Message Center

In honor of the dedicated service of U.S. troops, The Washington Auto Show® will present a special military tribute on Tues, Jan. 31.

The Washington Auto Show, produced by the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association (WANADA), will offer free admission for all active-duty military and veterans on Tues., Jan. 31. The program centers on a 6:15 p.m. press conference to announce vehicle discounts and career opportunities being made available by automakers to military personnel and speeches by celebrity guests star J.R. Martinez, winner of “Dancing with the Stars” and others.

• J.R. Martinez, the latest winner of “Dancing with the Stars.” Martinez, a former U.S. Army infantryman who was wounded in Iraq, has visited the troops overseas on a consistent basis.
• Former U. S. Marine and WWE® Legend Sgt. Slaughter™;
• Performance by the world-class Downrange pop ensemble from the U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own.”

Event details:
6:15 p.m.: Press conference featuring celebrity guests.
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Special reception for military personnel and their families, with treats provided by Georgetown Cupcakes.
At the Walter E. Washington Convention Center

Automakers will provide information about the specific opportunities they are making available to military at their show booths.

The 2012 Washington Auto Show opens to the public from Jan. 28-Feb.5 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and is advanced by two Public Policy Preview Days.

This 70th edition of The Washington Auto Show offers a showcase of more than 700 vehicles from over 42 domestic and import manufacturers and a special 65,000-square foot exhibit, “The Advanced Technology SuperHighway,” of the latest innovations in safety and sustainability.

For more information about the show and details about the “Welcome Home Troops!” tribute, please visit: www.washingtonautoshow.com.

DC Dunkin’ is proud to announce their donation program benefiting the USO-METRO, serving the dedicated troops and their families who reside in DC, MD and NoVa. For every new “Like” that they receive on their Facebook page between December 1st – December 15th, Dunkin’ Donuts Washington Metro Area will donate $1 to benefit USO-METRO, with a total donation of up to $2,500.

Please help spread the word as we salute those who keep our country running!

For both military families and their loved ones deployed overseas, the holiday season can be an especially difficult time. Through the Portraits of Love Project, soldiers can receive a small token of home at a time when it may be needed most. Launched through a joint effort between the PMDA and the military support organization USO, the Portraits of Love Project seeks to provide professional photographers with an opportunity to use their talents to show their appreciation for all those serving abroad. To find a local independent studio or for information on participating USO offices and on-base sessions, military families can visit the Portraits of Love Project website at: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/.

Participating Through Independent Photographers
For families looking to participate through the Portraits of Love Project’s local network of independent photography studios, a complete database of these volunteers will be available online starting September 1 at http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/families.php. Families can simply locate their preferred studio and contact it directly to schedule an appointment through the above website. Following the scheduled session, military families will access the portrait at www.seehere.com to claim their personal photo and to send a copy to a deployed loved one in time for the holidays.

Participating Through the USO
For families taking advantage of the sessions scheduled at the local USO facilities or on military bases listed below, the process will be very similar. A complete schedule of sessions is available at www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com.
USO Locations:

• Gulf Coast, Gulfport Biloxi International Airport – Gulfport, MS (December 3-4, 2011)
• Las Vegas, McCarran International Airport – Las Vegas, NV
• Rocky Mountain USO – Fort Carson – Colorado Springs, CO (October 22, 2011)
• USO Fort Hood – Ft. Hood, TX (November 29-30, 2011)
• USO of Northwest Florida – Eglin AFB, FL
• USO of Northwest Florida – Hurlburt Field, FL
• USO of Northwest Florida – Pensacola, FL (November 5, 2011)

Registration for Independent Photographers

Interested photographers can register to participate in the program online at http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com/photographers.php between September 1 and October 1, 2011. Volunteer photographers will receive program promotional materials from the PMDA along with directions on how to upload portraits to the Project’s fulfillment system. Additionally, volunteer photographers will be asked to provide details about their studio space, such as location, size and set-up to allow organizers to plan for anticipated volumes in each market.

Sponsors of the 2011 Portraits of Love Project include: Canon, FUJIFILM, Nikon, Olympus, Sony, Bonnier Technology Group, Digital Photo Academy, Photo Industry Reporter, SeeHere.com, Samsung, Panasonic, Hewlett Packard, Tamron and The Tiffen Company.

For more information on the Portraits of Love Project, please visit: http://www.pmdaportraitsoflove.com, or check out the Project’s Facebook page!

