Trunk or Treat!

Decorate your trunk and bring some treats to pass out for all the kiddos.  If you want some super cute ideas for decorations or DIY treat bags, follow me on Pinterest.  http://pinterest.com/lonestar_star

Halloween Bash via our USO

RSVP to the USO San Antonio for a fun and free little Halloween party.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=278270148859709  Open to all ID card holders and a guaranteed good time!

Gobble Gobble for free!

Toyota of Boerne  is going to have our Turkey for Troops day again this year on November 18th! This year Wal-Mart has joined forces with Toyota of Boerne to bring out an 18 wheeler full of Turkey's! Share this link with all your milfams and get our there for FREE turkeys, cooking not included.

South Texas Fall Fun

If you want to get the feeling of fall here in South Texas, head out to Devine and take advantage of the half price military weekend, http://devineacresfarm.com/blog/half-price-for-military-families-opening-weekend/ with their hayrides, catch and release fish pond, and pumpkin patch it has something for every age!

If you don't have time this weekend, next weekend enjoy a free admission to the South Texas Corn Maize in Hondo. http://southtexasmaize.com/news/2011/09/07/free-military/  If you partake, please send a photo to ombudsman.nioc@gmail.com so that we can see what fun our families are having this year!

Deployed fam freebies

Kids missing Mom or Dad underway or downrange?  Have a cute cuddly quilt made to comfort them until they come home.  Free with registration. http://www.asymca.org/what-we-do-3/national-programs-services/operation-kid-comfort/  Please send a photo to ombudsman.nioc@gmail.com if you participate, we'd love to see your little monkeys enjoying this program.

Tons of freebies all the time at http://thefrugalarmywife.blogspot.com, including links to free troop coloring pages "Sailor friendly", free "Welcome Home" banners and updated organizations to order free care packages.  Please remember to keep your Sailor safe and don't give away information in a public forum!  The internet is like a megaphone, so if you wouldn't yell it over the 1MC at the Command Picnic or broadcast it to all of Walmart, please don't post it on a comment or other public page.  Reputable Non-Profit organizations are dedicated to keeping our families safe, just as much as we are!

Borrow, don't buy that Navy Day Ball Gown

The Lackland Esc provides a http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cinderellas-Closet/109463115741001?ref=ts&sk=info

Chatter: Cinderella's Closet :

Why spend a ton on a dress that you will have photos taken in, and then not want to wear again? After the dress, shoes, hair, nails, tickets, parking and (for us) babysitting cost for the twins, it can be a pretty penny. Now there is no need to spend like crazy to have a great time at the Ball. Celebrate all night and return your dress with your dry cleaning tags within 10 days and you are set. It truly is better than a Fairy Godmother.


'via Blog this'

Navy Pride

I am truly happy that my husband is, and I was, part of a tradition of service that includes such selfless efforts as these. US NAVY Commercial - YouTube: "http://youtu.be/0YFUfuglke0"

I know that not every day is like a Navy commercial, with people in their dress uniform, manning the rails somewhere, or doing a comrel, but the work of the day matters too. The everyday work that we do at home, taking the kids to school or the dentist is just as important that makes it possible to get clean water to people in wake of a hurricane. I know that by my service on the homefront, cleaning dishes and making dinner and making sure that the bills are paid on time, it makes it easier to ensure that the big picture of seeing that the carrier can run. We are all connected and the whole Navy working together is what makes us the greatest service in the entire Nation, in my option.

'via Blog this'

Tickets, Travel and fun around town

Welcome to Lackland Force Support Squadron is a great option to see San Antonio, but not the only way. Check out these other ideas.


Here are some fun and inexpensive things to do in SATX! Criteria is under $20!

Ft. Sam Houston Splash Pad, Basically a huge waterfountain for kiddos coming up out of the ground. Please observe the times that it's available. FREE
http://www.splash-pads.com/fort-sam-houston-splash-pad/

Ft. Sam Houston Quadrangle, cute animals to feed and pet in a historical landmark...super fun for many ages..including grownups.
http://www.informationsanantonio.com/toseeanddo/sanantonioattractions/quadranglesanantonio.html

Downtown Attractions:

Riverwalk is always a winner and if you are prepared for what is going on, you can always do it for very little expense. Take a ride on the river, and use your military status to save, www.riosanantonio.com/

See the Alamo and don't use the tour, just dowload the App to your smartphone! Yes, there's an app for that.http://itunes.apple.com/app/the-alamo/id356717121?mt=8

See a free concert at the Arneson Theatre, art exhibits for First Friday but always check on your calendar before you go!
http://www.visitsanantonio.com/visitors/plan/local-info/events-calendar/index.aspx

Utilize your USO while you are downtown and stop in for a place to rest, relax and reapply sunscreen if needed. Also check their FB page for events they offer on a regular basis to "love on" our families.
http://www.facebook.com/USO.SanAntonio Find out about more events on their Facebook page and sign up for specials like attending the Cowboys training camp or dinner at Spaghetti Warehouse.

