When your spouse is deployed even the smallest of tasks can feel daunting. So having someone else say, “Don’t worry about your lawn, we’ve got you.” can mean the world. That’s what Project Evergreen does.

Project Evergreen’s mission is to bring people together to make a difference in how yards, parks, and communities create a greener, healthier, cooler Earth. And around 2006 they realized that they could accomplish their mission in another way. By giving the gift of greenspace to our troops. Hence GreenCare for Troops was created.

GreenCare for Troops offers primarily maintenance services – lawn mowing, trimming hedges, fertilizing, weed control, pest control, fall leaf cleanup, and snow removal. The services are for the entire length of deployment and are free of charge. To register, go to the website and click on the Greencare for troops and there is a form to fill out.

Military families face many challenges when their loved one is deployed. Project EverGreen’s GreenCare for Troops program connects military families across the nation to complimentary lawn and landscape services, while their SnowCare for Troops program provides complimentary snow removal services. This needs-based program is available for active-duty deployed service members of the rank of E-6 and below, including all military branches. 

Our guest today, Ki Matsko, is a graduate of Lake Erie College in Ohio. She has been the program director of GreenCare for Troop and SnowCare for Troops since 2014 and has been a military advocate throughout her life as the daughter of a WW2 veteran who is a healthy 95 years old! Her oldest son graduated from West Point in 2019 and currently serves in the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg. She resides in the Cleveland area with her husband, two other children, both in college and three dogs.

Listeners, if you would like to learn more about GreenCare for Troops or SnowCare for Troops, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also pop over to their website, projectevergreen.org, to check out all of the resources that they have to offer.

Resource Recon with Amanda and Chrissy

This week’s spotlight comes from AWN’s Assistant Content Editor, Angie Andrews with her post entitled: “Ghosts of Duty Stations Past.”

We’re currently stationed on Okinawa, a place pretty well known for ghost stories. I never paid it much mind, except for when our cats are staring at things that aren’t there and chasing invisible apparitions into the “ghost closet,” as we lovingly call it. But, spooky October is here and has brought with it some ghosts of duty stations past…

Of course, let’s not forget everyone’s favorite haunt no matter which day of the year you might find yourself taking it on—the DMV.

Empowerment Patrol Report with Amanda

Today we are showcasing two of our volunteers who are MRE (Motivated and Ready to Empower) winners:

Angie Andrews, Assistant Content Editor

Angie is a lucky lady. Lucky, and blessed to be a wife and an Army wife to boot. She lives in Japan with her husband and two cats, Hunter and Matthews. Angie and her husband were married in 2013, and he began his military career in 2008. They met in Florida, and Angie hopes they will live off the Gulf Coast within walking distance to the beach one day. Along with the beach, Angie loves to have a good laugh, a good friend, and a good read or write. She has some serious favorites: food—macaroni and cheese, music—Tom Petty, workout—elliptical miles. Angie graduated from UCF with a degree in Elementary Education and taught for seven years, five of those years as a first grade teacher, and the last two as a reading coach. She has a collection of other jobs before and after teaching as well. Presently, she works as a writer and editor. Angie is thrilled to be a part of the Army Wife Network blog contributors and invites your thoughts and responses. You can reach out to her on Twitter @wifeitupwife. Angie also serves as AWN’s Assistant Content Editor.

Anna Larson, Band of Bloggers

Anna is a 14-year military spouse, homeschool mom of two amazing kids, fur baby owner, and entrepreneur. She started her own business after nearly 20 years in marketing and program management. NomadAbout helps businesses with copywriting, social media management, and marketing strategies.

She contributes monthly to a number of publications, hosts a weekly podcast and livestream business show called “15ish Minute Coffee Chat,” sits on the board as the Director of Operations for a non-profit that offers support to cancer patients, and co-leads the Fort Hood chapter of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs.

In her spare time, she likes to travel the world with her family.

You can find Anna on social media @iamnomadabout or by visiting her website, www.nomadabout.com.

Thank you to Angie and Anna for doing their part to empower military families around the globe.

News 6 with Jolene

TRICARE Begins Coverage of Doulas

TRICARE will begin covering doula support for pregnant TRICARE beneficiaries. The demonstration project will begin by Jan. 1, 2022. This new project will cover the services of doulas and lactation consultants not otherwise authorized under TRICARE. The project demo will be run for five years, through Dec. 31, 2026.

TRICARE Open Season Begins Nov. 8th

Do you need to make changes to your health, dental, or vision insurance? Mark your calendars now for TRICARE Open Season. You can make changes between Nov. 8 and Dec. 13. Any changes go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022. If you want to keep everything the same, you don’t have to re-enroll. You only need to act if you want to enroll in a new plan or change your current plan.

USPS Announces Holiday Shipping Deadlines

The United States Postal Service has announced its annual shipping deadlines for military holiday mail. Retail ground is quickly approaching with a Nov. 6 deadline across the board. However, for most other mail, which includes priority mail, first class letters and cards, and priority mail express military service, the deadlines fall between Dec. 9 and 16. You can request a free Military Care Kit containing shipping boxes, tape, and customs form envelopes!

Centennial Commemoration at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

A special two-day centennial commemoration event will allow the public to lay flowers directly in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia. According to Military Times, this is the first time the public has been allowed this opportunity in nearly 100 years. The event is scheduled for Nov. 9 and 10, but you must register at Arlington Cemetery. The event will open with a representative of the Crow Nation placing flowers at the Tomb and reciting a prayer given 100 years ago by Crow American-Indian Chief Alaxchiiaahush, also known as Chief Plenty Coups. Chief Plenty Coups placed his war bonnet and coup stick on the casket and recited a prayer. The war bonnet and coup stick are still on display.

Thank You

Thank you for tuning into this week’s episode. Please leave a five-star rating and review on Apple podcasts, then send us a screenshot of your review to info@armywifenetwork.com or DM us on Facebook or Instagram @armywifenetwork to receive a special in-real-life gift as a thank you on behalf of AWN. We appreciate your engagement and support.

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