Spouse Spouts

Troopster, what a great idea. Starting a business that is designed for the military's needs in mind. Well, it makes sense when the founder of Troopster, Chelsea is Active Duty military. Her business parter, also military so he understands what people are wanting when deployed.  Best part about Troopster? It's all online, and you can order a care package for your loved one, from the comfort of your home. That's amazing!  Listen to Spouse Spouts today so you can learn more about this business! 

Black History Month is when we, as Americans, celebrate the contributions of African-Americans across our country. Let's learn about the history of the month, contributions of African Americans to our military, and the contributions of African Americans to the disability movement.  It's a rich history, that inspires others to do more. Learning about how our African American community survived, when the odds were stacked against inspires many people today.  The US Military has also, changed because of the contributions of African Americans.  Join Susan on Spouse Spouts to learn more! 

The Gig Economy, Spouse Employment, and Tricare. It's time to have some frank discusions about all of these topics and more.  What's the Gig Economy? It's flexible, contract work. It's helpful for military families, but is it good for long-term?  Employment, why talk about employment? I'm talking about employment because it does have value, but it's not the only issue impacting families today.  Military families are not single issue families. Right now we have families in crisis because of Tricare changes. Those families need our support.    Tune in every Wednesday for Spouse Spouts!   

After a lengthy hiatus, Spouse Spouts is back. It's taken Susan a little while to get it together and find new direction, but she did.  Has the show changed? Yes it has. Dave has a new full-time job with The American Legion, and Susan is on her own. You'll get to hear all about the changes, upcoming episodes, a wish list of guests, a wish list for topics, and so much more. As always, the intent is to bring quality programming to you all.  Tune in today as Susan returns to Spouse Spouts. 

Have you seen the "new" TRICARE changes? Totally bizarre to the outsiders, like us, so, we asked our favorite Military.com person Amy Bushatz to come on the show to explain what she has discovered about these changes and give us some skinny she can't put into her articles. She came through, and we're sure you will enjoy this episode! Since Amy lives in Alaska, and runs a fairly busy schedule, we had to pre-record this episode. All this means is there won't be any calls answered in the show, you can still listen in at the normal time on-hold. Spouse Spouts is a weekly military spouse podcast hosted by Susan and Dave each Wednesday at 0930 EST.

Have you ever wanted to go on a tour of the United States? Hop on a train and see what the country has to offer? Anna Blanch Rade did just that, and we have her on Spouse Spouts to tell us all about her American Tour.  Anna is more than a traveller, she's a military spouse who is making things happen in her community. Join Susan and Dave as they chat with Anna about her tour, her career, and her community impact.  Spouse Spouts is a weekly military spouse podcast hosted by Susan and Dave each Wednesday at 0930 EST

I don't know about you, but finding a job is not easy. I don't know about you, but I also can't work a traditional Monday-Friday 9-5 job either. What are we supposed to do? How can we find jobs that offer what we need as military family members?  Enter Audrey from Worldwide101. She's a military spouse and it on Spouse Spouts today to tell us all about Worldwide 101 and they are helping miltiary spouses find jobs and satisfaction. Spouse Spouts is a weekly podcast hosted by Susan Reynolds and Dave Etter. Join them every Wednesday at 0930 EST.   

I don't know about you all, but it's not always easy to do financial planning. It can be confusing, and overwhelming at times. What is you get yourself into debt, and you don't know how to get yourself out of debt?  On Today's episode of Spouse Spouts we will have Michael Meese, the COO of AAFMAA on and we'll talk financial planning.  The important and growing role of the spouse in military family finance Additionally source of income, if the spouse is employed Valuable contributions to the household, which are harder to quantify (childcare, chores, shopping, etc.) The spouse as a key decision-maker when it comes to finances Understanding financial windfalls that may come with military life and how to make the most of them Separation pay Hazardous duty pay Budgeting advice to help families avoid debt Saving and investing strategies to help build up a “rainy day” or emergency fund Understanding your options for protecting your family with insurance SGLI  Supplements and additional offerings from non-profit organizations   Join Susan and Dave every Wednesday for Spouse Spouts at 0930 EST! 

