Blogs

By Jaron Brown, DEPLOY Outdoors Fellow The outdoor narrative often feels like it's missing some crucial chapters for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities due to the lack of representation in media and marketing. When the imagery and stories don't reflect the diversity of our experiences, it's not just a gap in the media landscape — it's a message that says, "this space isn't for you." Seeing predominantly one-dimensional portrayals of outdoor enthusiasts can make it challenging for BIPOC individuals to envision themselves as integral parts of the outdoor story. It's not just about inclusion; it's about creating a narrative that resonates ...
If you don't already know her, you should. Michelle Brito is a seasoned financial specialist, military family program advisor, and the spouse of a career Army soldier. Ms. Brito has worked in accounting, income tax preparation, mortgage lending, military finance, and government contracting. During her 37 years of marriage and 18 military moves, Ms. Brito has transported her career-building skills and experience with each new opportunity. Recognized for her leadership as a thoughtful senior advisor, Ms. Brito dedicates volunteer time to building awareness and advancing networks that enable military families to engage and grow within their local communities. ...
By Tim Jones, USAA DEPLOY Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Fellow Happy Black History Month! Last week, our cohort participated in an executive leadership training at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. Dr. Ella Washington delivered an insightful presentation on Power versus Influence, which aligns perfectly with my focus this month on the idea that knowledge is power. As we commemorate Black history, it's crucial to continue recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions, even if they are often overlooked. I'd like to shine a spotlight on the 369th Infantry Regiment, famously known as the "Harlem Hellfighters." ...
Last week, Blue Star Families and The White Oak Collaborative hosted our latest Homefront and Frontlines Town Hall Series, Global Events and You: What Military Families Want to Know . During that time, we heard from experts, including: John Kirby, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications Jason Israel, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Defense Policy at the National Security Council Laura K. Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia Daniel Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East They answered some of the ...
Remote Work Options — Things to Consider Finding remote work involves several steps and strategies. Identifying available options can be more challenging in today's competitive market. Blue Star Careers can offer you direct employer connections and webinar sessions so you can research further remote work options. Here are some step-by-step suggestions to help you find remote job opportunities; we have other connections to set you up for success. Join our Nationhood community and select Blue Star Careers. First, we suggest doing a "self-assessment," how ready are you? Remote work can be isolating yet fun, distracting, ...
“Video games rot your brain!” “Video games make you violent!” Do they, though? Studies linking video games with addictive and violent behaviors have run rampant since the 1980s. I remember hearing my parents repeat how bad video games were for us as kids, despite the fact that they had just gifted a Super Nintendo to my stepbrother and me for Christmas that year, which had opened the gateway to my love of video games. Luckily, modern scientific research has all but debunked the myth that video games are solely detrimental to mental health. The evolving world of gaming has brought forth new scientific research that highlights the numerous ...
This is about sports teams. Have you ever had this reoccurring moment in your dreams where you find yourself stuck in similar, awkward situations? Maybe it’s random replays of moments past or you’re a mid-30s adult that still somehow finds themselves missing the school bus. No, just me. Cool. Lucky for me, these are just dreams and largely unlikely to happen in real life. That is, except one. Picture it: you’re dreaming of a Friday night out with friends at some trendy restaurant (even though you don’t see food anywhere), full of good-looking people, and in walks THE ONE, that person you’ve been waiting to walk into reality (for me it’s my ...
The holidays this year were quiet for us. We didn't travel. We didn't have visitors. It was just our family of five and our furbaby. Though it was nice to relax, take lots of walks (my oldest actually got his first job dog sitting for the week!), bake all of the things, and play games, I found myself longing for time with our extended family and friends that we were missing this year. Our kids decided to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve and celebrate the beginning of the year with a sparkling juice toast and some confetti poppers. Then, we all grabbed a few hours of sleep, and after breakfast, we headed out on a family hike. Anyone who's been ...
Thank you for joining us at our recent Let's Bake ! Holiday Cookie Decorating Webinar. We hope you enjoyed learning how to decorate adorable holiday cookies with Vikki Vaskis ! But... we are still missing a key ingredient! YOUR FEEDBACK! Please take the survey to let us know your thoughts on this program and how we can improve it for future events. We also encourage you to showcase your cookie creations by posting and sharing them here in the Cooking Community . Please stay on the lookout for more webinars like this in the new year and a giveaway that will happen soon within the Cooking Community 🥰 We genuinely appreciate your participation ...
Celebrating the holidays as a military family has been a truly unique experience. I love the holidays, and every year I try to do something special with the kids to make each holiday its own core memory for them since we can’t always celebrate with our extended family. This year, our family is PCSing right in the middle of December — the heart of the holiday season. This move has brought a new level of difficulty in my endeavor to always provide a positive, memorable holiday experience — but nevertheless, I am determined to make it so. While I can’t put up a Christmas tree or bake my usual holiday cookies, I have found other ways to keep the joy alive in ...