The following “U Can Do It” with the USO Checklist lists 11 ways that are guaranteed to jumpstart your Veterans Day and keep our troops, veterans and their families top of mind this Veterans Day:

11 WAYS “U CAN DO IT” WITH THE USO VETERANS DAY CHECKLIST

1. General Mills/Cheerios (10/14/ – 11/20) Send “Cheer” postcards to military families found on Cheerios boxes. www.cheerios.com/Products/Cheerios/Send-Cheer-to-Military-Families
2. American Airlines (11/7/- 11/11) Donate your AAdvantage points and raise funds to support our veterans at joinus.aa.com/military, stop by an American Airlines gate and celebrate “Yellow Ribbon Day” by wearing yellow to show your gratitude and share messages of support at www.facebook.com/AA
3. Papa John’s (11/7- 11/20)  Spread the word about USO meal deals that support the troops and their families. www.papajohns.com
4. ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Rise & Honor A Veterans Day Special with EIF (11/11/11 & 11/14/11) Tune in Friday, November 11th at 8pm EST/7pm CST on ABC for a one hour Veterans Day Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Special with stars like Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and hosts Ty Pennington and Jewel. Also this episode will run on 11/14/11 on Armed Forces Network (AFN) for troops and their families to watch overseas. www.riseandhonor.org
5. P&G / Wal-Mart Operation Family Connect (10/14-12/10) View and share the stories of military families at: www.youtube.com/standunited
6. Bass Pro Shops (11/11-12/31) Stop by a Bass Pro Shop and check out Reelin’ It In For the Troops. www.basspro.com
7. NBC Universal’s feature film BATTLESHIP 11/11/11 Submit your story of a military hero at the Battleship or USO Facebook tabs. www.facebook.com/theUSO
8. Gillette (11/11-12/18) Share a story about a military service member in your life on Facebook with Gillette. www.facebook.com/gillette
9. ESPN (11/5-11/11) Watch ESPN, tweet #espn4USO and visit www.espn.com because the USO is ESPN’s Charity of Choice. www.giveuso.org
10. Coca-Cola (11/ – 12/17) Download a coupon and tell a servicemember about how they can get their Free Coke®. www.uso.org/coca-cola
11. 7- Eleven (11/11) Free small Slurpee on 11/11/11 for from 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Offer good to all current and former military members. ID or proof of service required. www.7-eleven.com/Only-at-7-Eleven/Promotions/Donate-$1-to-the-USO/Default.aspx

Applebee’s, Free meal – Friday, Nov. 11:  Last year, Applebee’s served 1,024,000 million free meals to military veterans and  active service members. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2011. There will be 7 entrées to choose from. Military ID or proof of service required. Find locations at http://applebees.com/

Chili’s, Free meal – Friday, Nov. 11: Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 6 meals. This offer is available during business hours on November 11, 2011 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only;  beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.

Golden Corral, Free meal – Monday Nov. 14: The 10th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation dinner will be held on Monday, November 14, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm in all Golden Corral Restaurants nationwide. The free “thank you” dinner is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/

Hooters, Free Meal – Friday, Nov. 11: Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Choose one of the new specialty items on the Hooter’s menu. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. Drink purchase required. For more information, visit www.HootersVeteransDay.com

Krispy Kreme, Free doughnut – Friday, Nov. 11: Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees &  veterans on Friday, November 11th. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants, Free lunch or dinner – Sunday Nov. 13: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 13th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 13th. Veterans will be able to choose a  complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, Space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event.

Outback Steakhouse, A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes – Monday, Nov. 7 – Friday, Nov. 11: Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel who have one of the following forms of identifications: U.S Uniform Services Identification Card, U.S Uniform Services Retired Identification Card, Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), DD form 214 Veterans Organization Card (i.e., American Legion and VFW), Photograph in Uniform, Wearing Uniform. For more information, visit http://outback.com/companyinfo/veteransday.aspx

Subway Free Six Inch Sub – Friday, Nov. 11: Select Subway locations offer a FREE six inch sub to military veterans on Veteran’s Day. However, Subway restaurants are franchises, so this offer may not be available everywhere. Please call ahead.

Texas Roadhouse, Free meal- Friday, Nov. 11: Offer varies by location; our local Texas Roadhouse is offering a free meal from opening until 4pm. Other locations may vary in offer, hours, or availability. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information.

T.G.I. Friday’s, Buy one get one free – Friday, Nov 11-14: At participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. November 11-14.

Uno Chicago Grill, Free entree or individual pizza – Friday, Nov. 11: Uno’s is offering a free entree or individual pizza with a purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value. Offer good for all military for veterans and active duty military. ID or proof of service required: Show up in uniform (if your service permits), provide military ID, show a picture of yourself in uniform, or have other ID showing proof of service. More info here.

Home Depot: The Home Depot(R) is offering all active duty personnel, reservists, retired military, veterans and their families a 10 percent discount off their purchases in honor of Veteran’s Day. The offer is valid on purchases of up to $2,000 for a maximum of $200 and is available at The Home Depot stores, The Home Depot Design Center locations, Yardbirds and EXPO Design Center(R) locations. The 10% discount is available everyday for active duty and retirees, but not all veterans. Home Depot makes this offer available to all veterans on most military holidays. You can also find Home Depot discounts online.