Insurance company selection can be a daunting process. Wouldn't it be nice to have all the details you may want to know handy, in human-speak? Join Susan and Dave as they interview Lori Simmons from Armed Forces Insurance and discover many cool features of the coverage you can get from AFI! Spouse Spouts is a weekly hour long podcast recorded live (most of the time!) on Wednesdays at 0930 EST by Susan Reynolds, 2014 Joan Orr AF Spouse of the Year and Dave Etter, AFI 2016 Army Spouse of the Year.

Last year Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina faced down Hurricane Matthew. This year, Texas is doing battle with Hurricane Harvey. The devastation is unreal, the loss is overwhelming, and help is needed from everywhere.  Who can help? Dave and Susan have put together some information to share with you all in order to Help with Harvey. Our Coast Guard and National Guard have been  hard at work. It's more than that; first responders are also out and working hard.  What can you do? We'll give you some ideas and some organizations that are already in the area, helping. 

Yes, we're on the end of the summer moving season, but guess what, fall moving season is already happening. That means working with moving companies, finding a place to live, do you choose on base or off base, will you buy a house or rent?  What about the moving company? How do you deal with them? Today we have some answers to those questions. Join Susan and Todd Ernst, from PCSgrades as they discuss moving in the military.  Join Susan and Dave every Wednesday at 0930 EST for Spouse Spouts! 

Back To School! It's either the best time of the year or the worst. For some of our military kids, they are starting a new school again. They are the new kid, again. For some of our military kids, this is their last year at their school. And for some of our military kids, they will start school for the first time.  What can we do as parents and family members to help? There are many resources available. Military One Click has been writing about back to school for the last few weeks and will have a guest host, Tesha Jackson on today to share with us some tips to help our kids out.  Join Susan and Dave every Wednesday at 0930 EST for Spouse Spouts! 

Behind the Scenes is the title of Cara Loken's book. It's a look into military spouse life and what some spouses are doing to support others.  Cara gathered 30 spouses to share some of their stories.  What else is Cara up to? She's working on a children's book, supporting veterans through art, and more. Join Susan and Dave in their interview with Cara.   

The National Military Family Association or NMFA is one of our oldest, most respected military family advocacy and support organizations. Who are they really, and what do they do for us?  Today on Spouse Spouts we are fortunate to have MJ Boice from the communications staff at NMFA on the show, sharing with us what is happening in the military family community. We'll talk about Tricare, education, military children, and more. With so much happening, it's good to know we have friends and allies like NMFA looking out for us.  Join Susan and Dave every Wednesday at 0930 EST for Spouse Spouts. 

I don't know about you all, but there are times when I worry about cybersecurity. Maybe worry isn't the right word, but I do have concerns. Is my online presence too much and puts my family at risk? What can I do, as my child is getting older, to ensure his online safety? I have so many questions and concerns. Fortunately, today on Spouse Spouts we have an expert here to help.  Alex Brown knows about OPSEC (operational security) and PERSEC (personal security) and it here today to help us out. Questions about social media? Alex can answer them and give us tips and tools on how to be a little more, or a lot more safe online. Join Susan and Dave for Spouse Spouts every Wednesday at 0930 EST.   

Summer fun at the beach, the pool, a lake, or maybe some camping, right? But for military families, the summer is also all about moving. It's PCS Season!!!  With the help of social media, moving isn't as difficult as it used to be. However, people still have questions, still want to see the area they are moving too, and have questions about schools. Who do we turn too? Millie!  Joining us is Kellie Artis from Millie and she is going to share with us today what Millie does and how they help our military families during a stressful time.     

Today's show is all about bullies. Last week, Susan and Dave talked a little about bullies in the military spouse community and promised to talk more about it.  Bullies! UGH!!! They are not fun at all, and they are everywhere. Is bullying getting worse? Does social media help bullies? Think about our military kids too. Our children move more than most of their peers and they experience bullying. So let's talk about it. Let's talk about the bullies in our community and we can stop this issue.  Join Susan and Dave every Wednesday at 0930 EST for Spouse Spouts! 