Military moves can present unique challenges due to the nature of relocation and potential separations from loved ones; when you factor in the holidays, these moves get even more compounded. Below are some tips we've compiled to support you as you navigate moving during the holiday season. Plan and Communicate Early Military moves often come with little notice. Though you may have a checklist (and you've checked it twice!), you'll likely find that half the installation or base goes on block leave during the holidays, making it nearly impossible to get anything done. Keep those communication lines open, and plan what you can as soon as possible. Stay ...
Finding Your Community ; Encontrando Tu Comunidad! Meet Nicole. She’s been a military spouse for more than 10 years. Originally hailing from Puerto Rico, Maryland is now home. While serving her community as an Air Force Key Spouse, Nicole knows firsthand how difficult it can be to deal with career gaps. Nicole was out of the workforce for 10 years…and then discovered Blue Star Families Careers . “ Verano Bilingüe" was the first program I participated in, and when I learned about the initiative, I had to volunteer . "Blue Star Careers brings back a "spark" in me. Through BSF Careers, I am starting to feel more confident ...

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's more than just delicious food and beautiful aromas, though. What I love the most about this time of year is the focused moments of gratitude, spending time with family and friends, and creating memories that I know will last a lifetime. I still remember the first Thanksgiving my husband and I were dating. He was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, and these were the good old days of SAT phones and writing letters - plus, since I was just a girlfriend, I wasn't able to get much information from the FRO, so I relied on spouses that I knew to keep me posted on things. I celebrated the holiday with my family, ...
If you're new here, welcome! Blue Star Families is committed to creating deep connections between military and Veteran members and their civilian neighbors. Whether in-person or virtually, we firmly believe we are all stronger when caring for one another. Blue Star Neighborhood continues to grow every single day, and we are so grateful that you are here! It is important to us that our community members feel connected no matter where they are or where they are going, and that is why we have created some new lifestyle communities in The Neighborhood. These communities are more niche than our HQ Community, allowing you to build the connection, acceptance, ...
Blue Star Careers — Career Nourishment 101 As a Military Spouse, nurturing and advancing your career is a continuous process that requires dedication, self-awareness, and strategic planning. Here are some Blue Star Career nourishment tips to help you grow and succeed in your professional journey no matter where the military takes you! Set Clear Goals: Define your short-term and long-term career objectives. Clear goals will provide direction and motivation, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. Continuous Learning : Never stop learning and acquiring new skills. Stay updated with industry trends, attend workshops, ...
‘Mirrors and windows’ is a phrase that often comes up in my line of work. What does it mean? It is a phrase that highlights the importance of diversity in the information and media we consume, the spaces we enter, and the stories we hear. A mirror is a term used to describe one’s shared identity thriving in a space or positionality. At the same time, a window is an opportunity for someone to see another person’s identity and humanity thriving in that space or positionality. The diversity in what we see, hear, and experience can provide those windows and mirrors for ourselves and future generations and expand the possibilities for what we think is possible. The ...
I don't know about you, but I'm still filled with enthusiasm from all the excitement of Blue Star Welcome Week 2023 . We all know the stress and overwhelm of moving to new areas, so having something like Welcome Week to increase morale is essential. It's a way to build connection and community, whether you've been in an area for one week or three years. Building reliable relationships, finding new places to explore, and revisiting old gems are vital to healthy living and creating a home. One of our dear friends, Cassandra Glubzinski, decided to write a poem on her experience with Blue Star Families and Welcome Week. You can read this fun piece below, ...
Photo Credit: National Park Service Our national parks tell the stories of people, communities, and movements while connecting us to the lands we call home. These places are only made more treasured by the people who bring them to life through interpretive conversation, education, and impactful storytelling. On this day of Women’s History Month, we honor Betty Reid Soskin, the oldest Park Ranger serving with the National Park Service, and the face of the Rosie the Riveter WWII Homefront National Historical Park in Richmond, California. Having supported the WWII efforts on the homefront while working in a segregated union hall as a file clerk, ...
Food for Thought - Stand out in a competitive market! Military spouses, today’s job market is extremely competitive, and more than ever, highly trained and educated community members face the most challenges when searching for work. In some communities throughout the military lifestyle, the market is more uncertain and can test your motivation. Maintain a positive outlook; you can increase your chances of career success with the right approach and strategies. Blue Star Careers' recommendations can help you navigate the job market while applying the latest job-searching tips to stand out in today's competitive environment; ...
The biggest issue facing Veterans during transition isn’t just a lack of resources. And the solution isn’t one-size-fits-all. Many in the field have tried to pinpoint one exact causality for the difficulties service members trading in their combat boots experience. However, if there’s one life-altering thing 1989 gave us, besides the 486 microprocessor — it’s the term “intersectionality.” Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw coined this term, which she explains “is simply about how certain aspects of who you are will increase your access to the good things or your exposure to the bad things in life. It helps us clearly see how social identities work on multiple ...