Did the gate guard stop you from entering base over the weekend? If so, it may be because of your driver's license.

As of this month, all military installations will no longer accept driver’s licenses from Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, New Mexico, Washington and American Samoa as proof of identity.

The ban is due to the REAL ID Act of 2005.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Congress began examining how states issue driver's licenses and ID cards when they realized most of the terrorists involved had licenses issued from Virginia and Florida.

Legislators put security measures in place that make the new licenses harder to duplicate or tamper with. The new licenses can also be read by machines that are now located at all DOD facilities and airports. While states do not have to comply with the new rules, if they do not, their citizens may run into headaches, especially when they travel.

Residents of the five states that have yet to comply will not be able to board a flight without an alternate form of identification. The same is true for friends and family of military members who try to visit a military facility. Without an alternate form of ID, such as a passport, they will be turned away at the gate.

Service members, family members, DoD employees, and federal employees with the DoD common access card, DoD uniformed services identification and privileges cards, federal personal identification verification cards or transportation workers’ identification credentials are not affected.

For a full list of facts regarding the new IDs, visit the Department of Homeland Security facts page at: http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs

Are you snowed in? Did you go to work anyway?

When you look across the spectrum of employers, there are few that will shut their doors due to weather. Big box stores such as Walmart and Target will be operating, as will gas stations, banks and any other business that depends on customers walking through the door to make money. Many professional offices will remain open as well.

So, what do you do?

First, don’t call it before it happens. This week Fort Bragg and many school systems declared Friday a day off before the first flake fell. The administrators there have that power. You do not. Wait until the next morning to see just how bad the storm is and if you really cannot make it to work without risking serious injury.

Second, know your employer’s bad weather policy. Some employers may say that work is required unless the county is placed under a state of emergency. At this point, emergency officials require all unnecessary travel to end, meaning you cannot travel to or from work.

Also, some employers may allow you to use a vacation day if you feel the weather is too dangerous to drive in. Again, check your company policy.

And, some lucky employees may have an option to work from home in miserable weather. If your company allows this, be certain to pack accordingly and bring your work home each night if you know the forecast calls for questionable conditions in the morning.

A deep snow forecast is fabulous, when you are 8-years-old. When you are 28, and above, it just means a long, cold, miserable commute. Be prepared to don that hat and gloves, stock up on the coffee and get going.

Hopefully, it will also mean a quiet day on the job while everyone else waits it out at home.

Thousands of military spouses are slowing growing their own businesses. They are crafting, selling, marketing and counting. They offer a full range of services and products.

And when they face a challenge, often they face it alone, especially when their spouse is deployed or training.

What many of them don't know, is there is an organization to help them grow their business, offer advice and an ear to listen.

The National Association of the Self Employed was created to help entrepreneurs manage their businesses, seek advice and have a voice in Washington D.C.

The annual fee,$120, gives members access to the organization's professional consultants who can advise them on topics such as taxes, finances, retirement plans and general questions about running their business.

Members can also apply for health insurance plans through the NASE, apply for credit cards, order office supplies, get help with website design and receive discounts on business travel. 

The NASE also gives members grants and scholarships to help with business expenses. You can apply for up to $4,000 to attend training, educational seminars, purchase business supplies, licenses or other needs that will make your business grow.

For military spouses who move every few years, this is a solid organization that can help you stay grounded through each move.

Check out their website here: https://www.nase.org/become-a-member,

You can go back to school to learn your craft.

You can spend years perfecting your skills.

An employer will hire you to run their business, their way. And a good employer will not just ask you to work, but will challenge you to expand your skillset and improve every single day.

But what if you want to start your own shop? Where do you learn how to do that? You may know the basics of setting up the storefront, working the cashier and bringing in customers. But what about managing taxes, finances and setting up a business plan?

The Spouse Education and Career Opportunities can help teach you all of that.

The organization, a division of Military One Source, is hosting a series of webinars to teach spouses the ins and outs of starting their own business.

The series stretches from February to October and is held the first Wednesday of each month at noon.

Sessions are:

February 3: Is Entrepreneurship for You? - Questions to Ask Yourself

March 2: Business Plan Basics

April 6: How to Finance Your Business

You must register to attend the webinars. You can do that, and learn more about the series by visiting,

https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/Portal/Content/View/2791

If 2016 is the year you want to get your own business up and running, make sure to register and learn from the pros how military spouses can grow a successful business!

Every January Forbes Magazine names the top 10 workplace trends they expect us to see in the coming year.