Texas Transportation Museum, free to military for regular operating hours (check for special events), includes a short ride on a train and tours of model trains
http://www.txtransportationmuseum.org/

Brackenridge Park Attractions:

Zoo Train:http://www.sazoo-aq.org/general/zootrain.html It will take you around the park, be sure to stop in at the Japanese Tea Gardens and even bring a picnic lunch.

Amazing sights on a budget. Always practice common sense when you are out and situational awareness. We want everyone to be safe, happy and enjoy all that the Alamo City has to offer.

Summer Reading Rewards

Wondering what to do with your children as the days run into weeks and the summer is winding down?  How about prepare them for the beginning of the school year in a relaxed and rewarding way with incentives.  Several bookstores have programs that entice young readers to complete those lists by offering freebies.  It's also a great chance to interact with our local community.  The Twig Bookstore is a wonderful resource in the Quarry Market which has a Farmer's Market each Sunday offering fresh locally grown and produced goods.  It's not just fruits and veggies anymore as you can see by the offerings listed on last week's Facebook Page which read like a foodies dream, "Watermelon, tomatoes, peaches, okra, eggs, arugula, Sol y Luna sourdough bread, Edelen Farms' grass-fed beef, South Texas Heritage Pork Polish sausage and pork chops, hummus, lemonade and a smoothie from The Lemonade Company and more."


.http://thetwig.indiebound.com/summer-reading-program The Twig is located at the Quarry Market and have a great relationship with our local community including our San Antonio Museum of Art, a participant in Blue Star Museums, which can be visited until Labor Day by ID card holders for free.

http://img1.imagesbn.com/pImag​es/kids/summerreading/2011/BN-​Tear-Pad.pdf B&N Summer Reading Program Journal that offers rewards.

http://www.borders.com/online/​store/MediaView_double-dog-dar​e Borders rewards readers with free books in-store after completing through this link.

Expand you ideas of how to ease your kids back into the school year and combat those blues of heading back to school!

Month of the milkid!

MWR Month of the Military Child Sweepstakes entry form for the Coolest Toys! The only caveat is you must be 13 and up! You can win all kinds of awesome!

NIOC Races for the Cure

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® San Antonio Affiliate

Rocking Spouse could send you to London!

What a great way to honor our milspouses. Get inspired and tell the world why your military man or woman ROCKS and it could send you to London for a concert courtesy of Hard Rock Calling Music festival. It looks amazing, and includes:Round trip airfare for you and your spouse
3-nights in first-class hotel accommodations
Two 3-day passes to the Hard Rock Calling music festival
A sight-seeing tour for two by Red Double Decker Bus Tour
$300 to cover round-trip ground transportation between airport and hotel in London.
The winner will also see their essay in an upcoming issue of Military Spouse magazine (make sure you document your journey – we’d love to feature pictures!)

Essays can be funny, inspiring, heartfelt — you know your spouse rocks, now tell us why!

http://www.milspouse.com/contests/MySpouseRocks.aspx

Easter Eggs and Clowns and pics and its all FREE!

The Biggest Easter Egg Hunt in San Antonio!

My Walk for Autism

If you don't know, our son has autism.  At 18 months, I took him to the doctor's office and while he was examining my other twin, I knew that my son wasn't making any of the developmental markers that he should be.  It started what would be a long process to have our family be included in what the military considers "Exceptional Family Member Program".  I have come to love that moniker.  It exemplifies how I view my son.  He is exceptionally gifted in certain areas, such as his disposition.  He is rarely unkind to anyone, unless they take his Toby the Tank Engine train; it's a Thomas thing.  He has an exceptional ability to remember his letters and numbers, and he has an exceptional view of the world.  He is very quiet, and I think that it might be that he doesn't feel the need to comment on the world quite like my daughter does, his twin.  She might just talk enough for the both of them.  They are almost 4 now, and we don't compare their milestones.  My girl makes progress in different ways, like learning when to be silent and my son in when to speak up.

