December 21, 2025

When you’re part of a military family, the holidays don’t always arrive wrapped in tradition. Some years, the tree goes up early because deployment is around the corner, and you want to experience as much of the season together as possible. In other years, the family photo includes one less…...

December 16, 2025

Before the Boots Hit the Floor The alarm goes off at 4:30 AM, two and a half hours before our kindergartener gets up for school. My service member hits the snooze button, and I try my best to tune it out for as long as I can. As he gets…...

December 11, 2025

A Homecoming to Remember I’ll never forget the day my husband came home from his first deployment. We had only been dating for three months before he left for nine long months in Poland. At the time, I didn’t know if our relationship would survive the distance, the uncertainty, or…...

December 9, 2025

Holidays for military families can look a little different compared to most. Many are stationed far from loved ones, and it’s not always feasible to reconnect for the season. As most of our holidays as a military family were spent on the West Coast, while our extended families were on…...

December 3, 2025

The holiday season is known as a time of cheer and joy, filled with laughter over shared family meals. But for military families, especially those celebrating the holidays abroad, it might feel like a rollercoaster of emotions. As you listen to festive songs and happily wrap your children's presents, homesickness…...

December 2, 2025

When I think back to my childhood holidays, I can still picture the Kansas snow dusting the ground at Fort Riley. My dad was stationed there, and though our little base housing was far from the rest of our family, my parents did everything they could to make it feel…...

November 27, 2025

The holiday season has always been my favorite time of the year! It’s the smell of something warm in the oven, the sound of laughter as family and friends gather, and, now more than ever, the feeling of gratitude that reminds us what really matters most. But as part of…...

November 20, 2025

Finding the right gifts for military families can be both deeply rewarding and uniquely challenging. The sacrifices and uncertainties that come with deployments, moves, and long separations call for gifts that are meaningful, practical, and heartfelt. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to come up with the perfect gift idea…...

November 18, 2025

Honoring Families That Serve Too Military Family Appreciation Month was founded by the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) in 1993 and has since been formally recognized each November by the U.S. Government with a presidential proclamation of gratitude. Though less than one percent of Americans serve in the Armed Forces, military…...

November 13, 2025

Thanksgiving holds a special place in the hearts of military families. For some, it’s spent far from extended relatives, with a parent deployed or loved ones scattered across the globe. For others, it’s celebrated on base or in a new duty station with friends who’ve become “framily.” No matter the…...