Lowes: Lowe’s Companies, Inc. will offer all active, reserve, honorably discharged, retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store U.S. purchases made during the Veterans Day holiday. The discount is available Nov. 7 – Nov. 11. The discount is available on in-stock and special order purchases up to $5,000. To qualify, individuals must present a valid military ID or other proof of service. Excluded from the discount are sales via Lowes.com, previous sales, and purchases of services or gift cards. Like Home Depot, Lowes offers this discount daily to active duty military members, but not to veterans. However, they extend the offer to military veterans on military holidays. You can also find exclusive discounts at Lowe’s.com.

Free Park Admissions for Veterans Day – Friday, Nov. 11: Here’s to the Heroes Anheuser-Busch Parks. Anheuser-Busch Parks offers Active Duty Service Members free admission for them and up to 3 dependents to any of their parks once a year. Throughout 2011, members of the military and as many as three direct dependents may enter SeaWorld, Busch Gardens or Sesame Place parks with a single-day complimentary admission. The Here’s to the Heroes program is only available to Any active duty, activated or drilling reservist, or National Guardsman. Eligible parks include: Adventure Island, Busch Gardens (Tampa Bay or Williamsburg), SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio), Sesame Place, and Water Country USA. Not valid at Discovery Cove and Aquatica. Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not included as part of this program. For more information and to register, visit: Free admission summary, and ticket application.

Colonial Williamsburg Free Admission – Nov. 11-13: Colonial Williamsburg offers free weekend-long admission tickets to active-duty military, reservists, retirees, veterans, and their immediate dependents from Friday, Nov. 11 through Sunday, Nov. 13th. The complimentary ticket incudes admission to Colonial Williamsburg exhibition sites, art museums, and most daytime programs, as well as free parking and use of the shuttle bus system. Tickets are only available at on-site ticket sales locations. Tickets are also available to families of deployed service members. Tickets available on the following dates: Nov. 11-13.

Historic Jamestown, Free Admission - Friday, Nov 11.: The National Park Service commemorates Veterans Day with Fee Free days at Historic Jamestown November 11-13. Free admission for everyone. See events calendar.

Knotts Berry Farm Military Tribute Days – Free Admission Nov. 1-24: Knott’s Berry Farm has an annual Military Tribute event in which they offer military members past and present by offering free park admission. This year the Military Tribute Days run from November 1 – 24 November (Thanksgiving Day). Veterans or current serving military personnel plus one guest get in FREE with proper ID presented at Knott’s turnstile (DD214, Veterans Administration Hospital ID or Active Military Service ID). Purchase up to six  additional tickets for just $17 each. More info.

Fee Free Day at National Parks- Nov. 11-13: To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the National Park Service would not charge entrance fees for Veteran’s Day weekend – November 11-13, 2011. Over 100 national Parks will be participating in this event.

San Jacinto Monument and Museum (La Porte, TX )- Nov. 7-13: Free admission to the theatre, Observation Floor, and (on November 12-13) the special exhibit to all veterans and their families. More info.

Bed and Breakfast for Vets: In the third year of the program, B&Bs for Vets has organized over 485 (and counting) participating Bed and Breakfasts and Inns across the US and Canada which will be offering veterans a free night’s stay on November 10th, the
night before Veterans Day. This offer is available to both active duty military members and veterans with ID, but space is limited. Each Inn and B&B has at least one room available for this promotion and reservations must be made directly through the participating Inns and B&Bs. For more information visit B&Bs for Vets.

Free Hugo® Canes for Veterans – Nov 9-11: Sam’s Club® locations nationwide will distribute 36,000 Hugo® canes free of charge on November 9th, 10th, 11th, 2011 to U.S. military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Limited quantities available, while supplies last. Sam’s Club® Membership is not required, but proof of military service may be required. For more information, visit HugoSalutes.com.

*Other Veteran’s Day Discounts: Here are some additional Veteran’s Day Discounts. In all cases, be sure to provide proper ID or proof of service. In addition, some of these stores are franchises, so verify participation before assuming the discount is in place.

Free Car wash- Friday, Nov 11: Thousands of car washes around the country are offering vets a free car wash on Veterans Day. Find a list at Grace for Veterans, which helped veterans receive 101,537 FREE Washes on Veterans Day in 2010.

Amazon.com “Veterans Day Honor” MP3 album download discount- Friday, Nov. 11: This downloadable album includes 12 songs as performed by the military bands and ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces. Visit Amazon on Veteran’s Day to download the album.

Netflix – One Month Free Trial.

Sport Clips – FREE haircut to active-duty military & veterans. Offer only available at select locations. Please call to verify local participation.

Tim Horton’s – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).

