Books
So many books, we made a separate page. These are only the books that we have personally reviewed. We will be adding to them as we can. "So many books, so little time."

Websites
There are so many websites available now that it would be a full time job to keep up with them all.

There are three key websites that all military spouses should be aware of. And each of these has links to other websites for specific types of information that you can access as you need.

Military One Source
http://www.militaryonesource.com,  is one great benefit that came out the Iraq war deployments. Available to all military families, this site offers advice, support, practical solutions, and online resources. Whether you're preparing for a new baby or preparing for retirement, getting organized or getting out of  debt-- no matter who you are—you’ll find help. No question is too small, no issue is too big. The service is pre-paid and confidential. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You’ll get referrals to military  and community resources, online articles, newsletters, and workshops, pre-paid booklets and audio recordings. They can refer you to six free counseling sessions with a counselor outside of the military system.

National Military Family Association
www.nmfa.org
NMFA is our voice to Congress. We think every military spouse should be a member of the National Military Family Association, so you can keep up with and have input to testimony to Congress on issues concerning military families..
NMFA was organized in 1969 as the National Military Wives Association by a group of wives and widows. They were seeking financial security for survivors of uniformed service members. As a result of their efforts, the Survivor Benefit Plan came into being. Since then NMFA, a non-profit association, continues to educate military families about their rights, benefits and services. They also promote and protect the interests of military family members by influencing the development and implementation of legislation and policies affecting all of us. NMFA really is our voice to Congress.

Some of the accomplishments of NMFA:

• A comprehensive dental plan for active duty families
• Student travel allowances for families stationed overseas
• Increased active duty survivor benefits
• Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) for service members stationed in areas with exceptionally high cost of living
• Adoption expense reimbursement for active duty military families

Many of us tend to take these benefits for granted. However, they only came about because the spouses involved with NMFA asked. The NMFA website has lots of valuable links as well.

MilSpouse.org
http://www.milspouse.org/, provides great information and links on employment, education and relocations.

Career/Business Websites
For those spouses wanting to pursue a career or business as they move with the military, here are two good starting points. You might also check out the archived articles from our column on mobile careers for Military Money magazine. Chapter 10 in our book discusses a strategy/approach to mobile careers that can work for many career fields.

The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN)
http://msccn.org/, is for the exclusive use of military spouses. It’s a non-profit corporate direct-hire program that provides career opportunities and job portability for military spouses through a nationwide network of employers. MSCCN does not charge a job posting or job placement fee to employers, the military or military spouse job applicants. Resources include a job search tool, a newsletter with job hunting tips, resume writing assistance, and the ability to speak with someone on the phone for further assistance if need be.

The Portable Career & Virtual Assistant Training Program for Military Spouses™.  
www.staffcentrix.com This training program is not available everywhere but might be at your location. The book written by the cofounders of Staffcentrix, The 2-Second Commute, has a great chapter for anyone thinking about starting any kind of business from home (as to how it might impact your family.)

Chat Rooms
Want to chat with other military spouses on line?
There are many military chat rooms out there. Many are great ways to get your questions answered. However, pay attention. Some of them are full of “ain’t it awful” griping that doesn’t do anyone any good. Also be aware of communication security (OPSEC) issues – especially ways that can endanger our deployed military members.

One of the largest and most established chatrooms is at Cinchouse.com, created by a group of Navy spouses but useful to all services. It is the brainchild of Meredith Leyva, author of the book Married to the Military.

Magazines and Newspapers
Your post/base newspaper is an important resource for news about changes in military service benefits, in resources and workshops available to you and in service information that might impact your spouse’s career or assignment. Each of the services have an equivalent to the Associated Press service that provides important service-wide information that run as articles in your local post/base paper.

Air Force/Army/Navy/Marine Corps Times newspapers. Gannett publications. These are not published by the services, as some readers think. Their audience is the military member, but they are useful publications for spouses to read as well. They give you a good understanding of what’s happening around the military. Some articles each issue are geared to family members, especially those written by Karen Jowers (and our monthly column called Married to the Military.)

Military Money magazine, from In Charge Publications. Check your commissary for free copies. NMFA members can request free copies be sent to their homes. www.militarymoney.com (Includes our series of articles on career fields that work well with this mobile military life.)

Military Spouse magazine, the brainchild of two military spouses, available every two months in your exchange on base/post and in some Borders bookstores near large posts or by subscription from www.militaryspouse magazine.com (Includes our Dare to Dream column where we help military spouses brainstorm ways to go for their dreams.)