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Page 1: Milfamilylife mil121313 1 12
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Page 2 DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement December 2013

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December 2013 DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement Page 3

Circulation of 110,000 printed by offset as a civilian enterprise quarterly mag-azine for installations within the National Capital Region by Comprint MilitaryPublications, a division of The Gazette. Comprint Military Publications is locatedat 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. Telephone 301-921-2800.

Editorial content, including graphic art and photographs that support mes-sages, new stories, and feature articles, are prepared in the Marketing Offices of the instal-lations that contribute the information and blogs from DCMilitaryFamLife.com. Letters andsuggestions may be mailed to DCMilitary Family Life Publisher, Comprint Military Publications,9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

The printer is a private firm in no way connected with the Department of Defense. Opinionsexpressed herein are those of the contributors to this Marketing publication, and they arenot to be considered an official expression of the Department of Defense. The appearanceof advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Departmentof Defense of the products or services advertised.

John Rives, PublisherComprint Military Publications

301-921-2800Maxine Minar, President

DCMilitary Family Life

1036294

By Lori Tupper

Remember, honor and teach. These arethree small words with such a huge meaningbehind them.We remember the sacrifices made by

those who served our country well. Wehonor them by keeping their memoryalive; we honor them when we stand forthe Pledge of Allegiance, when we take amoment of silence and when we reflect onhow far our country has come because ofthese heroes. We teach the next generationabout the people that have gone before andlaid down their lives for us because theyloved us and because they loved their coun-try so much and what it stood for. That’swhy it brings me immense pleasure to writeabout the amazing organization known asWreaths Across America.Not only do the employees and volunteers

do these things, they live it. They give uptheir days to make sure that every sailor,soldier, airman and Marine has a visitor attheir final resting place.They place beautifulwreaths on the tombs of those amazing peo-ple who sacrificed for us.Thousands of volunteers from all over our

great nation will soon come together to dosomething wonderful, something beautiful,something that you should be a part of.My family and I will join the volunteers

on Dec. 14 at Arlington National Cemetery

to honor the heroes who gave the ultimatesacrifice so we can live and have a safe,happy holiday season with the ones we love.I hear it’s beautiful. I’ve been told to bring

tissues; I’m sure I will need them. I can’teven hear “The Star-Spangled Banner”without tearing up. I can’t wait to see thisorganization in action. I’m humbled by thefact that we’re able to do it, and I look for-ward to saying a silent “thank you” to thepeople who laid down their lives for me.Are you curious yet as to where to go or

what to do to join in?Visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org to

find a location near you and to learn more.According to Wreaths Across America’s

website, “To volunteer your time to placewreaths at Arlington, please join us on adesignated Saturday in December at 9:30a.m. for a briefing to address the volun-teers and instructions. After the briefing, thevolunteers are lined up behind the trucksand handed wreaths for placement. Whenyou place the wreath, please remember youmay be the first person to visit this gravein years, so take time to read the stone andhonor the memory of that hero. The finalceremony will take place at the Tomb of theUnknown Soldiers at 12 noon.”

LoriTupper is an active duty Air Force spouseand mother of three living in the Washingtonarea and writing about the never dull militarylife journey.

WREATHSWREATHSACROSSACROSSAMERICA

Siri Stafford/Photodisc/Thinkstock

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Page 4 DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement December 2013

By Chris Field

Stepping outside nowadays, it is impos-sible to miss the fact that we aredeep into the holiday season. A little

while ago, almost overnight, the Halloweennoise-activated decorations at the commis-sary (usually around the candy displays)disappeared, and thank goodness. I dislikethose things, mostly because I know that itmust drive folks at the commissaries abso-lutely nuts to hear those inflated M&M’showl and cackle all day.Not to fear; they were quickly replaced

by the European Christmas and holidaytreats. Soon every variety of pfeffernüssecookie and holiday stollen became avail-able. At our commissary, it is very subtlethe way they market those things—rightinside the entrance and beside the bakedgoods; it’s like a gauntlet of carbohydrates.And those product placements and impulsepurchase temptations might be even moreeffective when you first enter. If you denyyour kids some gummis when you firstenter, there’s a chance they’ll be in a rot-ten mood the whole time you’re in there.Nobody wants that.Every time I see those imported holiday

