A Familys Guide to the Military For Dummies

Your personal how–tohandbook for living yourbest life as a military family Looking for a clear, concise guide to military life? Whether you′re new to the armed forces or planning your latest relocation, this plain–English handbook has expert tips for overcoming the challenges and taking advantage of the benefits unique to life in the military. From living on a base to financial planning to deployment, you′ll see how to find all the support your family needs. Grasp the boot camp basics — understand rank and military hierarchy, find your way around a base, and connect with others in the community Take charge of your finances — decipher military compensation, handle your taxes, build credit, and invest for your family′s future Understand your military benefits — obtain health and dental insurance, utilize the family support centers, explore retirement benefits, and more Raise a happy family — from housing and childcare to education and recreation, take advantage of all the military offers Handle deployments — prepare for deployment, help children cope, stay connected with your loved one, and manage stress and anxiety Transition out of the military — assess the financial benefits, retire from service, and plan for your next career Open the book and find: An overview of military versus civilian lifestyle Your place in the military structure Educational and employment opportunities Family support centers, groups, and associations The best benefits for military spouses How to avoid scams against service members A family′s guide to military acronyms Programs outside the military you can turn to for support

Foreword. Introduction. Part I: Reporting for Duty. Chapter 1: Living Life As a Military Family. Chapter 2: Figuring Out Customs and Courtesies. Chapter 3: Getting Around Military Bases. Chapter 4: Connecting with the Military Community. Part II: Understanding Your Financial Issues and Benefits. Chapter 5: Deciphering Military Compensation. Chapter 6: Taking Care of Yourself: Health and Dental Insurance. Chapter 7: Maximizing Military Benefits. Chapter 8: Starting Out on the Right Financial Foot. Chapter 9: Building onto Your Financial Foundation. Chapter 10: Housing Options for the Military Family. Chapter 11: Finding Employment and Educational Opportunities. Part III: Supporting the Military Family. Chapter 12: Raising a Family in the Military. Chapter 13: Maintaining Strong Military Couples. Chapter 14: Tapping into Community Support. Chapter 15: Dealing with the Disability or Death of a Family Member. Part IV: Mastering Deployments. Chapter 16: Prepping for Deployments. Chapter 17: Accessing Traditional Family Support. Chapter 18: Helping Children Cope with the Absence of a Parent. Chapter 19: Keeping Connected with Your Loved One. Part V: Transitioning Out of the Military. Chapter 20: Separating from Service. Chapter 21: Retiring from Service. Chapter 22: Exploring Subsequent Careers. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 23: Ten Best Benefi ts for Military Spouses. Chapter 24: Ten Biggest Financial Military Benefits. Chapter 25: Ten Worst Scams Against Servicemembers. Appendix: Military Acronyms. Index.

Sheryl Garrett is a financial advisor, author, and speaker. She founded the Garrett Planning Network and is the author of Personal Finance Workbook For Dummies . Sue Hoppin is the Deputy Director for Spouse Outreach at the Military Officers Association of America. In 2007, Military Spouse magazine placed Sue on their 2007 Who′s Who of Military Spouses list.