Military Families: 5 Ways You Can Help

Much more than April showers, it's a perfect storm of giving. With National Volunteer Week in full swing, we here at HuffPost are honoring Military Families Week to focus on the issues that affect service members and their loved ones. What better time to volunteer your efforts to show military members you care.

In a 2010 Operation Appreciation survey, about 90 percent of military families members said they felt the general public didn't understand the sacrifices they make.

From helping build homes to serving as a foster parent for pets, we're highlighting ways you can donate your time and efforts to support military families. Click below to find opportunities for everyone -- both community-centric efforts and behind-the-scenes work.

1 of 5

Put It In Writing

1 of 6

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Organize your school, office or friends to write military families letters expressing why you're truly thankful for the freedom you enjoy. Operation Appreciation offers prompts and guidelines you can use. Or, share an electronic message through the campaign Joining Forces, a national program that supports service members and their families launched Tuesday by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Visit the site to thank military families or share a personal story to move others to action.

Slipping Into Abercrombie & Fitch

The Best Inventions Of 2012

7 Hippie Companies That Aren't As Liberal As You Think

Broadway Beauty Pageant 2013

Comedians Without Their Beards

Top Local Nonprofit Of The Month Helping Women, Girls

Organize your school, office or friends to write military families letters expressing why you're truly thankful for the freedom you enjoy. Operation Appreciation offers prompts and guidelines you can use.

Or, share an electronic message through the campaign Joining Forces, a national program that supports service members and their families launched Tuesday by First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden. Visit the site to thank military families or share a personal story to move others to action.

comments(53)

Total comments: 53 | Post a Comment

1 of 6

Rate This Slide

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

I'll pass Great idea!

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Current Top 5 Slides

loading...

Choose your Top 5 Slides

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[Ramyeon]

06:34 AM on 04/14/2011

Easy Breezy. Don't take their loved ones to WAR!

[novelbud]

12:42 AM on 04/14/2011

When I returned after being deployed early in the Afghan war, I just wanted to decompress and had a difficult time finding a small rental in the country that would accept me with my dog. At the time, it was just the two of us.

Being from the NYC area, I wanted a few days of quiet reflection and didn't want to be reminded constantly of September 11th or the pit in lower Manhattan.

I can't explain why I just wanted to rest and hike with my dog, but that's what I needed and my parents understood. Others in my unit felt the same and visited national parks or went to the coast for a few days.

Perhaps, if businesses would make it easier and cheaper for families or individuals to go on vacation upon their return and unwind before facing the reality of a populace detached from these rotten wars, vets and their families may feel less minimized and alone.

I was lucky in that I had a great job, savings, and a supportive family waiting, but not many people can understand the importance for one to become whole again, embraced, and reintegrated into a community after deployment.

For me, reintegration was time alone reading a good book. Thankfully, I found a cabin with a fireplace in an old Pennsylvania town, and the owner of the property made an exception allowing me to bring my dog.

That exception and the owners refusal to accept payment meant so much.

[reepudsingh]

10:10 PM on 04/13/2011

The best way is not to get them into wars of choice or into wars design by foreign loyalists to benefit the country they are aligned with.

[Libertarian09]

09:22 PM on 04/13/2011

#6: Stop supporting politicians who send the military off on these imperial ventures.

Those who sat in Congress and authorized the current campaigns should have been removed from office long ago, all the previous 5 'things' are mere window dressing. Things to ease our conscience over our support for wars of aggression as expressed in the voting booth.

[TruthToPower20]

07:40 PM on 04/13/2011

I would have thought "end the wars" would have been one of them.

[toughnana]

06:41 PM on 04/13/2011

I am 81 years young and an ex-military wife. My husband is retired military. He retired in 1967. Thank you Mrs. Obama for bringing the plight of military families to the forefront. When we were military we were socially unaccepted.

It was a lonely life. My husband was Navy and out to sea six months of the year. As far as income and housing allowance , unless you lived on the base you received a small housing allowance. I am so sick of hearing well you choose that life. NO, NO I did not he choose to serve his country. When you marry your life becomes his life.

Many civilians jobs comparable to our Navy jobs were making double our salary. Resentful yes I was ,but it was what your husband chose to do.I am proud of this country and I am also proud that I was a Military wife. I would not trade my experience in the 50's for what is happening now. I am so grateful that the wives of our servicemen are finally getting help. I sacrificed and was not appreciated in my generation. So, Everyone get behind our Military and their families. They need our support. I know I did not get any support. Please help them.

[carolina919]

02:09 PM on 04/30/2011

They also serve who sit and wait. Thank you AND your husband for your service.

[captcct]

01:47 PM on 04/13/2011

The best way is to descend on the White House and insist that all the military return to US soil and away from the BS of Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. Concentrate on this country before f*c*k*n* up others... they can (eventually) sort it out themselves without the deaths, etc., to anyone else.

