Resources You May Not Know You Have

There are so many great resources out there for military families, but I want to highlight one, that you might not think of, yet has been involved with helping military families since its inception, the Red Cross.  Most people think of the Red Cross for their work in blood collection, first aid classes, or disaster relief, but if your spouse or loved one is deployed or off on training where it is difficult to contact them, the Red Cross is set up to get a message to that service member if there has been a death or other family emergency.

Beyond that, they can offer confidential counseling, financial aid, and their website has some great checklists and reminders of what to expect as a spouse during deployment and when they come home (which can be almost as rough if you aren't prepared.)

Additionally, the Red Cross is a great organization to get involved with and volunteer.  I had the opportunity before I was married to act as a Red Cross volunteer in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.  It was an amazing experience that changed my life, but you don't have to go half way around the country to have service opportunities.  Most Red Cross offices rely on their local volunteers to make their offices run, so if you are looking for a way to serve an organization that serves you, look into the Red Cross.