treats on post, I think of a certain rela-tive who gave my kids a box of Germanchocolates that were, shall we say, ‘forti-fied’ with liquor. Though she maintainedthat it was an honest mistake—she doesn’tspeak German—she apologized profusely. Icompletely understood her confusion.Whowould have guessed that the German wordfor ‘rum’ is ‘rum’?Yes, everything has turned holiday, and

now we have everything we need for yetanother festive season—most of us, any-way. But for some military spouses in thearea, this holiday season might be an “AllGarland, No Tree” time of year. Somespouses might be facing a holiday withouttheir deployed spouse. And while I’ve neverhad to celebrate the holidays without mywife, I would guess that being alone for the

holidays, or alone with the kids, would be adifficult challenge. The chill in the air, theubiquitous decorations around the neighbor-hood and the incessant buzz of Christmasmusic all combine to create a wonderfulholiday atmosphere for many of us.But not for all of us. One of those

Christmas songs you’ll hear is BandAid’s ’80s standard, “Do They Know It’sChristmas?” In his portion of the song,Bono sings, “Well tonight, thank God it’sthem, instead of you.” Only this year, itmight be you, and your spouse might beslogging it out in some faraway nightmare.For some spouses whose service member isdeployed, the holidays may trigger the slowcreep of loneliness, depression, anxiety ordespair. The days might be shorter, but formany who stare down a holiday season with-out their loved one, the darkness never lifts.I wanted to write on how spouses can

utilize various techniques and strategies tocope with a deployed service member overthe holidays. But, after giving it careful con-sideration, I came to a conclusion: MarthaStewart I am not. I can’t say that I haveany better recommendations for keepingin touch with or celebrating the holidayswithout a spouse than many other militarywebsites and books. I’m sure email andSkype do the trick for some spouses, andthat care packages and letters help othersnavigate the holiday blues. So I thought I’dgo in another direction.Years ago, the writers of the Peanuts clas-

sic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” took agreat deal of heat for having Linus quotethe Gospel of Luke’s narrative of the firstChristmas. Charlie Brown had becomeincreasingly distraught that Christmas hadbecome overcommercialized and empty.Throwing up his hands, Charlie pleads,“Isn’t there anyone who knows whatChristmas is all about?” Linus, as cool as10 cucumbers, steps up to the auditoriummicrophone and launches into the Lukepassage, which concludes with, “Glory toGod in the highest, and on earth peace,good will toward men.”

ALONEALONEFOR THEFOR THEHOLIDAYS

Photo courtesy of Chris Field

Army spouse Chris Field is pictured with two of his children, Hunter, 6, and Sydney, 3, (at the time)during his wife’s assignment in Stuttgart, Germany.

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“ ... That’s what Christmas is all about,Charlie Brown.”Well, Linus sure injected that kids’ car-

toon with some pretty heavy-duty poi-gnancy. But I think it’s not just Christmaswhose spirit has been a bit forgotten. I thinkthat Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz wason to something, and I am glad that heincluded Linus’ monologue. After all, it wasa holiday special, a ‘holy day’ special. I won’tgo into a harangue about the so-called “waron Christmas” or the effort to secularizethe holidays, but I will suggest that Linus’moment in the spotlight has something ofvalue to everyone, regardless of where theyfall on the faith spectrum.Perhaps spouses of deployed service

members would do well to take Linus’ cueand try to isolate the essence of each of theholidays. It might serve to neutralize thatsense of absence or loss throughout the hol-iday season. Decorating the house, buyingpresents, doing the shopping and every-thing that comes with holiday preparationsis overwhelming enough, but grappling withthe holiday chaos without your deployedservice member would truly be a dauntingtask. As I’ve come to know, loneliness anddepression sometimes take on a compound-ing snowball effect, so I thought I’d offer afew reflections, in the spirit of Linus, whichmight be of some use to a spouse whoseworld is half a world away.Thanksgiving: Gratitude is the mother