For veterans going through tough financial times, or struggling to find a job in several states, Assurance Wireless can be a way to stay connected to family, services and opportunity. Eligible Assurance Wireless customers receive a free wireless phone, 250 free voice minutes per month with call waiting, a voice mail account, caller ID and access to 911 in case of emergency.

Customers may also choose to pay for additional services as needed.

Who’s Eligible?

Eligibility for Assurance Wireless varies by state and may include those who participate in Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA or Section 8), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or the National School Lunch Program’s Free Lunch Program. Customers may also qualify based on low household income on a state by state basis as well.

Residents can verify eligibility by calling 1-800-395-27171 or by visiting www.AssuranceWireless.com. I would be happy to facilitate interviews, send b-roll or provide additional information. Anything you can do to help us educate the many veterans who could use this valuable resource would be greatly appreciated.

Also, those who don’t quite qualify for Assurance Wireless but who are also struggling in the current economy and searching for value, can take advantage of payLo by Virgin Mobile. payLo was especially designed with value-conscious wireless consumers in mind, offering plans for as little as $20/month for 400 minutes or 90 days of service for $20 at a rate of $0.20/minute. payLo is available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Best Buy, RadioShack and Target.

Prospective low income customers who find they are not eligible for Assurance Wireless may learn more about Virgin Mobile’s no contract payLo Plan options by visiting http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/paylo-plans.jsp#

Sprint has the distinction of a strong corporate reputation with various branches of the armed services. Sprint takes pride in its military recruitment program that focuses on hiring veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, as well as transitioning active military and their spouses or other family members. Sprint has been widely recognized for this strong commitment to the military with multiple awards for being a military-friendly employer.

Troopswap is a new site offering deals exclusively for veterans, servicemembers and members of their immediate family.

Every day, they feature great deals from businesses who are proud to offer their products and services at discounts up to 90% off exclusively for members of the military community.

All you need to do is sign up. Once your service has been verified, you can start saving right away! Check it out, and if you like them, let us know! We’d love to share your feedback with other readers.

Department of Defense’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), administered by the Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy (WWCTP), has begun offering a series of virtual learning opportunities to transitioning Service members and families.

The free online classes are available to any servicemember worldwide, and cover essential employment search topics such as resume writing and interviewing. The classes are recommended for any Service members looking enhance their practical, real-world employment search and transition skills. The webimnars are a great resource for members of the National Guard and Reserves who don’t have access to the same transition services as their active duty counterparts. The classes are also open to military family members.

The live classes are offered weekly and Service members can register for them at www.TurboTAP.org. Some of the classes that have been offered are:

• Building Better Resumes
• Decoding Military Skills for Civilian Employers
• Landing a Federal Job
• Common Job Hunting Mistakes
• Acing the Interview
• Social Networking and the Job Search

This week’s webinars are:

1. Accept, Adjust, Repeat: Strategies for Transition Success – Tuesday, August 23, 9:00 pm EST
2. Combat to College – Thursday, August 25, 8:00 pm EST

Since launching in late spring, more than 3,000 Service members, from Anaheim to Afghanistan, have registered for these classes.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has once again chosen Sittercity’s Corporate Program to help hundreds of thousands of military families across the nation find in-home caregivers. Sittercity is America’s largest and most trusted online solution connecting families with high-quality, local babysitters, nannies, elder care providers, dog walkers and more, with nearly 2 million caregivers nationwide.

The Sittercity Corporate Program, which was originally selected by the Department of Defense in 2009, provides all Army, Marine, Navy and Air Force families (including active duty, reserve and guard) with a paid membership to Sittercity through a custom built military portal at www.sittercity.com/dod.

Since the Sittercity Military Program launched in January of 2010, Sittercity has helped tens-of-thousands of military families find the right caregiver for their family. In fact, Sittercity connects a caregiver with a military family every nine minutes.
“Sittercity is honored to continue working with the Department of Defense,” said Martin Clifford, Sittercity CEO. “The challenges military families face in serving their country while caring for their family are significant and we are proud serve them and be a part of their support system.”

Eligible military families can activate their paid Sittercity membership at www.sittercity.com/dod.

Just for our DC-area peeps, sorry folks:

Thursday, June 30, 2011
Hello Cupcake Capitol Hill (Barrack’s Row)
705 8th Street SE Washington, DC 20003
4 – 6 pm

To thank the men and women of the armed forces, and their families, for their service, and to provide a fun atmosphere to celebrate with friends and family, Hello Cupcake is hosting a free private event at our NEW location in Barracks Row.

Families will decorate patriotic themed cupcakes, meet with friends and celebrate Independence Day early. Light fare will be provided. All members of the military in DC are invited to attend this free event.

RSVP at: http://cupcakesforcourage.eventbrite.com

Can’t make it to the event? From June 30th-July 4th, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of patriotic-themed cupcakes will be donated to Camp Desert Kids, a program of Military Families United that helps military children understand the deployments that shape their lives.