News

Yesterday, during remarks at Bolling Air Force Base, First Lady Michelle Obama announced that President Obama's 2011 budget will increase funding for military families by more than 3%, bringing funding for military family support programs to $8.8 billion.  The additional funding follows increased attention to the unique challenges now facing military families.

At a recent Orchard and Vineyard show at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa in Traverse City Michigan, the agricultural community rallied support for the troops by stopping by the Northwest County Farm Bureau/Farm Bureau Insurance booth to write notes of appreciation on the back of Valentine hearts.

What an exciting day today it was for me personally, as well as BSF. I started my morning at the ungodly hour of 4:30, so that I could check email, get dressed and slam a cup of Joe down, before I headed out the door at 5:30.  I spoke at the Roswell Optimist Club, where I had a very warm reception, and was asked by a member to speak at another club the Korean War Veterans Association.

As advocates for military families, the members and leadership of Blue Star Families try to spread our message far and wide.  In that effort, in October of 2009, BSF members in DC had the opportunity to meet with military family advocate Deborah Mullen, Wife of Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Returning Veterans’ Homestead Exemption provides qualifying Veterans in Illinois a one-time $5,000 reduction to their home’s equalized assessed value (EAV).

Spouses of DoD Active Duty members and federally activated members of the National Guard and Reserve Components are eligible. The period of eligibility for spouses of Guard and Reserve members is from the date of the Alert or Warning Order for Military Recall or Mobilization, through activation and deployment until 180 days following De-Mobilization.

BSF Board member Connie Milstein and her bakery, Connie's Bakery, gave a fantastic Christmas surprise to newly reunited families at Fort Drum. Her bakery generously donated 400 tins (yes, 400!) of brownies to our families to help celebrate their Christmas redeployment. Here are the reports from the field, courtesy of myself and Carmen Blackmore, Fort Drum interim chapter director extraordinaire:

The theme for the 2010-2011 Patriot Pen's Essay Contest has been announced: "Does Patriotism Still Matter?"

Earlier this year after much soul searching and discussion, my husband and I decided to divorce. After eight years of marriage, the birth of our son Drew, three career changes for me, four combat deployments and five military moves – with another one looming on the horizon – we just weren’t able to make it work anymore.