Rebecca Alwine

A service member’s “home of record” is the state from which they joined the military. This can never be changed, but their state of residency can. As spouses, we don’t have a “home of record,” but we do have a state of residency. Usually, it’s where we vote. Sometimes, it’s where we own property.
You have to establish your state of residency. It’s more than just choosing a state. A spouse doesn’t just assume the military member’s state of residency by getting married. You must establish yours...

Running is something people in the military do every day, but for some it means more than passing a PT test. It can be an outlet and a stress reliever, but for the thousands preparing for the Marine Corps Marathon, it’s a way to give back and motivate others.
Since 2003, when a group of military spouses came together to ease the homecoming for wounded service members and their families, Semper Fi Fund has helped over 21,000 service members and raised over $182 million to do so. The organizati...

By Rebecca Alwine, Army Spouse
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this summer, you’ve heard this story a dozen times. Military family packs up their household goods, moves to a new location, and then spends weeks waiting for delivery.
Their required delivery date (RDD) comes and goes. The air mattress springs a leak, the paper plates that were meant to last for a few days are long gone, and the bills start adding up.
Inconvenience Claim Military Move
Up until this year, most of us were no...

How many lemonade stands did you set up as a kid? Or bake sales? Did you help your parents with the yard sale in exchange for some cash to buy new toys? What about when you started a lawn care business as a teenager, how did that go?
Children learn the broad strokes of entrepreneurship very young, but few understand enough to move on to the next level. In an Inc.com article recently, 93 percent of successful entrepreneurs revealed what they thought their key to success was.
It’s no surprise t...

As a reservist or National Guard member, people often think you have the best of both worlds. But when it comes time to weather a deployment financially, you probably don’t think so.
There are certain advantages to being activated, and there are definitely some disadvantages.
Ideally, your financial situation is steady long before activation or deployment comes down the line. You have a budget, you have a savings account, you have a handle on your debt or are debt free.
For some families, the...

A hundred years ago, the first Army tanks rolled into history, and from what we’ve seen in movies and heard from those who’ve driven them, Brad Pitt was right: “Best job I ever had,” is the resounding theme.
When the United States decided it needed to join the tank community in 1917, it commissioned the building of the M1917. Of course, just like any other great idea in the military, it took time. It took so long it missed World War I. The Marines took the M1917 to China in 1927 and then came...

I always tell people, I’m quite sure I could fix that problem with my car, but I just don’t want to. We’ve always lucked out, having friends at each duty station who enjoyed tinkering with their cars, and would work with my husband as he fixed things on his Mustang or changed the oil. I would gladly make some cookies or pour some lemonade as they worked hard, anything to cut down the cost of those vehicle repairs.
So what ways can you save some money while doing your own vehicle maintenance?
...

Life gets crazy quickly, and meal planning is often the thing that gets pushed aside. In fact, 50 percent of the pizzas ordered each year are ordered on Fridays and Saturdays. We all start the week off with the intention of cooking healthy dinners but can find ourselves running out of time and energy by week’s end. You’ve heard all of these ideas before, and are probably thinking, giving me ideas doesn’t give me more time. And it’s true. But there are some ways to cut corners. I’m going to sh...

No one understands the ups and downs of military life like a military child. They’ve said goodbye to their parent, their friends, and their homes more times than most people can even imagine. DoDEA reports that the average military child will move six to nine times throughout their school-aged years, about three times more than non-military kids.
Military parents know how important their child’s education is, and most of them learn on-the-fly just how complicated it is to move their child fro...

It’s never too late to continue your education.
You may feel like the oldest student in your new online college class, but you are not alone. Almost 40 percent of college students are over age 25, and that number is on the rise. With age comes experience, wisdom, and sometimes extra challenges. Older students often have spouses, children, and jobs to juggle as well as their studies.
On the flip side, online classes bring a level playing field for everyone. Online courses give you flexibility,...

Be the good and do goodness in the world.
Companies, large and small, are finding value in giving back through team philanthropy. And it isn’t restricted to any one type of industry. From service professionals to virtual teams, businesses are using their niche as a means to encourage teamwork, improve communities, and just do their part overall.
Jessica Bertsch, founder and president of Powerhouse Planning, feels she was called to give back to others through her business and her team. Prior t...

Deployments always come with mixed emotions. Military spouses sometimes joke about how much money they save when their spouses are deployed. I’ve even said that a time or two, usually to ease the blow of him leaving again. But sometimes you really can accrue a savings from deployment money. Or, the time separated can cost money. Most of that comes down to your financial decisions.
Budget is important
Before making any financial decisions, or taking any financial advice, make sure you are on t...

Fort Gordon may not be on the list of biggest military bases in the US, but it would surely be on a list of fastest growing. With over 10,000 new soldiers and contractors expected in the next six years, it’s easy to understand why Fort Gordon and the local area are undergoing some growing pains. All branches of the military are stationed at Fort Gordon, in a variety of ways. The surrounding area is experiencing some job and economic growth thanks to the increase in cyber jobs.
Moving to Fort ...

What’s not to love about birthday parties?
Picking a date and then a theme. Planning it around school, work, holidays and vacations. Inviting people and then waiting for them to respond while attempting to plan a menu. Plus, the added pressure of parenting, which leads to conversations about why this child had a birthday party at the bowling alley or that child’s parents hand-built a Minecraft-themed house for them to play Minecraft in.
Seriously, what's not to love?!
Our family has never bee...

“Just give me a minute,” I plead with my kids one more time. “Mommy just has to finish this one project.”
If you’re like me and you work from home, you’ve probably said this at least a dozen times. Today. Working from home as a parent is a challenge. And I firmly believe that adding in the military makes it even harder.
As the mom of school-aged children, and a toddler, school breaks make for lots of juggling. And summertime can bring lots of headaches.
But, I’ve learned quite a bit over the ...