With the New Year comes new opportunities to host events and dinners which build connections and create a sense of community within our military circles. We know not everyone shares a passion for entertaining or cooking, and it can be intimidating to step out of your...
Welcome spouses of all service branches and all components (active, NG/R, retired) to our M:M Traditions and Protocol team blog series!
Did you know... Among our Band of Bloggers, three are cancer survivors, one is on the team that plans the Army Ten-Miler road race, and seven are teachers!Mary was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. She currently lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband,...
Our AWN Protocol and Traditions Team enjoys celebrating Army traditions all year long and holiday traditions for as long as our friends and neighbors will let us get away with it!
As parents, teaching and being role models for our children lead to many exciting & challenging moments as we watch them transform into adults. As military families, there are many protocols and etiquette challenges that may be different than the basic childhood lessons of saying please, thank you, no ma’am, yes sir and the like.
For those of you who might not be familiar with the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), it is a private, non-profit organization that serves as an advocacy group for the Army. It began in 1950 and has chapters worldwide. Soldiers and families, as well as community partners, and beyond, can be members. AUSA holds annual meetings in DC, and this year we were lucky to have one of our AWN protocol bloggers, Ginger Perkins, invited to speak. She graciously shared the following executive summary (EXSUM)!
Military life can come with a lot of questions: what to wear, how to respond to invitations, went send a thank you note, and so much more. Below are some common questions the Protocol and Etiquette team is asked.
BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): “It’s better to be thoughtful to others than to be socially correct.” —Ann Crossley
“I cast my lot in with a Soldier, and where he was, was home to me.” — Martha Summerhayes, 1873, Army Spouse
Life with the Army, as you may know, is often exciting; yet it can be challenging and sometimes stressful. Even though Army spouses are busy with their families and careers, there will still be occasions when you will want to know the protocol and etiquette expected of everyone—for example: parades, changes of command, receptions, New Year’s receptions, balls, dining outs, coffees, and entertaining.
The Army Spouse Handbook, recently published, covers in depth all of those topics and more. It’s a 440-page paperback book that has been updated for the 21st century spouse.
To keep traditions and customs alive, it is customary to share, either by personal example or through written or verbal means. But because of COVID, the normal battle rhythm is anything but normal, so the AWN Protocol and Etiquette Team thought we’d share a fun “throwback” topic! You may have read our blog entitled “Dress for the Occasion.” One word you didn’t find there was “gloves.”
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