See the full list here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2015/11/01/10-workplace-trends-for-2016/#2715e4857a0b9f54c74222c1

For 2016, number three on their list is workplace flexibility. Employees want it. Employers need it. Now, let’s make it happen.

Forbes said that Americans now work an average of 47 hours per week. Studies find that 64 percent of managers expect to be able to reach their employees outside of the office during personal time. And still another study shows that employees are willing to leave a good job, if another position offers more flexibility.

Absolutely.

And, it is a must for military spouses.

I’ve worked from home and on the road for about 15 years. I would argue that it is harder than working in an office during set hours. Your work is always constantly accessible, often right on your kitchen table. You want to take just one more phone call each night, and then another, and another. I’ve even caught myself working into the wee hours of the night to make up for the guilt I felt for spending 30 minutes folding laundry that day while I simultaneously read emails.

 But I would also argue that despite the fact that I know I work more than 40 hours a week while working from home, I’m happier. I get more done. My work is better.

At home, there are no gossiping office mates to suck up my time. There are no phones and fax machines and printers buzzing and whirring and creating havoc. At home, the room is quiet. I spread all my papers and computers across my workspace and get to it.

High speed internet, texting and videochat all mean that my boss can contact me instantly, if not quicker than if I was in the office. Lines of communication are open through the evening and into the weekend, meaning my hours are easily moved around family activities.

And the best part, I can manage the small household tasks that build up over the course of a nearly 50 hour workweek spent outside the home. Laundry is done every day, and folded on my lunchbreak. Dinner is popped into the oven on time and I don’t have to wonder if I will make it home before the school bus.

If my employer suddenly ended our ability to work from home, I would absolutely leave my job. The salary at my current employer is not as high as others, but the ability to work from home, often on my own timeframe, has as much value to me as the actual pay.

Forbes believes that in the coming years, every company will be forced to create a flexibility policy that allows for more telecommuting opportunities. The big push? The technology driven millennials, 80 million strong, will begin having children.

By Tiffany Shedd

We have been part of the Exceptional Family Member program for almost two and a half years. I have taken for granted how much being a part of this program has made life easier for us.

We recently started coming up on orders for our next PCS. My husband initially saw that he was being considered for something at a post that I was not very fond of, because it’s literally in the middle of nowhere. The middle of nowhere isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if the town you are in is an actual city with things like grocery stores, places to buy clothing, activities for kids (other than those found on the installation), but this post was not one of these cities.

A few weeks later, after coming to terms with having to move to this place, my husband told me we were not going there but would be going to a much larger installation in a real city. I was overjoyed. I started to think about why the change had occurred. I know for sure that it was because we are part of the EFMP.

Did you know that being part of the EMFP ensures that your family will only be assigned to installations where your family member can receive the proper care and treatment that they require within a reasonable distance?

If the installation that you’ve been assigned to is not within that distance, your orders very likely can be changed. There are exceptions. Your service member may be required to do a Geo-Bachelor move, where your family would stay behind at your current duty station, so that your family members can continue to receive the same quality treatment.

This type of move can be a hardship, but there are programs in place to help you deal with the extra hardship. Whether you need training to help you deal with some of the extra duties that you’ll be dealing with while your spouse is gone, such as financial and budget training, or if you need respite care from time to time to recharge your batteries, the EFMP program can help you with those needs.

It’s important when you first enroll in the program to find out who the EFMP liaisons are and build a relationship with them. They are going to be a lifeline for you and your family member. They will help you learn about what you’re entitled to being part of in this program and help you use the services and programs offered to the fullest extent.

That doesn’t just mean medical issues. EFMP can provide you with referrals and information about many different programs and services that have nothing to do with your family member’s medical or educational needs.

If you are new to the program and are having a hard time connecting with your EFMP liaison, there are numerous resources that will help you online as well. Military One Source is a one stop shop for pretty much anything military life related. They have a very comprehensive section dedicated to the EFMP.

Another good place to go is Facebook. If you aren’t already in an installation spouse group, now is probably the time to join. It’s an instant connection to other people in your same location. These people usually have a wealth of knowledge that would otherwise take you lots of time to find on your own. Almost every installation has at least one spouse group. We’re stationed at a very small post currently, and I am a member of four different groups just related to this installation. There are even more that I haven’t joined. 

When we were first told we had to enroll in the EFMP, I was hesitant. I thought there might be stigma attached to it that would affect my husband’s career. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

The military has stepped up in helping families with exceptional family members in ways that weren’t available in the past, and I am extremely happy and thankful for the help they’ve given us.