of all the virtues. Appreciation fuels thesoul. Try to nurture that sense of thank-fulness for all you have, all you have beenblessed with and all that truly matters toyou. If you can cook a turkey and bake apumpkin pie, great. If you want to drinkmalted beverages while watching footballall day, go for it. But if you can foster thatsense of regard for how well you’re placedin the world, how wonderful it is to be hereand what an overwhelming abundance youenjoy, perhaps you might be able to cherishwhat you have, instead of lamenting whatyou don’t. Maybe your spouse is deployed.I’m sorry; I wish it weren’t so. But youhave a spouse who loves you, who’s madea home and a life with you, and who needsyou to be strong right now. Many folksdon’t have anyone in their lives. You do.And they are off doing noble things. Foryou. For your kids. For all of us. Delightin that blessing. And know they’ll be homesoon enough.Hanukkah: To celebrate Hanukkah is to

celebrate the Festival of Lights. Though Iam not Jewish, I do know a bit more aboutHanukkah than what’s found in that AdamSandler song. Hanukkah is about persever-ance in the face of long odds, strength in theface of adversity. You may think that yourfire has only enough fuel for a day.You mayfeel wilted and weary. It may seem that theoppressive toil of the holidays will extinguishyou. Have faith.You have more strength andstaying power than you think. With a little

divine nourishment, your light can shine farlonger than you thought possible.Christmas: I may be in the minority, but

I’ve long thought that Christmas was aneven greater and more significant theologi-cal holiday than Easter. God became a man.God became personified. God assumeda human form, and his birth became areminder that the divine is present. To cel-ebrate Christmas is to celebrate the god-liness in our midst. In ourselves. In eachother.To celebrate Christmas is to celebratethe arrival of God amongst us. When youfeel as though all is lost, remember this:Mary and Joseph were besieged on all sides,so they retreated to a place of peace andsanctuary. Just as many spouses find them-selves far from home and far from lovedones, perhaps spouses can take stock in theprotective and comforting shield affordedto us by our service members. And thatour service members, some thousands ofmiles from their families, might feel blan-keted by divine embrace. And perhaps thisChristmas, rather than becoming obsessedwith tinsel and trinkets, we might considerthis as a time to be born again.To be born isto begin anew.To be born is to emerge intoa whole range of possibilities. Don’t let yourdaunting situation leave you stillborn.New Year’s Day: Flip the calendar. Turn

the page. Guess what? You’re going to be ayear older. Why don’t you take this oppor-tunity to become a year wiser? Everyoneand their half sister will vow to become 30pounds lighter and run a half-marathon in2014.Then Jan. 2 rolls around and they seethe delusion of their ways. If your spouse isdeployed, you don’t have a helping hand,but perhaps you do have the freedom to takeon those tasks and master those skills you’vealways wanted. Perhaps there are booksyou’ve wanted to read or languages you’vealways wanted to learn. Instead of the unre-alistic and trite fitness goals, why don’t youenroll in that class you’ve always wanted totake? Why not learn to change your own oilor join that book club that’s always appealedto you? On the heels of Christmas, why nottake the new year to give birth to a new you?A stronger you. A you that takes responsi-bility for your life. A you that is no longer avictim of circumstance.In life, attitude is almost everything. Your

spouse may be deployed; you may experiencea vacancy; you may feel overwhelmed. I’mnot dismissing that sorrow in any way. But,by taking a few moments this holiday seasonto reacquaint yourself with what the holi-days are all about—gratitude, perseverance,rebirth and new possibilities, you may beginto see an opportunity for peace and growth.

Chris Field has been an active duty Armyspouse for eight years.When he is not playing‘Dad’ in Frederick, Md., he teaches philosophyat Mount St.Mary’s University.

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Page 6 DCMilitary Family Life - Advertising Supplement December 2013

By Crystal Cavalier

You know it’s “that time of the year” when you ask yourselfthese five questions—who, what, when, where and how?Who is coming over? Where will you find time to get all

the shopping done? How will you pay for it? Take a deep breathand relax; bring new life to old family traditions and introduceyour children to giving to others this season.The holidays can beoverwhelming for families in general, but when you add the mixof deployments, trainings and a new home in a new town, it canbecome overwhelming. That and the added stress of money cancomplicate things and make the holidays depressing.My family has been fortunate over the last few years that I have