There is a walk taking place here in San Antonio that is close to my heart.  We will be joining forces as Joint Base San Antonio to walk together to bring light to members that share in the common goal of bringing more services to autistic children, and all Exceptional Family Members here in JBSA.  Family members, friends and colleagues can all register using the same criteria.   Find out more information at www.walkforautismsa.com

2011 Operation Purple® Camp to be in Texas and other states...

The National Military Family Association is excited to announce the states that will have 2011 Operation Purple summer camps. This free summer camp program was developed by the Association to support military children dealing with the stress of war. The eighth summer of Operation Purple camps will host children for 40 weeks of camp in 25 states as well as in Okinawa.

States: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia

Overseas: Okinawa

Information about the camp program and eligibility is available online atwww.militaryfamily.org/op. Specific camp locations, dates, and contact information will be available when registration opens on March 31, 2011. Until then, interested families can sign up to receive email notices and announcements on the website.

Camps are free to all participants thanks to support from Goldman Sachs Gives, the Sierra Club, and the Sierra Club Foundation.

Return to Full Issue

Navy Family Fun Day

Just a little teaser to look out for.  Our area Ombudsman will be hosting a Navy Family Fun Day in the upcoming weeks.  If you would like to be part of our invitation list, please subscribe to the newsletter or check with your sponsor for updates.  We will be having games, food and prizes as well as tons of information to pick up as it pretains to you from area organizations that we love like Operation Homefront, USO, USAA, and tons more.  It will be a great time to connect with our extended Navy family, win some prizes all for free!!

Let's keep our money!!

It's Military Save's week!  Military Saves is a social marketing campaign to persuade, motivate, and encourage military families to save money every month, and to convince leaders and organizations to be aggressive in promoting automatic savings. The campaign is a growing network of organizations and individuals committed to helping and supporting military members and their loved ones build personal savings arsenals to provide for their immediate and long term financial needs.

Military Saves was developed and tested by its non-profit sponsor, Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the military services from 2003 to 2006 and launched throughout the Department of Defense (DoD) on February 25, 2007. It is part of two larger campaigns -- the DoD Financial Readiness Campaign, and the national America Saves campaign.

While it is an ongoing campaign, the entire military community comes together to focus on financial readiness during Military Saves Week, the last Sunday in February to the first Sunday in March.

The campaign's lifeblood is in its partners, organizations that see the value in working together to empower members, employees, customers, and clients to become financially stable through saving, debt reduction, and wealth-building over time.

We just found our what our military pay tables are for the upcoming year, so you can plan what you could be saving.  Why not take a simple trick and take your raise and put the resulting amount on your highest credit card.  There are also great tips on many other websites, like USAA.  Take an hour and make your family and your future secure.

Lunch with Tim McGraw!

What could be better than steak with Tim McGraw?  I don't really think there could be a much nicer surprise than this one, except the fact that it's completely free.  Thank you Operation Homefront!

http://www.operationhomefront.net/texas/highlights.aspx?id=9088

Geo-tag your way to danger

Mapping your life: Embedded data in photos could tip off criminals

Feb 3, 2011

By Mindy Campbell (IMCOM)

Photo credit U.S. Army


This photo illustration is from the army social media handbook.

Related Links

• U.S. Army Slideshare
• Army.mil: Science and Technology News
• FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center
• U.S. Army Europe
• I Can Stalk U: Internet security awareness
• U.S. Army Europe Vigilance

BAMBERG, Germany -- When a Schweinfurt field artillery officer deployed to Iraq a year ago, he uploaded some photos and videos to several different social media sites.

In one instance, the videos and photos showed the officer preparing for a mission where his unit was transporting thousands of Iraqi dinar, which is the country's currency.

For many people, posting a photo of one's daily activities may seem like a pretty common thing to do in the world of Facebook, Flickr and with the use of smart phones.

However, not everyone sees it that way, said Tonya Heinbaugh, U.S. Army Garrison Bamberg security officer.

GEOTAGGING

Geotagging is the process of adding geographical identification to photographs, video, websites and instant messages, said Staff Sgt. Dale Sweetnam, noncommissioned officer in charge of the U.S. Army's Online and Social Media Division, in a recent interview.

"It is the equivalent of adding a 10-digit grid coordinate to everything you post on the Internet," said Sweetnam, who wrote the report "Geotags and Location-based Social Networking."