Of course, it’s not always a picnic getting things done, but even if you aren’t part of this program, it never is. You have to put in the effort for yourself and your family and the EFMP staff will work for you as best they can to support you and your needs.

Time to dig through those shoeboxes full of paperwork, tax time is here.

And the more organized and knowledgeable you are about the laws, the easier it will be for you to file.

Military members, and spouses, often have very different tax rules to follow than non-military affiliated Americans. If you are tackling your own taxes this year, you need to know what laws give you a break not afforded to everyone else.

It is best to go to the source.

The IRS has webpages specifically addressing the needs of military families. The pages cover special tax considerations for disabled veterans, combat zone pay, proof of healthcare coverage through Tricare and retirement plan deductions.

Find the pages here:

https://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Information-for-Members-of-the-U.S.-Armed-Forces

https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Military

If you are letting a professional do your taxes, make sure that individual has experience working with military returns and can insure that you get all the benefits you are entitled to.

Military spouses, you need to take advantage of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act. Though the law is complicated, in its most simple form, it allows spouses to only pay state tax in their state of residency, not the state they currently live in due to military orders.

For complete details, check out this document from the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps:

http://www.jag.navy.mil/organization/documents/tax/TIM%2002-10%20Encl%202.pdf

If you have any questions when filing your taxes, the best move is to seek help from the tax office on base. Never guess. A simple mistake could cost you thousands.

There is a reason that high stress jobs are referred to as the "rat race."

Employees are stressed, overworked, drained.

What can an 89-year-old Vietnamese monk teach you about taking your stress-filled job down a notch?

A lot, actually.

Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh, practices and teaches the art of mindfulness. He wants people, especially those who claim they are too busy to do this, to stop, relax and work on strengthening communication with our peers as a means of developing more meaningful relationships and lessening stress.

Sounds, stressful?

Luckily, HuffPost has written a guide outlining 15 stress that normal, working, busy people can take to practice the art of mindfulness and bring more peace to their daily routine. Here is the online post's list:

1. Start your day with 10 minutes of sitting in meditation.
2. Take the time to sit down and enjoy eating breakfast at home.
3. Remind yourself every day of your gratitude for being alive and having 24 brand-new hours to live.
4. Try not to divide your time into "my time" and "work." All time can be your own time if you stay in the present moment and keep in touch with what’s happening in your body and mind. There’s no reason why your time at work should be any less pleasant than your time anywhere else.
5. Resist the urge to make calls on your cell phone while on your way to and from work, or on your way to appointments. Allow yourself this time to just be with yourself, with nature and with the world around you.
6. Arrange a breathing area at work where you can go to calm down, stop and have a rest. Take regular breathing breaks to come back to your body and to bring your thoughts back to the present.
7. At lunchtime, eat only your food and not your fears or worries. Don’t eat lunch at your desk. Change environments. Go for a walk.
8. Make a ritual out of drinking your tea. Stop work and look deeply into your tea to see everything that went into making it: the clouds and the rain, the tea plantations and the workers harvesting the tea.
9. Before going to a meeting, visualize someone very peaceful, mindful and skillful being with you. Take refuge in this person to help stay calm and peaceful.
10. If you feel anger or irritation, refrain from saying or doing anything straight away. Come back to your breathing and follow your in- and out-breath until you’ve calmed down.
11. Practice looking at your boss, your superiors, your colleagues or your subordinates as your allies and not as your enemies. Recognize that working collaboratively brings more satisfaction and joy than working alone. Know that the success and happiness of everyone is your own success.
12. Express your gratitude and appreciation to your colleagues regularly for their positive qualities. This will transform the whole work environment, making it much more harmonious and pleasant for everyone.
13. Try to relax and restore yourself before going home so you don’t bring accumulated negative energy or frustration home with you.
14. Take some time to relax and come back to yourself when you get home before starting on household chores. Recognize that multitasking means you’re never fully present for any one thing. Do one thing at a time and give it your full attention.
15. At the end of the day, keep a journal of all the good things that happened in your day. Water your seeds of joy and gratitude regularly so they can grow.

Want to read the entire HuffPost story? Check it out at this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/practical-ways-to-find-your-zen-at-work_568aa168e4b014efe0dafc4e?section=parents&  

Was your New Years' resolution to find a job? Lucky for you, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is going to make it a little easier for you to make that wish come true.

The foundation sponsors several military spouse only job fairs around the country each month. National companies seek out these job fairs specifically because they know the talent and capability that military spouses bring to the workplace.

