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Visit MyVetwork to join or to get more information.

While some existing web sites allow military personnel to post their service records, provide lengthy lists of links to service providers or, in some cases, are merely online military “shopping malls,” MyVetwork invites active duty, retired, and veteran military members and their families to build their own community and interact on multiple levels of shared interests. The community is built upon a dynamic customized platform that matches passions, experiences, needs and interests specific to people in the military and those who support them, providing the basis for a community that’s shaped by and for its members.

Member profiles make it easy for participants to find others with similar interests; make peer-to-peer recommendations; locate long lost buddies; find other parents of wounded veterans eager to exchange critical information; look for support from someone who has “walked in their boots;” give, receive mentoring or career advice; and exchange information on a virtually unlimited number of topics.

Every new MyVetwork membership instantly helps others. As the community builds, the collective resources are enriched, increasing the breadth of possible matches on a broad range of needs and topics.

In addition to the large VSO’s, some of the groups that have a presence on MyVetwork at launch include:

• VET Foundation (Careers and transition)
• Students Veterans of America (Education)
• Army Wife Talk Radio (Families)
• The Coming Home Project; Strategic Outreach for Families of all Reservists (SOFAR); (Health)
• Vets4Vets; Academy Women (Support)

The Suicide Prevention Action Network USA (SPAN USA) and TriWest Healthcare Alliance today announced the launch of a new brochure to educate former and active members of the military and their families about warning signs and treatment options in order to increase suicide prevention awareness.

“Nearly 20 percent of suicides each year are completed by veterans, and the number of suicide attempts by Army personnel has increased six-fold since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began,” said Brian Altman, J.D., Acting Chief Operating Office of SPAN USA. “The staggering number of suicides among military personnel and retired veterans continues to make headlines worldwide, and has led many to understand the gravity of this issue.”

SPAN USA created the brochure, with support from TriWest Healthcare Alliance, to raise awareness of warning signs and treatment options, and to engage healthcare professionals and policymakers in order to change these statistics.

In addition to including information on warning signs, the brochure also encourages seeking help as a “sign of strength,” and provides information on finding local suicide prevention resources in cities nationwide.

Visit www.spanusa.org/publications to view and download the brochure, Suicide Prevention for Military Families: What You Need to Know about Warning Signs and Getting Help.

Energy drinks, beef jerky, candy bars and DVDs. These items topped the wish lists of American troops shopping at more than 80 Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations throughout Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. In fact, Soldiers, Airmen, Marines and Sailors picked up nearly four million Monster Energy drinks, over one million Red Bulls and scores of Snickers and Slim Jims in just the past year.

By simply logging on to www.aafes.org or calling (800)527-2345, any American can ensure that troops’ stockings are full of the things they want this holiday season by sending an AAFES gift card, redeemable at BXs and PXs around the world.

“With the holiday season upon us, many military Families will have to spend this very special time of year separated from loved ones,” said AAFES’ Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Master Sgt. Jeffry Helm. “An AAFES gift card not only helps bridge that gap and improve the morale of troops, but also ensures that they are able to get exactly what they want while reducing shipping expenses for military supporters.”

AAFES gift cards and gift certificates, up to $500, can be sent to individual service members (designated by the purchaser) or distributed to “any service member” through the Air Force Aid Society, American Red Cross, Fisher House Foundation Inc., Navy-Marine Corps Relief, USO or Soldiers Family Assistance Center.

Members of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) are preparing to track Santa Claus again this year and are working to accommodate the jolly fellow’s change in flight schedule.

NORAD, in coordination with the North Pole staff, has been notified that Santa will launch two hours later than he has in previous years.  No specific explanation was provided and according to the North Pole staff, Santa will launch from the North Pole 6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“For the past six years Santa has launched from the North Pole two hours earlier than he intends this year,” said Maj. Stacia Reddish, NORAD Tracks Santa Program Manager.  “Although we are not 100-percent certain of the reason behind the later departure, it may be due to the bedtime hour for youngsters around the world. In years past, Santa has often times had to circle back around since many of the children were not asleep when he visited them the first time.”

Also new this year, people can get updates on Santa’s travels using Twitter.  Follow @noradsanta once logged in to www.twitter.com to not only track Santa but to participate in Twitter holiday conversations.

