Our Navy Life Naval Services FamilyLine

Navigating TRICARE



Zelly Zim is a Health System Specialist in the Policy & Program Section for TRICARE Health Plan, Defense Health Agency. Her primary role is as the senior analyst for the TRICARE Select program. She serves as a subject matter expert, which involves the promulgation of federal statutes into Regulation and Policy for the Department of Defense’s 9.6 million healthcare beneficiaries.



Links from Zelly :

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Enroll/OpenSeason⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/Plans/HealthPlans⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/LifeEvents/QLE⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/FAQs/General/GEN_TOL_GENESIS⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/GettingCare⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/subscriptions⁠

⁠https://www.tricare.mil/publications⁠

⁠https://tricare.mil/CoveredServices/Mental⁠

⁠https://tricare.mil/bcacdcao





Episode Take-Aways:

● Despite its challenges, TRICARE is one of the premier health benefit networks in the nation -- it is an immeasurable benefit we receive as military families.

● What are the basic TRICARE terms and dates every military family should know?

● How does care/coverage change if you receive OCONUS orders?

● If a family is experiencing sub-par care, how can they advocate for themselves?

● What are the big takeaways Navy families should know with the transition to the Genesis

system that is taking place throughout the fleet?




Let’s Connect:


⁠⁠⁠NSFL Website⁠⁠⁠


⁠⁠⁠NSFL Facebook⁠⁠⁠


⁠⁠⁠NSFL Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Stories of Resilience: Mrs. Annie Rae Payne



Annie Rae Payne is a Navy Veteran who previously worked for the state of Washington as the Education Coordinator at a state-funded early childhood education and assistance program.  She is the Life Skills and Family Advocacy Program Educator at the Fleet and Family Support Center at NAS Whidbey Island.  In addition to being the NASWI Ombudsman Coordinator, she has been an Ombudsman for 13 years and is presently appointed to the World Famous Rooks of VAQ-137.

She and her husband, Eric, are about to embark on their 15th deployment together.  Eric and Annie share three children, a son and daughter-in-law, two Grandchildren, and their German Shepherd Harley.  Annie enjoys reading, camping, game nights, and entertaining in her free time.   



Show Links:


⁠⁠https://www.nsfamilyline.org/compass⁠


⁠https://ffr.cnic.navy.mil/Family-Readiness/Fleet-And-Family-Support-Program/⁠



Show Takeaways:

Ask yourself Annie's big question:

How can I help someone feel safe and seen?


Inclusion means creating connections, building relationships, and supporting others to do the same.
To be inclusive in this Navy life means including those outside of the Navy to support our families.
Values of diversity and inclusion ultimately benefit everyone.
It sometimes takes grit to ensure inclusive programs persist amidst financial, institutional, and other challenges.



Let’s Connect:


⁠⁠NSFL Website⁠⁠


⁠⁠NSFL Facebook⁠⁠


⁠⁠NSFL Instagram⁠⁠

Stories of Resilience: Dr. Rosie Ortiz-Torres

Dr. Rosie Ortiz-Torres obtained her Doctoral degree while also living overseas the last 10 years, raising two teenagers, navigating deployments and volunteering with the military community as well. She’ll share her personal experience in leaving active duty and leveraging resources such as the Red Cross, Fleet and Family Support Centers and the Navy Marine Corp Relief Society.



Show Links:


⁠https://www.nsfamilyline.org/compass
https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html
https://www.nmcrs.org/
https://ffr.cnic.navy.mil/Family-Readiness/Fleet-And-Family-Support-Program/



Show Takeaways:

Ask yourself Dr. Rosie's big question--Why not?

● Spouses’ dreams and goals are important too

● Be gentle and respectful with yourself in meeting those goals and aspirations

● Use all of the Navy and military resources to your full advantage.

● Use volunteering to help clarify goals



Let’s Connect:


⁠NSFL Website⁠


⁠NSFL Facebook⁠


⁠NSFL Instagram⁠

Stories of Resilience: Meg Graves

As a proud Navy military wife of 12 years, Meg is no stranger to the hardships of being married in the military. Their three children, two of whom are EFM, and her own EFM status as a Breast Cancer survivor have given her first-hand experience in advocating for their unique needs. Breast cancer has taught her that we all have our own version of hard. She has empowered, led, and encouraged other military families as their needs and families grow and change. Her role as a Navy ombudsman (& Air Force key spouse) at joint commands has given her insights into how EFMP differs between service branches.

Show Links:


https://tnbcfoundation.org/


https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/


https://thepromiseact.org/



Show Takeaways:


Meg embodies FamilyLine’s core value of Compassion with GRIT. Specifically, Meg highlights the G of GRIT with the importance of being genuine in all circumstances.


As an advocate for your children, being genuine is a strength that brings clarity and purpose to the daily grind.


As an advocate for your personal health journey, living in a genuine manner emboldens you to face your own version of hard.


As a Navy spouse, exemplifying a genuine nature helps you meet the challenges of navigating this military lifestyle.



Let’s Connect:


NSFL Website


NSFL Facebook


NSFL Instagram

Honoring Pride Month: Live Your Navy Life Authentically and With Pride!



In honor of Pride Month, today’s episode chats with Ashley and Julie Harper. Julie and Ashley are a same-sex couple married for 6 years, both from Jacksonville, FL. Julie serves on Active Duty in the Navy and Ashley works full time at the Naval Academy. They welcomed their first child, Avery, in April this year. Ashley and Julie’s journey as a gay Navy family is not unlike that of other Navy families. In this interview, we talk about how to be more inclusive of our LGBTQ+ Navy families, demonstrate allyship, and how we can encourage others to live their Navy life authentically.

Show Links:


Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Pride Month


PRIDE in All Who Serve: Statement by Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro


NAVIFOR Pride Month Celebration


DoD Pride: The DoD Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Employees and Allies 


US Navy Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion



Show Takeaways:


The Navy spouse community is rich with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and likes/dislikes. 


We can all work to uplift, encourage, and highlight that diversity.


Navy spouses can be their authentic selves while also supporting the Navy family community.


The use of language, such as “spouse” instead of “wife or husband,” demonstrates inclusivity of all Navy families.


Save judgment and assumptions until you have the opportunity to get to know someone beyond an initial introduction.



Let’s Connect:


NSFL Website


NSFL Facebook


NSFL Instagram

Navigating the Exceptional Family Member Program: A Spouse’s Journey to Advocate for Her Daughter and Other Navy Families

The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) can often be overwhelming and challenging to navigate. Join us for today’s episode as we chat with Michelle Norman, mother of a 19-year-old daughter with cerebral palsy and 21 other disabilities.  After years of successfully advocating and winning multiple legal cases to ensure her daughter receives the minimum education required by law, she was contacted by military families across the country dealing with similar problems in public schools. Out of her passion for advocating, she launched Partners in PROMISE to ensure no other military family had to experience what they did so that their family could receive the support it needed.

Show Links:


www.thepromiseact.org


https://www.linkedin.com/company/partners-in-promise/


https://www.facebook.com/PartnersinPROMISE


https://www.instagram.com/partnersinpromise/


https://www.facebook.com/MichelleNormanMSOY/


https://twitter.com/PartnersinPROM1



Show Takeaways:


There is no bigger advocate for your family than you.


The Exceptional Family Member Program can be a challenging system that many Navy families struggle to understand.


Partners in PROMISE can help you navigate the system and advocate for the best resources for you and your family.


Supporting EFMP families can simply be showing up with a listening ear, a non judgemental attitude and a willingness to help where needed. 



Let’s Connect:


NSFL Website


NSFL Facebook


NSFL Instagram