts, The Marine Corps responded quickly. Gen. Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps, first issued a written statement. Then in a video released this week , Neller said, “There is no time off for Marines…, Mixed responses from victims, Some female veterans identified on the site have said that after they saw the comments about their photos, they would never want to reenlist. Lcpl. Woytek said pictures were repeatedly taken from her…, Marine Corps spouses have mixed sympathy for victims, Marine Corps spouses agree that sharing photos without consent is illegal and that the comments on the page are disgusting, but they have different degrees of respect for the victims. Spouses are…, What do male military spouses say?, MOC interviewed male Marine spouses to get their perspective. These men are active-duty Marines and so are their wives. They all asked for anonymity based on the sensitivity of the matter and concern…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com It was the middle of deployment , and I was already at the end of my rope. The oldest of my four children, a second grader…, Use these 5 resources to help military kids adjust, 1. MFLC, : The Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC) is a civilian attached to a military unit who assists service members and their dependent family members. The MFLC is a professional social worker or…, 2. School Counselor, : If your child is acting out at home, there is a good chance they are also acting out at school. Talk to your child’s teacher to see if there has been any unusual or problematic behavior, especially…, 3. FOCUS, : Families OverComing Under Stress ( FOCUS ) is a program on military bases that provides family resilience training. The program allows families to meet with a counselor six times over a period of…, 4. Pediatric psychiatrist: , When the school counselor suggested an official pediatric exam to rule out behavioral conditions like ADHD and ODD, we were referred to a pediatric psychologist. This was an off-base specialist, so…, 5. Operation Hero: , This after-school program, funded by the  Armed Services YMCA  (ASYMCA), is available on military bases across the country. Operation Hero is a positive environment where school-aged children can get…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com In early March, our military base’s elementary school ran out of paper. There are still three months left in the school…, Why are DoD schools running out of paper and supplies?, The DoD budge t for Printing and Reproduction has remained unchanged for the past three years: $1,156,000 for 133,000 students. That is a printing budget of only $8.69 per student per year or around…

By Lizann Lightfoot, MilitaryOneClick.com It’s deployment, and your search for friends and support leads you to a Facebook group for the spouses or parents in your…, 10 etiquette tips for Facebook groups during deployment, 1. Use Google first.,  No one wants to do Google searches for you, especially if that is all it takes to answer your question. If you have a general question about a local business, restaurant or attraction, do your own…, 2. Always remember OPSEC .,  Yes, the group has information about deployment dates. No, they should never discuss these online. Even private Facebook groups are not secure from hackers and terrorists. No one wants to endanger…, 3. Don’t spread rumors.,  While we are on the subject, always consider the source of information before you post it. Did it come directly from the commanding officer? Then it is probably accurate. From anyone else, it is…, 4. Use the page’s files.,  Most groups have a lot of useful information, phone numbers, and base resources listed in the group’s files or photos. Try finding answers to your questions there first. You don’t want to be the…, 5. Deployment experiences may vary.,  Even on the same deployment, the troops are not always together in one location and don’t have equal access to the Internet. You may get a lot of phone calls, while someone else is getting none. Try…, 6. Don’t brag about your service member.,  Yes, every military spouse and parent is proud of their service member. But since every person on that Facebook page currently has a deployed love one, use common sense when you want to brag about…, 7. Don’t whine about the deployment, . Since everyone on the page is going through the same deployment, don’t use this group to vent or complain about how long it feels. You won’t get much sympathy. If you had a particularly bad day,…, 8. If someone bothers you, keep scrolling.,  We don’t always agree with everyone, and that’s okay. But there’s no need to pick a fight with another family in your unit. If someone’s question or flower picture annoys you, don’t get bitter and…, 9. Don’t compare, compete, or condemn. , If this is your first deployment, it may seem like the worst and hardest thing in your life. But chances are, someone else on the page went through a combat deployment with no communication, or gave…, 10. Don’t try to sell stuff.,  The quickest way to get kicked out of a Facebook group is by spamming it with your direct sales business. Respect group rules or check with an admin before posting an ad for your product. It may be…,  , More from MilitaryOneClick: Six Reliable Resources for When You’re Drowning in Debt What You Need to Know About Direct Sales OCONUS These 3 Jewelry Businesses are Owned by Military Entrepreneurs  Do…