In preparation for the launch, the NORAD Tracks Santa Operations Center is being readied to kick into high gear for tracking Santa Dec. 24.  More than 1,000 Santa tracker volunteers have signed on to cycle through the center answering telephone calls and e-mails from children around the world wanting to get a fix on Santa Claus’ whereabouts.

A toll free number is available at (877)-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) for children to call and personally speak to a Santa tracker on Christmas Eve. In addition, children can send an e-mail to noradtrackssanta@gmail.com.

In 2007, 1,012 volunteers at the NTS Operations Center answered 94,743 telephone calls and 10,326 emails from children around the world.

The NORAD Tracks Santa Web site, www.noradsanta.org, went live Dec. 1 and has already recorded more than a 1.016 million visitors from more than 200 countries and territories. Last year, the site received almost 11 million visitors from 212 countries and territories around the world.

On Dec 24, when Santa takes off from the North Pole, children can track him with up-to-the-minute reports in Google Maps and Google Earth and can view video captured by NORAD’s Santa cams from several key stops.  All of this information is available on the Web site in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and new this year, Chinese.

A client recently was interviewing with a senior executive in the Washington, D.C., defense industry, and one question stood out as being critical to his success: “Tell me something you have learned in the past year and how you could use this new knowledge to make an impact in our business?”

Among all of 2008’s interview experiences, this question rises to preeminence for being both didactic and thoughtful.  It’s also an interesting topic to ponder as you take stock of 2008’s accomplishments and disappointments and establish your priorities for the coming year.  If you have trouble getting started, go through last year’s appointment calendar to help you recall the year’s hits and misses.

One effective way to make next year your best year yet is to acknowledge that most successful people strive for a degree of balance between work and their personal life.  Corporate coach Jinny Ditzler advises her clients to aim for balance in their goals for next year.  “You don’t want to wind up with nine business goals and only one personal goal.”

The next step is to identify the key areas within which you want to achieve results and maintain standards.  At work, these areas of focus will converge where you have at least implicit responsibility, such as strategic planning, staff development, market research, customer service, or asset management.  In addition, we all have equally compelling responsibilities in our personal lives that might include family, fitness, personal finances, spirituality, and recreation.

Within these areas of responsibility, it’s important for goals to be fairly specific, yet manageable and achievable within the constraints of your life.  Personal coach Robert Ferrogiaro reminds his clients not to worry about being perfect.  “Concentrate on figuring out who you want to be in each area of your life.  Keep in mind why you’re doing it, and don’t get discouraged if you’re occasionally off course.”

Remember, the real trick is sticking with your goals and resolutions and putting them down on paper helps.  The small amount of time required to compose and edit your personal and professional goals will add clarity to your thinking.  Plus, having your goals in writing will make it easier for you to assess your progress, reaffirm your intentions, and make adjustments — if necessary — in your allocation of time and energy.

“Make a conscious effort to do something about (your goals) on a regular basis,” advises executive coach George Hollenbeck.  “Set up some reminders.  Tell other people and generate some social pressure to keep yourself on track.

Finally, consider that the most valuable part of the process of establishing goals and priorities for the coming year might not be the goals themselves but rather the time you devote to reflect on your life and what’s really important to you.

About the author: Jim Carman is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and a retired Navy captain.  He writes, lectures, and coaches job candidates on interview skills and career building topics.

The nomination season is open for the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. National Guard and Reserve members and families are encouraged to nominate supportive employers.

Hurry, the deadline is January 19, 2009!

The VA plans to open 31 new outpatient clinics in 16 states to provide easier access to health care.

The community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) will become operational by late 2010, with some opening in 2009. Local VA officials will keep communities and their veterans informed of milestones in the creation of the new CBOCs.