Susan is back! She's on the mend slowly but surely and will be recovering from her massive hernia repair for months, but it doesn't matter! Susan is BACK!!! Join Susan and Dave, the orginial dream team of Spouse Spouts today as they talk, surgery, recovery, friendships, family, pain meds, and current events. Hear their stories and laugh hysterically at the shenanigans Susan had while in the hospital. There were many odd things that happened. Susan and Dave are the team behind Spouse Spouts, please join them today at 9:30 EST.

Susan hit a snag in her recovery which means she won't be back on the show today....sad face. However, Robin Pruitt, 2017 AFI Kentucky NG Spouse of the Year is helping out.  So what will Dave and Robin talk about? Summer vacation of course! School is out in most places or will be finished up this week. What do you do with your kids? Summer camps?  Join Dave and Robin as they chat about summer fun, vacations with the family, activities for the kids, how to work from home during the summer, and more. 

The Braless Podcast: Unhooked and Unleashed is on the show today! Erin Whitehead is filling in for Susan who is still recovering from surgery. Be prepared to unleash the beasts today with Erin and Dave! Wait...you don't know what The Braless Podcast is? Well check this out: http://www.bralesspodcast.com/ and read all about The Braless Podcast and Erin on her website.  It's all about having fun, laughing, stepping outside of the military community, and talking about life on Braless and for today, we have that on Spouse Spouts.   

Today is a little different. Susan is out for surgery for the next 2 weeks which means we will have a substitute host!  Join Moni Jefferson on Spouse Spouts today as she fills in for Susan, helps out Dave, and tells us how to quiet the noise that is overwhelming social media and so much more! Moni Jefferson Air Force spouse, Public Relations Strategist, founder of the MilSpouse Creative a gathering place for MilSpouse creative entrepreneurs to connect +collab + cultivate and the creator the MilCam the perfect military filter app to tell you military lifestyle thru social media. She is an Air Force spouse and mother of 3 who gets it all done between coffee+wine + a few colorful words. Moni has learned in the past few 2 years by aligning her purpose -to serve military spouses and her passion- public relations she able to walk in her gift and support others.

Employment, finding a job, updating a resume, getting your Linked In profile looking sharp, can be overwhelming! A few years ago the US Chamber of Commerce decided to help transitioning service members, veterans, retirees, and military spouses by creating Hiring our Heroes!  Today on Spouse Spouts, Megan Paone Senior Manager, Military Spouse Programs and Liz O'Brien Director, Military Spouse Program will be on the show talking about employment.  Questions about resumes, career events, and preparing for an interview will all be answered. Also, share in the laughs that will surely be on this week's episode of Spouse Spouts! 

Have you ever heard of Drew Hernandez? What about A Combat Veteran? Have you watched his vidoes? Hilarious, truthful, and contagious are just some of the words that describe Drew, A Combat Veteran. In 2015 while Drew was deployed as a private contractor, he created his first video, " 10 Way to Identify A Combat Veteran". Drew went viral. From that point Drew has shared numerous vidoes and grabbed the attention of our military and veteran community, and the civilian community. "A Combat Veteran is a brand passionately dedicated to bringing more light and comedy to the Veteran community. Drew Hernandez continuously turns his past experiences into opportunities by creating distinctive videos about what it means to be or to know a Combat Veteran on a weekly basis. By doing so, he has grasped the attention of not only the close-knit community of Veterans alike, but that of civilians as well and has contagiously resonated with all who support the military." Drew served on Active Duty status as an MP from 2006 through 2011.He deployed multiple times to both Afghanistan and Iraq. Drew has become a positive force and influence within the veteran community, and we have him here on Spouse Spouts! Join us on May 3rd as Susan and Dave interview Drew Hernandez, A Combat Veteran.

Have you seen her videos? We've shared them on our Facebook page. Do you know who she is? She the Honest Dependa, and we're talking with her on Spouse Spouts today! The Honest Dependa brings humor, and truth to our military life. In hilarious videos, she has already tackled tough topics such as neighbors in housing, hold times with TRICARE, and military kids missing their parents.  What questions do you have for her? What questions would you like answered? Join Susan and Dave as they interview The Honest Dependa.     