been able to find a job and bring in that second income to ourfamily. However, some military families are not able to have adual income, and usually around the holidays, it can hit us hard.October was an especially tough month both mentally and emo-tionally with the government shutdown.When you are on a tightbudget, one day or several days without a paycheck coming in canmean that your family may not have a turkey or ham.Military family budgets, while often overextended, may not

contain a lot of money for buying presents or meals for largegatherings. To help thank military families for the sacrifices madeyear-round, many organizations offer programs to make the hol-idays possible for several military families, especially those withloved ones who cannot make it home.You can create warm family memories by gathering loved ones

for simple, low-cost rituals. Choose gifts that help others. Do notlet presents dominate the season. Give to one another wisely isthe lesson that I have been trying to instill in my children overthe last year.I certainly do not take the holidays lightly; our military family,

like many others, has spent the holidays apart, and OperationHomefront works to make the holidays a little brighter.Operation Homefront’s goal, with the help of sponsors anddonations, is to help every military family enjoy a holiday mealthey deserve.According to the Holiday Meals for Military website, the pro-

gram began when a soldier, his wife and an infant had a handfulof grocery items they could not afford; an employee of BeamGlobal paid the $12 for their groceries. With this act of giving,Holiday Meals for Military was born Thanksgiving 2009 in asupermarket in Utica, N.Y., near Fort Drum. Charter sponsorsworked together at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, to distribute500 holiday meal kits to military families. It did not matter whatyour tradition was—the night before dinner or breakfast in themorning—the sponsors had it covered. The holiday meal kitincluded everything needed for a holiday meal—a turkey with all

HOLIDAY MEALSHOLIDAY MEALSFORFORMILITARY

Photos courtesy of Crystal Cavalier

Crystal Cavalier’s children—Catherine, 12, Samantha, 8, and Brandon, 6—celebrate the holidays.

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0011

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ANY ONE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCEOR ANY ONE REPAIROFFER VALID FOR 10% OFF ANY ONE SCHEDULEDMAINTENANCE OR ANY ONE REPAIR NOT TO EXCEED$150.00. COUPON APPLIES TO ALL ACURA OR HONDAVEHICLES. NOT VALID TOWARDS ANY BRAKE RELATED REPAIRS.

Coupon must be presented to service consultant at time of write-up. Valid up-to a max of: $150 in value. Coupons may not be used in conjunction with otheradvertised specials. Taxes and shop supplies not included. Dealership is not responsible for any typographical errors. Coupon can not be utilized for repairspreviously performed. Cannot be applied towards tires or bodywork. Offer can only be applied once every 90 days.

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$$112299..9999$129.99

BATTERY REPLACEMENT &CHARGING SYSTEM CHECK-UP$10.00 OFF A BATTERY REPLACEMENT & CHARGINGSYSTEM CHECK-UP. VALID ON ANY ACURA OR HONDA.

Coupon must be presented to service consultant at time of write-up. Coupons maynot be used in conjunction with other advertised specials. Taxes and shop suppliesnot included. Dealership is not responsible for any typographical errors. Couponcan not be utilized for repairs previously performed.Expires 12/31/2013

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OIL AND FILTER CHANGEOIL AND FILTER CHANGE, $10.00 OFF WITH A MULTIPOINT INSPECTION PERFORMED. VALID ON ANYACURA OR HONDA.Synthetic and all Acura Legends extra. Coupon must be presented to serviceconsultant at time of write-up. Coupons may not be used in conjunction with otheradvertised specials. Taxes and shop supplies not included. Dealership is notresponsible for any typographical errors. Coupon can not be utilized for repairspreviously performed. Vaid only at Radley Acura in Falls Church. We only usegenuine acura and honda parts.

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FFAALLLLSS CCHHUURRCCHHFALLS CHURCH

FFAALLLLSS CCHHUURRCCHHFALLS CHURCH

the fixings, vegetables and food for a holi-day breakfast.Since the beginning of the Holiday Meals

for Military program, the donations, sup-plies and sponsors have almost doubled eachyear, according to the website. Last year,Operation Homefront gave 5,000 meals tomilitary families at 17 locations. This year,their goal is to distribute 7,500 meals in 22locations around the country.According to a November Operation