VA’s Proposed Sites for New Outpatient Clinics:

• Alabama – Monroe County (2010)
• Arkansas – Faulkner County (2010), Pope County (2010)
• California – Lake County (2010), Oakhurst (2010), Susanville (2010), Yuba County (2010)
• Florida – Brandon (2010), Clermont (2010)
• Georgia — Blairsville (2010)
• Hawaii – Leeward (Honolulu, 2010)
• Illinois – Carbondale (2009), Harrisburg (2010), Sterling (2010)
• Iowa — Decorah (2010)
• Maryland – Fort Meade (2010), Montgomery County (2010)
• Michigan – Bad Axe (2010), Cadillac (2010), Cheboygan (2010), Grayling (2010)
• Minnesota – Southern central border (2010), Southwest metro area (exact locations to be determined, 2010)
• Mississippi – Pike County (2010)
• Missouri – Excelsior Springs (2009), Sikeston (2009), Sedalia (2010)
• North Carolina – Edenton-Elizabeth City (2010), Goldsboro (2010)
• Pennsylvania – Cranberry Township (2009)
• Vermont – Brattleboro (2010)

The mission of Let’s Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country.

All you have to do is click on your favorite design and either select the message that best expresses your sentiment or draft a personal note. The postcards are then printed on the Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press and mailed in care packages by military support organization Give2TheTroops®.

Order Up!

One in demand, portable, PCS-proof career is just waiting for you to reach out and grab it, compliments of the DoD’s Career Advancement Accounts (CAAs). Yes, it’s true. You might be able to actually dodge the slings and arrows of prolonged unemployment if you have a career that travels well and is in demand.

Military spouses stationed (or soon to be) at selected installations in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Washington, pay close attention!

You may be able to give yourself the gift of such a career this holiday season by taking advantage of this wonderful offering while it’s here. Let me be blunt.  There are up to 6,000 reasons, in the form of U.S. dollars, to seriously consider it.

CAAs are essentially accounts that have funding in them for you to get the skills you need to have a viable career in the 21st century. Like all good things, there are parameters and there are limits.

Eligible spouses can use their self-managed accounts to pay for expenses directly related to post-secondary education and training. Expenses such as tuition, licensing and credentialing fees, and equipment necessary to complete a course of study are covered under this initiative.

The amount of a CAA is up to $3,000 per year, from the training start date. CAA may be renewed for a second year, for a two-year total of up to $6,000.

When CAAs were first introduced, they were limited to a select group of spouses based on the military member’s rank. That limitation has thankfully been lifted. Now, spouses of all active duty personnel are eligible to participate regardless of their spouse’s rank, assuming the rest of the criteria are met.

For complete details regarding eligibility, see http://caa.milspouse.org/Eligibility/.

Don’t delay. Order your very own career to go today.

About the Author: Janet Farley is the author of The Military Spouse’s Complete Guide to Career Success (Impact Publications, 2008) and writes the career advice column JobTalk for the Stars and Stripes newspapers.

Need a holiday gift idea for a military spouse or servicemember on your list?

Named makers of one of Natural Home Magazine’s “Top Ten Green Gifts of 2008,” Willow Creek Studio is proud to announce its new line of military totes. The company now creates unique tote bags from recycled military uniforms. The bags make a perfect holiday gift for military families with loved ones stationed overseas this holiday season as well as for those who want to show their support for our troops.

“I believe the military totes will provide everyone with a unique and special way to honor and remember the troops stationed overseas who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice by defending our country” said Michelle Rubin, founder of Willow Creek Studio.

Customers can either purchase military totes created out of recycled fatigues that the company has on hand, or they can personalize their military tote by sending Willlow Creek Studio their very own fatigues to be made into their own special tote that was “Worn Around The World and Recycled In The USA”.

Once the items have been collected, they should be sent to Willow Creek along with the Military Tote Order Form. The staff at Willow Creek Studio put great time, care and attention to detail into creating a very special gift. The totes arrive 4-6 weeks from the order date.

The totes are available in two sizes. The large tote is $85 and is crafted from a fatigue shirt. This size is perfect to use as a diaper bag with two inside bottle pockets and lots of space to carry all of baby’s goodies. A coordinating changing pad is also available for $15. A great gift for military mommies! The small tote is $65 and is crafted from a pair of fatigue pants. It is perfect for everyday use and makes a great schoolbag for children with parents overseas.

A percentage of the sale from each bag goes to The Special Operations Warrior Foundation an organization that provides scholarships to surviving children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations personnel who have been killed in an operation mission or training accident.