Is change possible? An age old question with little answers until today. David Mike, author of Dishonor: One Soldier's Journey from Desertion to Redemption, is on Spouse Spouts sharing his journey as military kid to soldier to deserter, and lastly to serving time in Leavenworth.  Listen as Susan interviews David and hears his story about how a troubled kid, was able to redeem himself, find his faith, and let that faith guide him in life. Change is possible, and David shares with us how change occurs. 

April is Month of the Military Child and we're talking about our kids here on Spouse Spouts!  From the littlest warriors born in the military treatment facility to the child that has grown up, and become a service member as well. Military kids are simply wonderful and we can't wait to share their stories of strength and truimph on Spouse Spouts!  Join Susan and Dave as they talk milkids, Military Child of the Year, Famous Military Kids, the history of the word BRAT, and more! 

The Exceptional Family Member Program or EFMP is designed to help military families impacted by disability or chronic illness.  Is this program working? For the most part the answer is yes, but what happens when EFMP doesn't work? What happens when misinformation is shared? What happens when EFMP doesn't help?  The answer to these questions and more will be discussed on this episode of Spouse Spouts. Join Susan and Dave as they talk about a tough subject, share ideas, speak with families from across the miltiary to discuss EFMP, their experiences, suggestions for improvements, and more! 

What a rough episode we had last week! Both Dave and Susan had technical difficulties. Advocacy is such a great topic, so we are here to talk about it again.  However, let's look at a specific area of advocacy. Let's talk about healthcare. How do we navigate a system that is full of red tape? How do we navigate a system that is reactionary and not preventative? We wish we had an answer to those questions, but we don't. What we have is tips on how to get the best healthcare for you and your family.     

We're talking advocacy and what it means to be an advocate. More than that, we're also talking who needs to advocate, why a person needs to advocate, and where and when it's appropriate to advocate.  Why tips and tools do you use to advocate for change? What works and what doesn't work? Get the answers to these questions and so many more on today's Spouse Spouts.  Join Susan and Dave for a lively discussion on the finer points of advocacy on Spouse Spouts. 

Have you ever wondered what it would take to reach our potential as a human race? Cerno's Mission, "Help those who aspire to Keep Climbing! We challenge people to think and act differently, step outside their comfort zone, and activate their limitless potential at work and in life." Michelle is more than the co-founder of Cerno, she's a military spouse in the STEM field, a passionate advocate for families, and the 2016 AFI Air Force Spouse of the Year. Join Susan and Dave for a candid conversation about stress, families, getting outside, and how to keep climbing towards success.       

Support the military. Support the troops. Support military families. All nice phrases and slogans, but is it actually happening? What about suport within the military? Is that happening?  What is meaningful spouse support, and when do we stop being blindly supportive and say "enough"? Also, how do we support each other as spouses? A lot of questions, and hopefully we'll get some answers.  Join Susan and Dave as they talk spouse support; what works, what doesn't work, and when to say enough. 

For this episode of Spouse Spouts Susan and Dave are talking with Cara Loken, the 2016 Armed Forces Insurance National Guard Spouse of the Year.  Cara is the founder of Nebraska Arts for Vets, an organization that brings the arts to our veterans.  "Nebraska Arts for Vets is a creative outlet for veterans that suffer from PTSD, mental issues, physical concerns, and other combat related issues. It is a way for them to take their mind and focus on something else besides the side effects left from war. Our mission is to show our veterans other outlets that can help them focus on creativity and using the imagination to create a masterpiece, or help them tell their stories using different artistic methods. Art therapy is considered by many as a mind-body connection that can influence physiological and psychological symptoms."  Join Susan and Dave as they talk art, veterans, mental health, PTSD, and ways to help! 

We love a great discussion here on Spouse Spouts and expect that a discussion about family support will be both interesting and great.  The question before us is this: is family support and family readiness working in its current form? Susan grew up a military kid and remembers what family support used to be. Dave is a Navy veteran and remembers how family support used to be in the Navy.  Join Susan and Dave for a lively discussion on family support and the sharing of ideas to help military families. 

