Rebecca Alwine

To better understand what moms hope the president-elect tackles in his first days in office, COURIER interviewed several supporters ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration.
No one has felt the impact of life in a pandemic more than mothers. Between navigating working from home, managing virtual schooling, and oftentimes being the primary childcare provider, women are reaching their breaking point.

As one of the populations directly impacted by who the commander-in-chief is, military service members have a unique perspective on presidential elections. In many ways, they are forced to remain silent. That doesn’t mean they vote as one: Service members can be found all over the political spectrum.

Every year I undertake a convoluted process to ensure I can cast an absentee ballot. Over the last 16 years, I’ve voted by mail 16 times.
During the last presidential election, the average in-person voter spent 19 minutes waiting in line and at the polls. For the almost 1 million military service members and dependents who vote by mail, the process is longer—and much more complicated.
I haven’t lived in Virginia for 15 years, but every year I have to verify I’m still registered to vote there....

In its fifth year — and its second during the pandemic — the Virtual Military Spouse Symposium is adding something new. On top of discussing career development and spouse well-being, the third day of the summit will focus on relationships. Spouses can join the conversation, titled “Reflect, Explore, Act,” hosted by the Department of Defense on April 27 – 29 from the comfort of their own home or office.

The National Guard hit a milestone this month of providing 6 million vaccinations to the civilian ...

Inside: The ultimate list of moving away quotes to express your love and friendship perfectly as you say farewell. Goodbye quotes for friends, family, kids and more.
Life is full of hellos and goodbyes. We even have official functions for them! Going away gifts, parties, or cards are common in our community, especially when we forge hard and fast friendships at those tough-to-love places.
Emotions can get the better of us when it’s time to put our feelings into words, but that’s a great time ...

"The military community just gets me. It's like no other. Military spouses have a special bond. You don't get it unless you're a part of it." I'm sure we've all heard these statements before, and some of us may have even said them. Yes, the military community is special, but there are other communities out there who do understand us, who do get us, who do have a similar sister/brotherhood.
One of those communities is CrossFit. Yes, please keep reading, I promise this is not all about the work...

“Mom, show me where I was born again please?” my middle child asked me while I was cooking dinner. My two oldest children were born in Germany, courtesy of the Army, and maybe that’s where their fascination with geography was also born. Or maybe it’s because I majored in Geography in college and have an affinity for all things world maps.
Either way, my children have been enthralled with world maps of all kinds for as long as they’ve been alive. And it wouldn’t be fair to say it’s just them. ...

Freezing full meals or ingredients gives you the flexibility to buy in bulk or save money when there’s a sale. Freezing comes in handy when you want to store a meal in the freezer for the unexpected meal train. Oh, and of course—when you start a deployment and haven’t yet adjusted to the smaller amount of food you need. There are so many reasons and types of food you can freeze!
Meal prep is incredibly popular — just like the Instant Pot and Air Fryer. But for some, meal prep can be incredibl...

Here we are. October is in full swing and your kids still don’t have their Halloween costumes picked out. The kids have a million and one ideas, that involve everything from tattoos to hair dye to elaborate (read: expensive) costumes. But as busy moms everywhere must do to survive, we forbid any discussions of Halloween costumes until at least September 1st. We sure as heck don’t buy anything until October, because we know our kids will change their minds a million times. But then October act...

It’s military ball season and that means one thing for military spouses all over the country: it’s time for a new military ball gown. Fall is in full swing and we are ready to rock Military Ball Season 2019 in all the red lipstick, a flawless updo, and a dress fit for a goddess. Since a dress can transform a mood from “volun-told” to “va-va-voom” we crafted this lookbook to give you all the inspiration you’ll need to find a look you love. Whether this is your first or 15th formal military soi...

Volunteering abroad is a great opportunity for nurses and nursing students. Beyond the technical skills you will learn, you will be able to learn about underrepresented populations that may be impoverished, living in a remote area, or be exposed to illnesses and injuries you don’t see in the United States, or even in Western Europe.
These volunteer opportunities can further your education and experience beyond what clinical hours can. You’ll be able to see how medical providers practice with ...

When I won the grand prize trip to the Empowered Spouses Retreat (ESR) earlier this year thanks to the InDependent Wellness Summit and the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation, I was not excited. In truth, I’m pretty sure Evie, InDependent’s executive director, was more excited that she pulled my name than I was. I was in a place where the last thing I wanted to do was be around military and first responder spouses talking about how hard our lives are and how much we “get it” because we’re in the same ...

Have you been considering taking a break from your studies to explore the world? If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug and are feeling less-than-excited to go to class, you may want to consider taking a gap year.
If you've considered taking a gap year – or have at least heard of the concept – you might want a bit more info to decide if it's truly right for you. Read on to learn what a gap year is (and what it isn't!), the advantages and disadvantages of gap years, how to plan your gap year ...

Military members often have several housing options from which to choose. Whether you’re facing your first military move or your last, there is always one burning question, “Where should we live?” From young, single service members to big, bustling families, the housing situation is one of the first things that needs to be settled. Almost everything stems from that future address.
But do you know enough about all of your options to make the best decision? And, do you know where to look for th...