Homefront press release, Bellisio Foods willpartner to aid service members across thecountry by providing Operation Homefrontwith $100,000 to help military familiesthrough food and emergency assistanceand other services. Operation Homefront’sChief Operating Officer Tim Farrell said inthe press release that the partnership willallow Operation Homefront to be able toreach more families, and at a great time,during the holiday season.Right here in the D.C., area, there are

many military installations within 100 milesof each other, and that means many fam-ilies. Some military families struggle allyear to put food on the table for their fam-ilies. Operation Homefront welcomed theopportunity last year to collaborate withHarris Teeter to provide meals to familiesin the Washington metro area, accordingto a Harris Teeter press release. AnotherWashington partner was MillerCoors,who helped in donating holiday dinners to

400 military families served by OperationHomefront. Harris Teeter provided themeals as part of the company’s annualHarvest Feast Food Drive and DonationCard Campaign.The emergency financial and other assis-

tance from Operation Homefront givessupport to the families of service membersand wounded warriors. During hard finan-cial times, military families can receive foodboxes and gift certificates to grocery stores.Operation Homefront has helped my fam-ily several times from the annual back-to-school campaign to the derecho last yearthat disrupted our power and spoiled all ourfood in the freezer.Spread some good cheer this season

and create a family tradition. One way myfamily is helping this season is that we aregoing to volunteer together. Without com-munity volunteers that help carry the bagsof groceries to the car, as well as offer holi-day-themed snacks to attendees, OperationHomefront would not be able to service themilitary families.As the old saying goes, “Put the reason in

the season.” I am hoping this holiday seasonto start a tradition to shift my kids’ focusfrom gifts to giving by involving them involunteer work or donating to a charity.

Crystal Cavalier was the 2011 Army Spouseof the Year by Military Spouse magazine andwrites a blog,ArmyTankersWife.

OPERATION HOMEFRONT HAS HELPED MY FAMILYSEVERAL TIMES FROM THE ANNUAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL

CAMPAIGN TO THE DERECHO LAST YEAR THAT DISRUPTEDOUR POWER AND SPOILED ALL OUR FOOD IN THE FREEZER.

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By Lori Tupper

When asked to write about what makesa good military spouse, I was goingto go for the usual, since it’s been

done before. I was going to stereotype and makethis full of fluff, but then I really began to thinkabout what it means to me to be a militaryspouse—not only a military spouse, but a greatmilitary spouse. Honestly, the topic began tothrow me. I never really sat down to figure outfor myself what living this life and being mar-ried to the military really means. Once I started

thinking about it, I couldn’t stop; I was on amission. Not only did I research with my closestmilitary girlfriends, but I asked on my personalFacebook, the Facbook page for my blog andalso on Twitter. Here’s a bit of what I’ve learnedmakes an amazing military spouse: the goodand the bad.You ready? Alright.

A good military spouse is supportive, resil-ient, understanding, friendly, helpful andopen-minded.Let me break it down why I chose these

adjectives out of all the feedback I received.

Supportive: A good military spouse sup-ports her husband through it all, even whenshe does not want to. I’ve been not willingto support my husband while he supportsthe mission. This one is tough. You have tosupport him or her through whatever theyare facing at the time. It’s a part of beingwho we are, it’s a part of being married towho we are married to and it’s a part of ourmilitary spouse life.Resilient: This goes hand in hand with

being strong and also supportive. Resiliencyto me is being able to stand when otherswould fall. It’s being able to find beauty

ATTRIBUTES OF AATTRIBUTES OF AGOOD MILITARY SPOUSE…from lots and lots of scientific research (not really, but it sounds good)

Jupiterimages/Creatas/Thinkstock

YOU’RE A MILITARY SPOUSEAND THAT MAKES YOUTOUGH; IT MAKES YOU

AWESOME, EVEN WHEN YOUDON’T FEEL LIKE YOU ARE... YOU ARE THE BACKBONEBEHIND THE FRONT LINES.

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in the breakdown, to hold yourself upwhen everyone you know would crumble.It’s being mommy and daddy when he orshe is gone; it’s being able to take care ofhome no matter where you are and whatcircumstances you face. It’s standing up toadversity. You’re a military spouse and thatmakes you tough; it makes you awesome,even when you don’t feel like you are. Youare amazing and are worth all the diamonds,rubies and precious stones in the world.You are priceless because you are support-ing America’s best. You are the backbonebehind the front lines.You aren’t fighting inwars, but you are holding down the fort athome, you are keeping your military mem-ber happy and their spirits up, and you riseto the challenge; that makes you a phenom-enal military spouse.Understanding: I struggle with this daily.