Less than a week till Valentine's Day. Is this a day that's special for you, or is it just another day? What is your spouse is deployed or training? What do you do? How about if you can't get a sitter to go to dinner? What about remembeing cards for your kid's classroom? There's so much to remember! Join Susan and Dave on their "It's All About Love" episode as they share Valentine's stories and how to create your own romantic holiday, even if your loved one is away. 

Nomination are over and it's time to start voting. But who do you vote for?  Join Susan and Dave as they look through the profiles and share who the nominees are for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year! Susan and Dave will go base by base, post by post, to read to you the nominee information and the new voting rules and timeline for the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year.  Don't forget to listen! Susan Reynolds and Dave Etter met because of the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year, so this program holds a special place in our hearts! 

Susan and Dave are pleased to have Babette Maxwell on the show! Babette will be here telling us all about MilSpouseFest and how it will be in six locations this year!  From the event page: "During the event, you'll participate in hands-on activities and interactive discussions. There are no lectures or PowerPoint presentations here. We promise that our activities have a purpose and our guests have something real to say. That's because our guests are connected to the military (and many of them are military spouses themselves). They've been there and done that… and not only survived but succeeded too! New this year we have added an "After Hours" for anyone who wants to hang out and have questions answered from our amazing sponsors. Or shoot, just hang out, mingle and have more time to make connections. And by the way… did we mention that there will be all kinds of giveaways, freebies, and some truly killer prizes for attendees? We're talking gift cards, Fitbits, Apple Watches, iPads, and other giveaways." https://www.eventbrite.com/e/milspousefest2017-san-antonio-tickets-30506109595

Money, money, money. Finances, and more money. It seems so complicated, but is it?  When Susan was in college, she got into serious credit card debt. Susan also learned some tough lessons. But there's more that Susan wished she would have known when she was younger. With this being a new year, Susan and Dave thought it would be helpful to bring Doug Nordman on Spouse Spouts to talk about finances and the military. There's a lot going on with upcoming tax season, and changes to retirement.  You can read about Doug here: http://the-military-guide.com/about/about-doug-nordman/

I'm not one for resolutions, how about you? Every year I would try and stick to my resolutions and every year I would fail miserably. So, I stopped making them and so did Dave. However, resolutions work for some people. Maybe you're one of those people they work for.  What about a goal? Or what about a theme? Maybe goals and themes work for you instead of a resolution. Whatever it is that you do, call in and speak with Susan and Dave about your plans for the new year! 

It's our third and final episode on Mental Health and the Holidays. For today's show we'll have Keita Franklin, PhD and Wendy Lakso from the Defense Suicide Prevention Office as our guests.  We will talk about what the Department of Defense is doing to help combat suicide with our service members and their families. We will also discuss the myths that surround mental health and what is being done to dispel those myths.  Susan Reynolds and Dave Etter are the host and co-host for Spouse Spouts.

Well we had to change things up a little this week. Due to illness, conflicting schedules, and meetings, our show is a little shorter than usual, but it still has the charm of Susan and Dave!  We're talking holidays and holiday traditions. We might even throw in a little early Festivus celebrations!  Join Susan and Dave for Spouse Spouts the holiday episode and laugh until you cry with us! It will be a great time and fun will be had by all!   

As we learned in our last show, the holidays can be a stressful time for so many. Sometimes it's finding the perfect present, or having the perfect holiday.  For those of us who have lost a friend or family member, the holiday season can serve as a remind of what we have lost.  On today's show we have guests from the Tragedy Assistace Program for Survivors or TAPS (http://www.taps.org/) and Give An Hour (https://www.giveanhour.org/) sharing ways we can honor the person we lost and still enjoy the holidays.   

It's the holiday season. It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year! For some it isn't. For some people, this is a stressful and lonely time. For our military, who is far from home, deployed, or has lost a loved one, the holidays can be some of the darkest times. Join Spouse Spouts for a three part series about the military, mental health, and the holiday season.  Today will be talking about teens and young adults in regards to mental health. Join us to learn more about mental health and the holidays.     

It's Thanksgiving! It's a time for parades, food, football, and family. For military families stationed away from home, Thanksgiving can be a lonely time of the year. As always we rise to meet the challenge.  Join Susan and Dave as they share their Thanksgiving stories. You will laugh, cry, and enjoy the show the day before the holiday where you stuff your face, and fall asleep afterward. Please take the time to call in and share your Thanksgiving story. We are looking forward to hearing from you.  