[mjsmith64]

01:29 PM on 04/13/2011

As a vet, so who doesn't support our military families, and especially those who have actually served in combat and faced hostile fire from our enemies. But the truth is that when viewed across all the military branches, only very few active duty members ever traveled outside of the wire and took fire from and fought against the enemy.

And I wonder how many of our fellow taxpaying citizens are actually aware of how well compensated and cared for many members of the all volunteer military actually are.

A case in point: The tax free monthly "housing" allowances that volunteers get handed above their already generous base pays and a panoply of other pays and allowances. Long gone are the days when sailors lived on ships and airmen and soldiers lived in barracks. No, with today's all volunteer force, it is apparently perceived that they should live in luxury condos and homes, oftentimes in upscale oceanfront affluent locations, all on the backs of the US taxpayers!

How many are aware of the FACT that if two volunteer members marry and have a child then this one family get TWO, repeat TWO supposed "housing" allowances to SUPPORT A SINGLE HOUSEHOLD! And these allowances can AND DO readily approach EYE-POPPING AMOUNTS.

And here they are:

San Francisco:
Two married E-9s: Total TAX FREE monthly 'housing' allowance:$5,796!
Two married O-6s: $7,101!

Honolulu:
Two married E-9s:Total TAX FREE monthly 'housing' allowance:$5,277!
Two married O-6s: $6,441!

COMPLETELY UNFATHONABLE!

[SoonerChap]

01:48 PM on 04/13/2011

I fan you because I do agree with some of your statements. I know what it is like to receive direct and indirect fire. However, it has always be the case that a few do most of the fighting while a majority does most of the supporting. I believe in supporting our troops but there is something wrong when a single Soldier gets less support than a married Soldier.

[mjsmith64]

02:01 PM on 04/13/2011

So what is THAT supposed to mean (about housing allowances)? Are you trying to opine that a single sailor or airman living in San Fran OUGHT TO BE GETTING HANDED OVER $7K PER MONTH TAX FREE FORM THE US TAXPAYER TO SUPPORT HIS SURMISED 'HOUSING." IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? GOOD GRIEF! The entitlment mentality never ends!

My point, as a vet, is that these allowances are outrageous on their very faces! THE oigh to live onthe ships or the baes! Besdies, where else on Planet Earth does a taxpayer funded org hand over these preposterous pays to their de facto employes, many of who are 23 yr olds with GEDs and HS diplomas.

[reepudsingh]

10:20 PM on 04/13/2011

How about those who elect not to fight for this country but go off and defend the country they are loyal to while retaining all their rights as U.S. citizen.
Joe Lieberman and the Israeli caucus sponsored legislation that allows duel citizen Israelis to serve in the Israeli military without losing their U.S. citizenship

[Fretchen]

07:56 PM on 04/13/2011

You chose the two highest cost of living areas (BTW, San Francisco has virtually no military presence) and ranks that normally take 25 years or more to achieve - refecting less than one quarter of one percent of the total force structure. You are right that in the case on two married personnel (less than 1% of the total force), BAH is paid to each. You ignored the 99% without a military spouse.

Typical situations are below. E-5/O-3 are used since they reflect the force median for BAH rates with/without dependents.
http://images.military.com//ContentFiles/2011-bah-rates-with-dependents.pdf
http://images.military.com//ContentFiles/2011-bah-without-dependents.pdf

Fort Knox: With: E-5: 885 O-3: 1440 Without: E-5: 705 O-3: 1128
Fort Hood: With: E-5: 1017 O-3: 1449 Without: E-5: 831 O-3: 1068
Hill AFB: With: E-5: 1008 O-3: 1337 Without: E-5: 855 O-3: 1218
Fort Sill: With: E-5: 966 O-3: 1368 Without: E-5: 777 O-3: 1077

No one is renting/purchasing a castle with these payments.

Generous pay?
http://www.navycs.com/2011-military-pay-chart.html#enlisted-paycharts
http://www.navycs.com/2011-military-pay-chart.html#officer-pay-chart.

E-5: From $2,091 to $2,360 depending on number of years in service
O-3: From $3,712 to $5,189 depending on number of years in service

I do not see anyone becoming rich here.

[jonq50]

11:07 PM on 04/13/2011

Frenchan deing a veteran myself and knowing the pay scale and BHA as well.I believe the poster was adding light to the myths that political parties are useing presently to persaude all their political idealogies.As for pointing out San Francisco their were 2 base's in San Francisco to the mid 90's Presideo and Mire Island..I also believe they are crying at spilt milk. The E1-E5 not the rest..Maybe an 01-02 are the ones affected..My oldest brother is a retired 05 and my other brother is a retired E7. I myself was an E5 then left for college, They may not be getting wealthy but lets just say they have a job and higher benefits then most..

