Author Seeks Input From Military Spouses

Fellow Spouses,

ATTENTION ALL MILITARY SPOUSES – Especially WIVES!  Hello, my name is Saraj E. Musick and I have been a military wife for almost seventeen years.  Throughout this seventeen year adventure I have had countless people ask me questions about my lifestyle and how it differs from theirs.  Also, fellow military wives inquire and compare circumstances and experiences when it comes to subjects such as raising our kids in the military and moving often.  Therefore, I decided four years ago to write a book and now I would like your help.

I am enlisting the help of any military spouse associated with any branch of the United States Armed Forces whether you are a new military spouse, a veteran spouse, the spouse of a retiree, or even those ex-spouses who have separated or divorced a military member.  I would like to insert your stories – long or short, original quotes, and jokes into this book.  Enclosed, on page two, is a list of suggested topics but please include any new ideas if you have a good story to cover the topic as it pertains to life in the military.

Please note that your submission can be funny, serious, dramatic, upsetting or anything that pertains to your story or experience.  Not all topics will be included in the finished book but all submissions may be saved for possible future use (in book #2!).  If nothing else I will comprise the largest collection of Military Spouse Memoires in the world!

Submissions can be handwritten, typed or emailed and they must be submitted with an information form which is enclosed and titled “Submission/Information Form”.  Any entry without the information form will be destroyed and not considered.  Submissions for consideration will be contacted and permission to use the submission will be contracted at that time.  All accepted submissions will receive a signed copy of the finished book and if you want you will receive name recognition in the book.  Some will be monetarily compensated.

This letter and the Submission/Information Form can be reproduced and given to all interested parties for their consideration.  If you would like an e-copy then feel free to email me at militarywifebook@live.com and put “Military Wives” in the subject line.  I would also appreciate anyone who would take a few minutes to send a copy of these forms to any other military spouses as aforementioned that are in their network so I can get input from as many spouses as possible.

Finally, regardless if you place a submission or not then please feel free to send me your contact information if you want to be on my mailing/e-mailing list for the release of this exciting new book!  Thank you for your time and consideration in my exciting new venture to become an author.  If anyone would like to contact me with questions, comments or concerns then please e-mail me at the e-mail address above.

Sincerely, Saraj E. Musick

Topics to Consider
Submission Form

Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Military Spouses

Getting a federal job as a military spouse will become easier effective September 11, 2009. Final regulations implementing Executive Order 13473 were issued August 12, 2009 in the Federal Register and give agencies the option of hiring qualified military spouses without going through the competitive process.

Under this new hiring authority, military spouse is defined as one of the following:

  1. The spouse of a member of the armed forces serving on active duty (to include members of the National Guard and Reserves on active duty), who has orders specifying a permanent change of station (not for training).
  2. The spouse of a 100% disabled service member injured while on active duty.
  3. The unmarried widow or widower of a service member killed while on active duty.

General Hiring Provisions

  • Spouses will have two years from the date the PCS orders are issued to obtain federal employment.
  • Spouses of relocating service members are limited to only one appointment under this authority per PCS order. (There is no limit on the number of appointments a spouse of a 100% disabled or the widow of a deceased service member may receive).
  • The noncompetitive appointment is limited to the geographic area (as stated on the PCS orders), or the surrounding commuting area. (This limitation may be waived if no Federal agency exists in the geographic area).
  • Spouses can find out about federal job opportunities by going to www.usajobs.gov (Spouses may also check the websites of specific agencies in which they may wish to work for position vacancies). This new hiring authority is not limited to specific positions or grade levels but spouses would have to meet the same requirements as other applicants, to include qualification requirements. It will be the responsibility of the applicant to request consideration for employment under this authority as a military spouse. The use of this hiring authority will be discretionary with managers; it does not mean spouses will get a hiring preference, nor does it create an entitlement to Federal jobs over other qualified applicants. 

For additional information on this new hiring authority, following is a link to the Federal Register dated Aug. 12, 2009.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-19340.pdf

Family Matters Blog

Defense Department officials launched a blog called "Family Matters" blog dedicated to providing resources and support to military families. The blog features tips from experts, and military-related topics that discuss anything from deployments and separations to education benefits and child care.

Elaine Wilson, editor and writer for American Forces Press Services, launched the “Family Matters” blog to provide resources and support to military families, as well as to encourage a dialogue on topics ranging from deployments and separations to the challenges of everyday life.

AFPS started as a weekly collection of articles distributed by mail to military newspaper editors worldwide, and has grown into a timely news service available on the World Wide Web. Press service stories are available for use inside and outside the military on the Defense Department’s Web site, www.defenselink.mil, as well as through free e-mail subscriptions, RSS feeds,  Facebook and Twitter. Publishing more than 3,000 news and feature articles annually, AFPS covers developments affecting servicemembers and their families, reports from the scene when senior leaders travel, and uses selected articles from the services and military units to tell the Defense Department’s story. Now, AFPS has launched its first blog, soon to be followed by more blogs on subjects of interest and concern to servicemembers and their families.

Do You Need Someone to Talk To?

The Military and Family Life Consultant (MFLC) Program provides brief consultation, supportive services and problem solving to assist troops, families and civilian personnel to cope with the stress of deployment, reunion and reintegration.

MFLCs are licensed professionals from outside the military system who are available to help service members, spouses, family members, children, and civilian employees address:

  • Deployment/reintegration issues
  • Marriage and relationship issues
  • Parenting/sibling & family issues
  • Communication challenges
  • Stress and anxiety
  • Depression
  • Grief and loss
  • Daily life issues
  • Job stress

The services they provide are FREE and ANONYMOUS except when state, federal and military reporting requirements dictate otherwise for protection of personnel.

Sessions are private! NO RECORDS ARE KEPT! Helping you is their priority!

Meetings can be scheduled on or off base (but not in private residenses) After-hours and weekend appointments are available and group or off-site meetings can be arranged. Scheduling an appointment is easy just call the Beale MFLC at 530-601-6915.