Print out plenty of copies of your resume, dress for the job you want and head out to one of these great events. Your perfect job is waiting for you in 2016.

Do not forget to click on the link and register. These events fill up fast!

Jan. 20

Fort Campbell, KY

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/fort-campbell-military-spouse-2-day-event

Jan. 25

Cleveland, OH

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/cleveland-hiring-expo-cleveland-cavaliers

Jan. 26

Fort Stewart, GA

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/fort-stewart-transition-summit

Jan. 27

Austin, TX

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/austin-hiring-fair-0

Feb. 3

San Antonio, TX

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/san-antonio-hiring-expo-san-antonio-spurs

Feb. 9

Minneapolis/ St. Paul, MINN

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/minneapolisst-paul-hiring-expo-minnesota-wild-0

Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/event/joint-base-lewis-mcchord-military-spouse-2-day-event

By Amy Nielsen

Whoops.

I got myself overcommitted and missed some answers on my recently submitted homework. It may not be a big deal to many, but it is to me. It shows my lack of commitment to my studies and to my teachers. I’m not so worried about the material the lesson taught. I know I need more time with the material and the universe handed it right back to me and said, “How’s about ya give a little attention to detail and effort next time?”

 I’m more worried about my reputation with my teachers, many of whom I see on a regular basis.

I missed rewriting all of the explanations and one entire problem on my monthly homework. I have the messy notes for each. They are where I left them on the end table in the living room. But in my Yuletide insanity, trying to complete the lesson and get it sent in before the new year struck, I failed to proof read the final copy. I screwed up. I wasn’t as committed to my good standing as an student as I was to enjoying my holiday.

As I study to become an herbalist, it’s as important to be present in the moment as it is to know the materials and herbs. I wasn’t ready with either and that message came through loud and clear in my homework.

My lesson this week: beware the giant O! Overcommitment. I wanted to do so much before the end of the year that I rushed through several things just to have them done by December 31^st. Check mark in red pen and all. In my haste I not only missed important work, but I gave only 80 percent effort to any one thing. I didn’t have it to give one hundred percent to anything because I was doing one thousand things.

So how do I fix it now? What can I do to gain my personal confidence back and also show my teachers that I am willing and able to be teachable and admit and fix my mistakes? I have already submitted a leave of absence for two months to take a more in-depth class on anatomy and physiology. I could sit here today and redo the homework from the lesson and resubmit it in the mail tomorrow as that new class doesn’t start until Monday. But instead, I think I will wait.

If I rushed and redid the lesson this weekend, I still wouldn’t understand the lesson much better. I am still in the same place I was when I submitted it last month. I got some of the formula I submitted wrong. So I obviously need more time to study the material. I haven’t really gained much more knowledge since then. While my answers would be more complete, having actually submitted the full answers, they would be no less enlightened than when I wrote out the answers the first time.

I am going to take my time and really get into the lesson and understand what it is all about. Going through the anatomy and physiology class at the same time will help build my understanding of the formula in the lesson better. It can only make my homework better if I submit it again after taking the new class. I will have a better understanding and more knowledge to draw from the second time around.

And now, as I plan my year ahead, I already see places on the calendar and feel that tightness in my solar plexus and know that I already cannot cram another thing into that week. I know that if I don’t start looking ahead to this time next year, and plan better, I will find myself with chunks of time where I am overcommitted. I’m not saying I am planning out every day for the next 365, but I am saying I know that every other month for the whole year, I am already slated to be traveling one full week, if not more.

For the first six months of the year, I am still a student, in three different schools. That is a lot of learning and studying to work through. I am also working to build a set of class offerings to teach. The second half of the year will be dedicated to building my business, class offerings and client base. Pacing myself through this schedule will be key. Making sure I hit all of the deadlines to keep my word will be crucial to my success.

What happens if I find out that I have too much on my plate? What then? I have to learn to gracefully restructure my time or my commitments. I might have to reprioritize. I need to understand that it is ok to do so. In fact, by doing so, I show my commitment to that project even more. It says to me that I need more time to be more focused on this than I have to give right now. By moving that project to another time I can be more fully present for it and it will, by that commitment, have a better outcome.

So for now, I will swallow my bruised pride and embarrassment at submitting incomplete work. I will take this lesson from the universe and vow to take my time and be fully present for all of my endeavors this year. I will go back and reread the whole lesson from start to finish again. Only then will I rewrite the answers and resubmit them along with the next lesson after I finish the anatomy and physiology class.

Lesson learned, in more ways than one.