In fact, I’m struggling with it as a babycries in the background, my middle childis hungry and the oldest needs help withhomework, and I am here sans husband; Iam struggling with understanding and alsosupport. I’d give my left pinkie for him to behere right now. (I say left because I’m right-handed and, well, I don’t need my left one.)However, that’s not possible; he’s support-ing the mission. This is how he has chosento provide for us, his family, and I need tounderstand that and so do you as a goodmilitary spouse.

Friendly and helpful: These two gowithout saying—being friendly and help-ful in this life will get you far whether youare a military spouse or not. Being friendlyand helpful in the military spouse worldis beyond. I’ve met so many unfriendlyspouses that when I meet a friendly one, it’slike a breath of fresh air. I cherish the timethat I spend with him or her. It’s amazingand I’m thankful for them.

Open-minded: I add this one becauseit’s true. You have to keep an open mindwhen it comes to this hurry-up-and-waitlifestyle, and you’ve got to be flexible. Anattribute I didn’t mention was being ‘in’de-pendent. We do so much on our own—werear the children; we sometimes tackle thePCS duties, the care and keeping of thehome; some of us (like myself) are still incollege; and we have jobs. We do a lot, so

being able to be independent and open-minded to change is definitely a virtue,as well as patience (another one I am thequeen at struggling with).Attributes of a bad military spouse: I’m

just going to list this one; I’m not going tolist a reason, because if it’s on the bad list,you and I both know why.Drama-filled: To quote a friend, “Don’t

be the spouse that calls their work all thetime ... Don’t serve divorce papers whenthey are deployed. Don’t talk about howmuch you hate the military. Don’t thinktheir rank defines you and somehow makesyou above anyone else … Don’t be the basegossip. Generally, everything opposite ofsupporting your military member.” I thinkthat pretty much sums it up. Be cool; begood; be amazing.Since I’m toward the end of this article, I

won’t spend too much time on what makesa bad military spouse. But, no militaryspouse is perfect, and I’m not implying thatthere is a perfect one at all. We’ve chosenthis life, and we’ve chosen to be good at itno matter what. We’ve chosen to stick withit and be in the trenches with our soldier,airman, Marine or sailor.We’ve decided thatfor better or worse we’re in it together, andthat, more than anything else, makes you agreat military spouse.

Lori Tupper is an active duty Air Force spouseand mother living in theWashington area.

Jupiterimages/Creatas/Thinkstock

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By Chelle Cordero

For most hardworking Americans, theholidays are a time to spend with fam-ily and friends. However, for many

first responders, police officers, emergencymedical personnel, firefighters and militarymembers—on call 365 days a year, 24 hoursa day—the holidays often mean working.There is no reason for on-call personnel

to miss out on the festivities. Here are a fewways to still celebrate:If visitors are permitted, party at the work

site; be sure to verify with administratorsin advance. One ambulance corps hostedan “impromptu” party organized by familymembers of the duty crews; trays of hot foodwere brought in by the families and they allspent the evening together.Not all locations allow visitors, or are

physically close enough to families, buthaving holiday meals delivered to the crewat the station is a way to make their daya little more special. Holiday fruit basketsand baked goods are a welcome treat andsomething everyone can do even if theydon’t have a personal connect to the station.Unfortunately, nowadays not every placeis receptive to homemade goods if the gift-giver is not known; a store-purchased trayof cookies is a good alternate. Break roomsat local hospitals are another great area toleave a gift.Some diners and local eateries stay open

over the Christmas holiday to offer din-ner or brunch to on-call first responders atdiscounted rates or sometimes even free.The waitstaff and cooks usually volunteerfor the shift, knowing that their efforts areappreciated.One firehouse, known for its great cook-

ing, took a poll before last Christmas to findout how many firefighters and emergencymedical service personnel would be workingthe holiday at surrounding stations. Theythen prepared and delivered enough holidaymeals for all those on duty.If you are having a holiday party, think