Little did the Schweinfurt officer know that posting the photos could have given the exact grid coordinates of his mission, easily identifying to terrorists where his Soldiers and a large amount of money were located, Heinbaugh said.

"If we know this information, then our enemies know this information," she said.

The information such as the exact latitude and longitude of where the photo was taken are embedded in different types of media as part of the meta-data that accompanies each file. This information can't be seen by the casual observer.

However, this information can be seen with browser plug-ins or software programs to anyone who searches for it, Sweetnam said in his report.

Most digital cameras don't automatically geotag photos, but smart phones, cell phones that have a Global Positioning System, will automatically geotag photos or videos. The only way to not broadcast this information is to manually change the settings.

In addition to geotagging, photos and videos can also be tagged with a location manually in several social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. This can pinpoint a photo's exact location even if it wasn't taken with a smart phone. A recent quick search of "Afghanistan" on Flickr turned up thousands of photos taken by Soldiers.

"Geotagging has been around for a while, so have smart phones and location-based social networking platforms. So the threat has always been there," Sweetnam said. "The Army's Online and Social Media Division started becoming more proactive with its education campaign once the use of smart phones became so prolific."

This information could potentially be damaging to a mission if it got into the wrong hands, said Heinbaugh.

"You think you are anonymous when you post," she said. "When you geotag, you are letting everyone know exactly where you are."

Soldiers who tag their uploaded photos with a location are giving away vital information and they are putting their comrades at risk, Sweetnam said.

"They wouldn't post a sign with sensitive information on their front lawn, so they need to look at the Internet in the same way," he explained.

In addition, there are serious implications for not just Soldiers, but family members as well, Heinbaugh said.

If you snap a photo of an expensive item in your home with your smart phone in hopes of selling that item on a site such as Ebay or Craigslist, you are broadcasting the exact location of your home and that item to within one meter for any criminal to see.

CHECKING IN

Another potentially harmful thing to do is to "check in" on location-based social networking applications. This is where an application allows you to "check in" at various businesses and locations, allowing friends and followers to chart where you are throughout the day.

Facebook's "Places," SCVNGR, Gowalla or Foursquare are some common social media sites to do this. Foursquare alone has more than four million users, the Army report states.

This could potentially be dangerous because it establishes patterns and could identify where someone lives or works, Sweetnam said.

"Social networking applications can allow strangers to track your movements every day," he said. "If you watch someone long enough, they will know exactly when and where to find that person on any given day."

IMPLICATIONS OF GEOTAGGING

There are national security, operational security and even personal safety concerns with geotagging, Heinbaugh said.

If Soldiers are posting photos of their location or their environment, even if it looks innocent, enemies can find the exact location of those pictures and piece that information together with information they already have, she said.

"If that gets out, you could compromise your mission. Lives could be lost," Hainbaugh said.

"Something as simple as loading a photo of a bunk in Afghanistan, then geotagging it, can bring a mortar into your area of operation," the Army report stated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, has seen a spike in social media complaints during the last 10 years, said Bill Hinerman, IC3 unit chief.

When a person posts information such as a physical location that information can be hacked and lead to identity thefts or financial gains by a criminal, he said.

"When a user puts this type of information on a social media site, especially if the user is not careful with his or her security habits, it can have the same effect as posting it on an unsecured page of a public website, or in public media such as a telephone directory," Hinerman said. "It other words, they could be publicizing it without anticipating the negative consequences."

PROTECTING YOURSELF

So what can you do to protect yourself?

The first step in protecting yourself begins with educating yourself about geotagging, Heinbaugh said. Know which social networking websites use geotag features and those that let you opt out of posting that information.

"Knowledge is power," she said. "Knowing risk, you might think twice about posting something."

Once you understand what you're posting, you need to learn how to stop that information from being embedded in the media file, Sweetnam said.

Soldiers, especially those conducting classified missions, should not use location-based social networking services, he said.

"These services will bring the enemy right to the Army's doorstep," Sweetnam said.

One of the simplest ways to avoid displaying too much information is to disable the geotagging function on smart phones.

Disabling the geotag function can be a complicated process at times, said Heinbaugh.

"You have to physically disable the function," she said. "It's easy to geotag, but not so easy to remove the geotag feature."

If you can't figure out how to disable the function, contact your smart phone provider, she said. The website www.icanstalku.com also has instructions for removing the geotag function on several different smart phones models.