Call-in line: (323) 870-4358. Did you know that not all healthcare is covered by TRICARE, the military's health insurance? That's right. We have children who are repeatedly denied access to quality and timely healthcare.  Children end up depending on charities and crowd-funding like Go Fund Me to cover the costs of healthcare.  People like Susan Reynolds have been actively advocating for change for years. Others, like Jacob Angel, founder of the Military Health Project have done both. Jacob's organization advocates for changes in the policies, while providing coverage for military children who are denied healthcare coverage.   

Come and hang out with Susan and Dave as they discuss military housing. The Stars and Stripes newspaper published a recent article about military housing and the finding from an Inspector General report. You can find the article right here: http://www.stripes.com/news/inspector-general-report-finds-widespread-hazards-at-military-housing-1.435535 In other words, we have military service members and their families living in housing and they are being exposed to radon, mold, and more. So what can be done? Call in to find out Dave and Susan's military housing stories and how you can report the issues you have with your housing.  Spouse Spouts is an online radio show brought to you by Susan Reynolds and Dave Etter. For more information you can check us out at www.spousespouts.com

In our third installment of spouse employment, today we have Amanda Crowe on the show with us. Amanda is the Executive Director for In Gear Career, a military spouse employment and networking organization. In the last year, In Gear Career partnered with Hiring our Heroes and the US Chamber of Commerce to better help our military spouses in their quest for employment.  Two weeks ago, IGC, hosted a first of its kind event called AMPLIFY! You can read about the event here:http://nextgenmilspouse.com/amplify-2016-is-a-game-changer-for-military-spouse-employment/ Amazing event which helped spouse kick their career search into high gear!.  Dave Etter and Susan Reynolds are the voices and people behind Spouse Spouts. We are here each week at 0930 EST for you. You can follow up on Facebook and Twitter @spoutspouse. 

Episode 12 was the first part of a three part series on Spouse Employment. Why is this topic such a big deal? What is being done about it?  As usual military spouses have taken matters into their own hands and done something about spouse employment. On today's show you will hear from Sue Hoppin, the founder of National Military Spouse Network. She'll share her struggles and triumphs in the world of spouse employment, and tell us about her upcoming event.  We will also hear from Liza, who is one of the founders of Mad Skills, a military spouse employment hub. Spouses and share their resumes, and search for careers.  Make sure you tune in and hear about the great things that are happening within the military spouse community.  Dave Etter is the 2016 AFI Army Spouse of the Year and Susan Reynolds is the 2014 Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year. Together, they are the team that is Spouse Spouts. Each Wednesday morning at 0930 Eastern Time you can listen to Dave and Susan wax poetic. 

Spouse Spouts is tackling military spouse employment. But why? Is it that big of a deal? Short answer? Yes! Well, what are the barriers to finding gainful employment? Is state licensure one of those issues? Yes! What about lack of education? Yes! What about lack of employment opportunities in certain duty stations? All of this and more!  Today's show is bringing in perspectives from spouses from Military Spouse Juris Doctorate Network or MSJDN and Lakesha Cole, the 2014 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year and Entrepreneur and owner to She Swank Too.  We will be talking about spouse employment and what is being done to help spouses in need.  Spouse Spouts is the premier podcast for military spouses by miltiary spouses. Brought to you by Susan Reynolds, 2014 Joan Orr Air Force Spouse of the Year and Dave Etter, 2016 AFI Army Spouse of the Year. 

Since Military One Click is doing a voting push and since it's getting close to the cut off for absentee ballots, let's talk about voting. Why will you, or why not? Call us and let's talk over some coffee!

We military spouses make plenty of sacrifices, but what do YOU do for love? Do you venture out of your comfort zone? Do you make your spouse do something new? Let's talk about it, in preparation for the upcoming Military Spouse Wellness Summit in October

It's back to school time! What did you feel this time? Did you cry? Did you dance the happy dance? Did you crack open that bottle of wine? Maybe something stronger? We wanna know! Call us and tell us everything!