about extending the invitation as an “opendoor” to duty crews in your neighbor-hood. Let them know they are welcome tostop in for food and nonalcoholic refresh-ments. Don’t try to pin these emergency

responders down to time or commitment;they never know when they will be called outon the road. Having to-go containers readymay come in handy when call tones sud-denly go off.There are also service-specific holiday

greeting cards (usually found at onlineretailers) that can be handed out to an offi-cer walking the beat to let him know he isappreciated. If you can’t find these cards, acomputer printer or a child’s drawing is alsothoughtful recognition.Many military families have found that if

their loved one won’t be at home for the hol-idays, they can reschedule the holiday. Onewife said she had a small household-onlyholiday dinner before her husband left for atour and a second one upon his return withthe entire extended family.The American Red Cross runs a program

called Holiday Mail for Heroes in whichthey distribute cards to soldiers around theworld, including those recovering inVeteransAffairs hospitals. When you send out holi-day cards, take a minute to send one to ourtroops, too. There are a few simple rulesto follow: use the salutation “Dear ServiceMember;” make sure to sign the card; donot include email, home addresses or pho-tos; and avoid glitter. If you are mailing alarge quantity of cards, bundle them andplace them in large mailing envelopes or flat-rate postal shipping boxes; each card doesnot need its own envelope.Jenny, a prehospital care provider, has a

different perspective regarding working aholiday shift. “It’s great when the agencyorganizes a food, clothing or toy drive forlocal families in need and we help with thecollections and deliveries. It’s wonderful tobe able to be with the public and do some-thing for them without the gore and bloodwe normally deal with.”She also added that it is great PR for the

agency. There are cultural considerationsamong the employees, and the staff managesto swap tours to allow observant co-workersto spend family time as needed. “It’s great tobe appreciated with holiday meals and giftbaskets. These collections are a wonderfulway to foster agency cohesiveness and dogood with the people you work with. It is avery positive reward for all.”

Creators.com

how to make the holidays brighter for those who serve

CHRISTMASCHRISTMASON DUTY

ISTOCKPHOTO/DANIELBENDJY

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MCCS Quanticowww.quantico.usmc-mccs.org

Holiday Events at QuanticoMarine Corps Exchange

The holidays are fast approaching; letyour Quantico MCX help you prepare.Purchase your Christmas tree, starting

at $19.95. Wreaths, garlands and ropingavailable, too!Saturday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; have

your children’s picture taken with Santa.Customer Appreciation Sale, Dec. 11-17,

8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; seven days of unbelievablesavings.One Day Only $$ Off Coupons, Saturday,

Dec. 14, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.Get the Gifts You Really Wanted Sale,

Dec. 26-31.

Host Your Holiday Party orSpecial Event at The Clubsat Quantico & Crossroads

Events CenterLooking for a special place to cater your

event or host your holiday party or specialevent? The Clubs at Quantico & CrossroadsEvents Center has just what you are lookingfor. Tradition, Honor, Elegance, ExceedingYour Expectations! Call now to schedule yourcomplimentary consultation, 703-432-0219.

New Year’s Eve GalaRing in 2014 at The Clubs at Quantico

& Crossroads Events Center, Tuesday, Dec.31, 8 p.m. to midnight.Delicious five-course meal, dress to

impress, party packages and champagnetoast at midnight! Call now to purchaseyour tickets, 703-784-4264. Reserve yourroom as well at The Crossroads Inn adja-cent to the NewYear’s Eve Gala.

Quantico Bowling Center,2014 Countdown for Kids!

Join us New Year’s Eve for ourCountdown for Kids! Tuesday, Dec. 31,3 to 5 p.m., Quantico Bowling Center.Special pricing includes, two hours of

bowling, shoe rental, a soda, pizza and partyfavors. Space is limited, so call today to reg-ister, 703-784-2210.

MCCSQuantico Stay in the KnowWant to know about

all the winter eventsaboard Quant ico?Then s ign up toreceive the MCCSMonthly Trifold byemail. Simply emailus at [email protected] orcall us at 703-784-5803.You can also like us on Facebook at face-

book.com/Quantico MCCS, follow us onPinterest at www.pinterest.com/mccsquan-tico or scan the code now.

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