For more on the potential dangers of geotagging and location-based social networking, as well as information on a variety of force protection, information assurance and operational security topics, visit the U.S. Army Europe "vigilance" web page at www.hqusareur.army.mil/vigilance.

More information is available about social media at http://www.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia. For more case studies and step-by-step ways to disable geotagging functions from many popular devices, go to www.icanstalku.com. 

Yeeee Haw!

Saddle up for some free fun at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo every Friday.  Get those kids ready  and in some tiny boots and hats or find your inner Cabballero.  It's going to be a wild ride.  Spread the word!

Valentines to Mail and more...

KaBloom and Operation Gratitude are partnering to offer all Service Members a refreshingly romantic and affordable way to say "I Love You" this Valentine's Day, Monday, February 14th.
 

Find the perfect floral arrangement at www.KaBloom.com to send to your Valentine and use this code atcheckout to receive a $15 Discount!     Code: OPGRAT

 

 This $15 dollar discount is offered today through Saturday, February 12th. 

All orders must be a minimum of $29.99 to receive this special Valentine's Day Promotion. 

KaBloom and Operation Gratitude thank you for your courageous service to our nation and the cause of freedom. We hope that this Valentine's Day will be memorable for you and your loved one! 

 

Head on over to Living Locuro and get some of the best links to these printable valentines and sweet bookmarks.  There are even sweet treats for the man in your life.  If you send it out now in that care package it might get to your deployer just in time!

                                       

http://www.livinglocurto.com/downloads/valentines-day-free-downloads/

Enjoy

~Lone Star Ombudsman!

Aye! Aye!

Naval response indicating that an order has been received, is understood, and will be carried out immediately. In operational situations, this is usually shortened to simply "aye." In contrast to "Aye Aye sir," a response of "Yes Sir" usually indicates that the person understands but is contemplating performing the ordered task at a later time or date.

I was actually asked recently if it was proper to respond with, Aye Aye!  as an affirmative and I said,  "As long as you know what it means and you are willing to carry out that information to the best of your ability." It reminded me that the Navy has it's own little language and the military in general has it's own dialect as well.  It can separate us but it can also give us a way to connect and share that which makes us unique.  We speak in a world of acronyms at times, whether we are Army or Air Force or Navy.  Make a friend at the Commissary and you will see what I mean.  

Your to do list for a week can easily look like it's in some cryptic code.

• PSD with YN1
• TRICARE @ BAMC
• sign POA w JAG
• call LPO for FRG time/date
• follow MCPON on Twitter
• pu pull-ups @ NEX/BX

Enjoy our differences and share our history with others with pride.  If you don't know your NavSpeak quite yet, there are some primers out there.  Not all of us know each of the other subsets little nuances anyway.  I have included a link that might give some insights.  Each of our Airedales, Bubbleheads, and Seabees all have their own lingo that go with their way of doing things.  

Military Families get help to further their education

Here area a few of the programs that are available to our military families to further your education.  We will be talking briefly about some of the options this month at our FRG meeting, and you can always call the Ombudsman with questions.  There are education counselors available on base, at the closest Airman and Family Readiness Center or FFSC (Fleet and Family Service Center) that can schedule private appointments with you to get you on the right path toward a bright future.
 
The Scholarships for Military Children Program was created to recognize the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community.

If your mother or father is active duty, reserve/guard, or retired military personnel or you are the survivor of a deceased member, and you have a military dependent I.D. card you can apply! You must be planning to attend a U.S. college or university on a full-time basis.

For spouses there are scholarships intended to assist the "the unique challenges today’s military spouses face in pursuing additional training or education." National Military Family Association is available to all services and requires only a short process to apply. 

Navy & Marines Spouse Tuition Assistance, In 2009, the Navy/Marines Relief Society (NMRS) changed its program from one making awards not requiring repayment, to one making no-interest loans. Under the current program, overseas spouses can get up to $3,000 per 12-month period to use toward getting an undergraduate or graduate degree. The program change allows the NMRS to fund a greater number of spouses with the same amount of money in their program budget. 

A good idea is to complete your FAFSA and that will give you options on what you may qualify for state and national aid.  It can be a starting point for scholarship options, but just a search on Google can yield a wealth of options.  Also use your Miliary Scholarship Finder to yield the largest number of organizations in your home state.  Remember, you can use your particular affiliations in regards to race, prior or current affiliations (VFW) as well as your hobbies and interests.

Good luck!