[Pennsanic]

01:21 PM on 04/13/2011

I'd also suggest "Books for Soldiers" and "Operation Shoebox" if you want to do something for a soldier.

[jwhite1245]

01:06 PM on 04/13/2011

The first way we support the troops is awareness. The majority of Americans have no idea how the world's best military force has been used and abused these past 10 years. My son has been in the Marine Corps for 18 years serving as an attack helicopter pilot, Cobra. Twice to Iraq, and a one year tour to Afghanistan. Many of his friends have been deployed 4-5 times during this period. As a former Marine Corps fighter pilot you sign up knowing deployments come with the job. This did not happen in Vietnam.

These multiple separations are destroying families not to mention the very soul of the Marine Corps and the other services.

But the worst pill to swallow is to hear the condescending, ignorant platitudes that are given when expressions of gratitude are voiced that thank the "troops" for defending our freedom and way of life. What a total pile of BS. As a professional military person you serve without question and execute the directives of the President and the civilian government he represents.

The military professionals need to be thanked for their dedication in executing their duties as professionals. But to invoke all this garage about protecting and preserving our "way of life" is far more appropriate if one wants to discuss the War of 1812 or perhaps even Pearl Harbor. To use it in the context of the recent engagements demonstrates at best ignorance and a absurdly naive and distorted view of reality.

[carolina919]

02:22 PM on 04/30/2011

First of all...THANK YOU. I do so agree with you. We need the best military forces in the world but that doesn't mean we have to be engaged in perpetual warfare. This is our military defense system, after all....not some mercenary foreign legion deal.

We, who are not in the service, should uphold the same high standards as truly dedicated service members and work very hard to give them the civilian leadership they deserve a civilian leadership that is worthy of the "arm's length" relationship our country expects between the military and civilian "control".

I only wish we would take the lessons of dedication, training and professionalism from the military and apply it more widely. This country could use a double dose of "standards" and a little more discipline in a lot of areas. But we should be seeking it as a "good" thing for ourselves. Thank you for posting. I am grateful to you, your son, his friends. Your attitude and values are the ones we need.

[PC Contrarian]

03:06 PM on 04/30/2011

Well said, faved.

[peskime]

01:05 PM on 04/13/2011

Did you have to put a picture of New Mexico's hobbit governor under the headline, "Be a foster parent for a pet?"

[Kevin Ghiassi]

12:28 PM on 04/13/2011

Do you know , how you can help?
MAKE THE GOVERNMENT TO BRING THEM HOME!
and don't get involved in everyone's business.

[imonlyhereforthelaughs]

12:18 PM on 04/13/2011

Suggestions 2 and 5 are the only ones that actually do anything to help military families. The rest is fluffy make-yourself-feel-good crap.

How about helping the spouse out with every day things. Mow their lawn for them. Maybe the wife (assuming it's the wife) has her hands full with 2 or 3 young kids, making mowing the lawn a bit difficult. This card writing BS is just that...BS. It only makes you feel good, it does not help the military family in any way beyond a fleeting, 2 second smirk.

[SoonerChap]

01:51 PM on 04/13/2011

Wow, you are right.

[Dantee]

12:14 PM on 04/13/2011

With military funding in the hundreds of billions and being increased as we speak and with the contractors making obscene profits which break records quarterly, I would think some of those vast fortunes might 'trickle down' to the soldiers who are the work force of this vast industry and thus to their families. Appoligies to the First Ladies but from here on, I look out for myself and mine. I have nothing left in my life to spare.

[carolina919]

02:24 PM on 04/30/2011

" I have nothing left in my life to spare."

Then you are poor indeed.

[KrautMan]

12:08 PM on 04/13/2011

Or you could just talk them out of a profession that basically consists of killing people in never-ending wars of aggression.

[SrAN]

12:09 PM on 04/13/2011

If it were not for our profession you wouldn't be sitting there typing that right now. We need the military, we just dont need a corporate led military which is exactly what the government that you helped to vote in has made it.

[KrautMan]

12:32 PM on 04/13/2011

Hardly so, I'm not a U.S. citizen. The government I voted in doesn't believe in illegal wars, colonialism or interventionism.

[Libertarian09]

09:34 PM on 04/13/2011

If not for your profession there would be a million or more citizens of the Middle East still alive. Not to mention the few lives lost on 9/11 that came as a direct result of your profession's actions.

The American people are more than capable of defending their freedoms from outsiders, the only need for a military is to take the freedoms of people in their homes

[Reed210]

12:33 PM on 04/13/2011

I should start out by saying work for the Army as a civilian. Everyone single one of the service members I work with have dedicated their lives to helping others and public service. They truly believe in what they're doing. I have never met a nicer, respectful, and respectable group of people. Military families live under such tremendous stress. In the civilian world, we would never put up with it. I think it's good to bring awareness to this issue but letter writing is simply not enough. They need real physical support. Boots on the ground so to speak.