April is the Month of the Military Child, and what better way to celebrate than with a few new books for your little ones. It's not easy for a military child to understand why his or her life is so unique. They've been born into this life, unlike the spouse who chose it for himself. Depending on the age, it's also equally not easy for children to understand exactly what kind of job their enlisted parents do, and why it's so important. Therein lies the other corner to this, and why it might be hard for them to understand why their parent has to be away so often or for so long. A Salute To Our …

Been through a deployment? Then you're probably already familiar with the predeployment checklist. Prepping for your first deployment? Then you're probably looking at this three-page to-do list and wondering, “Where do I start?” Surprisingly, the answer is really simple. Do first what requires your spouse to be here — like getting your ID's renewed. If your IDs are due to expire anytime during your husband’s deployment, then those need to be a priority. Power of Attorney and Wills are also a major priority. And, when it comes to getting a POA check with all the places in which you may need to…

The great thing about predeployment is the work ups. Ok, so they really aren't all THAT great, but they do have their own advantage point. They give you a taste of what the full deployment is going to look and feel like for you. I think, now that I am preparing for a deployment with kids, this is a huge benefit. I get the chance to pin point my weaknesses, and make sure I have reinforcements lined up. I also get to focus on what my strengths are so I know exactly what I need to utilize. Our strengths lie in many different areas. Maybe you're an extremely meticulous person, or a pro at being …

We're in the predeployment stages. You know, lots of workups and field ops. On my husband's last trip, all three of my kids got sick. Again. Ugh. It was rough. Sleepless nights listening to the coughs, sniffles, tosses, and turns. Fueling up on coffee and Full Throttles to make it through the day. The evening comes, I get all the kids to sleep, and continue on with my evening routine of picking up toys, folding laundry, loading the dishwasher.... Before I knew it, it was 10 o'clock and I was exhausted. I'd look at the book that I hadn't touched in over five days and almost weep for the loss …