Parenting in Uniform Claudia

Christie Lado, of the Vida with Christie podcast and blog, provides a passionate discussion about raising empowered children and breaking intergenerational cycles. As a Peruvian-Canadian, she dives into raising kids while living in different cultures. 

Find out more about Christie or listen to her podcast anywhere podcasts are found.
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Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 


Editing, voiceover, and music by audiblelemonade.com .

John Spencer is an award-winning scholar, professor, author, combat veteran, and internationally recognized expert and advisor on urban warfare and other military related topics. Considered the world’s leading expert on urban warfare, he served as an advisor to the top four-star general and other senior leaders in the U.S. Army as part of strategic research groups from the Pentagon to the United States Military Academy. 
Spencer currently serves as the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and as host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast. He also serves as a Colonel in the California State Guard with assignment to the 40th Infantry Division, California Army National Guard as the Director of Urban Warfare Training. 
Serving over twenty-five years in the active Army as an infantry soldier, Spencer has held ranks from Private to Sergeant First Class and Second Lieutenant to Major. His assignments as an Army officer included two combat deployments to Iraq as both an Infantry Platoon Leader and Company Commander, a Ranger Instructor with the Army’s Ranger School, a Joint Chief of Staff and Army Staff intern, fellow with the Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group, and Co-Founder, Strategic Planner, and Deputy Director of the Modern War Institute at West Point.

In his new book, Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connections in Modern War (July 1, 2022, Potomac Books), Col. Spencer delivers lessons learned about effective methods for building teams in a way that overcomes the distractions of home and the outside world, without reducing the benefits gained from connections to family.

Spencer holds a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, LA Times, NY Daily News, Wired Magazine, Politico, The Hill, Foreign Policy Magazine, Defense One, Army Magazine, and many other publications. Spencer is also a regular military analyst and commentator for CNN, MSNBC, BBC, and numerous news and media organizations. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, CO, with his wife and three children. He looks forward to connecting via Twitter@SpencerGuard.

Check out the Parenting in Uniform Facebook page
Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 
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Marie Fiebach of Feed Your Family Tonight, helps busy families plan and execute weeknight dinners, even when life is crazy. She shares some great tips on how to prepare meals despite being short on time or patience.

Follow Marie for more helpful info:
Facebook
Instagram
https://feedyourfamilytonight.com/

Resources/Recipes Mentioned:
Free Weekly Meal Planning Sheet

Cheeseburger Baked Potatoes

Lemon Ramen Chicken Stir Fry

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

Podcast: How to Pick a Recipe Your Family Will Eat (Episode 146) 

Check out the Parenting in Uniform Facebook page
Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 


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As service members we’re fortunate to have great healthcare coverage, TRICARE, but it can be complicated to understand.  John Letaw learned to unravel TRICARE living as a retiree overseas and wrote a book, TRICARE Around the World , that explains everything you could ever need to know about making the most of your benefits like the various coverage plans, making claims, and more. We dive into the new coverage for the use of  doulas and lactation consultant services that started  on January 1, 2022., adding coverage for a new family member, TRICARE for Guard and Reserve, retirement coverage, TRICARE while traveling/living overseas, and much more.

Military.com Article:  Tricare to Cover Doulas, Lactation Consultants for Some Starting Jan. 1
Find out more about John Letaw and TRICARE

TRICARE Overseas Facebook page

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Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 
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U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Kelly Bell is a powerful advocate for military women, in particular for pregnant and postpartum mothers in uniform. We discuss the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed into law by President Biden on December 27, 2021, and dive into the details of this law as a major win for all military families.     

President Biden's Signed NDAA including the following:
- Creates a new category of bereavement leave for military personnel that would permit servicemembers to take up to two weeks of leave in connection with the death of a spouse or child.
- Increases parental leave to 12 weeks for all servicemembers for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. (This is inclusive of the 6 weeks maternity convalescent leave for the birth parent which runs concurrently.)
- Establishes a Basic Needs Allowance to ensure that all servicemembers can meet the basic needs of their families.
- Directs the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretaries of the military departments and Superintendents of the military academies, to develop policy that includes the option to preserve parental guardianship rights of cadets and midshipmen.
- Authorizes the Secretary to conduct a pilot program providing direct hire authority to hire military spouses stationed at a duty station outside of the United States to a term position within the DOD.
To find more about regulations & resources for all branches of the U.S. Military, check out Breastfeeding in Combat Boots.

Check out the Parenting in Uniform Facebook page
Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 
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Laura Stack of Johnny's Ambassadors, talks to us about the dangers of today's marijuana. 
Johnny’s Ambassadors mission is to educate parents and teens about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on the developing adolescent mind and get them to #StopDabbing.  Bottom line: marijuana is not the safe or natural drug we're used to hearing it is from our high school days.  It now contains dangerously high levels of THC.  Research shows today’s high-potency marijuana causes mental health issues and higher incidence of suicide when used recreationally and illegally under 21 years of age.

What is dabbing? Dabs are marijuana extracts (shatter, wax, budder are some examples) made by pouring a solvent such as butane, ethanol, propane, or carbon dioxide over marijuana, which allows THC to leave the plant material and dissolve into the solvent. This concentrated THC solution is then filtered and placed in a tray. The result of the extraction is sticky oil that typically appears bronze in color. It’s not a plant and is highly potent, containing up to 99% THC. Dabs are typically heated on a hot surface and the vapors are inhaled through a dab rig or dab pen.

Teen Webinars and other Educational Materials.

Laura's son Johnny, told her three days before he died by suicide:  "I want you to know you were right. You told me marijuana would hurt my brain. It’s ruined my mind and my life, and I’m sorry. I love you.” 

Check out the Parenting in Uniform Facebook page
Follow on Twitter:  @MomInUniform
Email:  ParentingInUniform@gmail.com 
Editing, voiceover, and music by audiblelemonade.com .