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7/09/2009
Operation Homefront is proud to announce Operation Homefront’s Military Spouse Scholarship Program. Applications are due July 15th, 2009.
The scholarship award is offered to spouses of uniformed service members to attend a four-year college or university, graduate school, accredited trade school, certificate program, vocational school or community college. Learn more and view the application here
7/1/2009
MAID BRIGADE VETERANS FRANCHISE GIVEAWAY
At Maid Brigade we know that military veterans make excellent franchisees – in fact, over 10% of Maid Brigade owners are veterans... That’s why Maid Brigade wants to reward as many as 100 qualified veterans who have what it takes to own a business. The Gold Award is a Maid Brigade Select Market Franchise valued at $45,000... The contest starts on Independence Day and ends on Veterans Day, so enter now for your opportunity to own an award-winning Maid Brigade Franchise!
6/29/2009
Final GI Bill family transfer rules unveiled
Service members can register to transfer their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits to family members beginning June 29, the Pentagon announced Tuesday. The program represents both the most significant expansion of education benefits since they were first offered after World War II and, for service members with families, the most significant retention bonus offered since the start of the all-volunteer force. Most users will earn benefits payments spread over 36 months that will total between $75,000 and $90,000, the Pentagon estimates.
6/29/2009
Deployers get extra time to use CertifiChecks
Commissary customers who have been deployed or traveling on official duty since March 6 will get a one-year extension on the July 31 deadline to redeem commissary CertifiCheck gift certificates, according to a spokesman with the Defense Commissary Agency. For all others holding CertifiChecks, the deadline to redeem them at the commissary is still July 31.
6/29/2009
Obama extends survivor indemnity allowance
ndemnity allowancePresident Barack Obama signed a bill Monday that extends a temporary survivors benefit through 2017 and also provides annual increases in the payment.
6/3/2009
Supporting the Troops: When Charities Solicit Donations on Behalf of Vets and Military Families
Many legitimate charities are soliciting donations to support the nation’s military veterans as well as the families of active-duty personnel... But not all “charities” are legitimate: Some are sham operators whose only purpose is to make money for themselves.
5/28/2009
DoD Announces $555 Million Expansion To Homeowners Assistance Program
DoD today announced details for the temporary expansion of the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The $555 million allocated to the HAP will be used to provide benefits to eligible military and DoD civilians who face financial losses selling their primary residence during the current housing downturnance Program
5/20/2009
Lowe’s, Home Depot offer military deals
The nation’s two largest home improvement stores, Lowe’s and Home Depot, are again offering a 10-percent military discount for Memorial Day, starting Thursday. Active-duty personnel, National Guard and reserve members, retirees, honorably discharged veterans and immediate family members of all those groups are eligible.
5/8/2009
Hackers taking advantage of Windows 7: Microsoft
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) – Microsoft said Thursday that cybercriminals are already hawking booby-trapped versions of just-released Windows 7 operating system software..."In the last few days we've seen reports of illegitimate distributions of the release candidate of our latest Windows operating system, Windows 7, being offered in a way that is designed to infect a customer's PC with malware."
4/23/2009
New search tool created for insurance refunds
A new search tool will help current and former service members determine if they are owed some of the $2.3 million that is still unclaimed as a result of a 2006 multi-state settlement agreement concerning life insurance sales practices to the military.
4/22/2009
OCC Consumer Tips for Avoiding Mortgage Modification Scams and Foreclosure Rescue Scams
Scams that promise to “rescue” you from foreclosure are popping up at an alarming rate nationwide, and you need to protect yourself and your home. If you’re falling behind on your mortgage, others may know it, too — including con artists and scam artists.
4/20/2009
Phishing Scams, Frivolous Arguments Top the 2008 “Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued its 2008 list of the 12 most egregious tax schemes and scams, highlighted by Internet phishing scams and several frivolous tax arguments... Tax schemes can lead to problems for both scam artists and taxpayers. Tax return preparers and promoters also risk significant penalties, interest and possible criminal prosecution.
4/9/2009
Fellowships Available for Military Spouses to Earn Financial Counseling Accreditation
Military spouses can apply until April 30, 2009, to the competitive FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program, one of many efforts launched by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation to increase the financial knowledge of military servicemembers and their families. The program will provide fellowship recipients with the education necessary to earn the Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) designation and to provide financial counseling and education within the military community.
4/9/2009
Servicemembers Due Millions in Tax Refunds
Millions of dollars in tax refunds may go unclaimed by thousands of servicemembers who have yet to file a tax return for 2005. The IRS reported more than 5,500 servicemembers who are due a refund from that year will lose out if they don't file by April 15.
3/30/2009
Turning military training into college credit
Stumped about how your military training and education can translate into college credits?The American Council on Education has published a 51-page transfer guide to help service members and veterans understand transcripts and how their military training is translated into college credit.
3/30/2009
SCHEME PURPORTEDLY ANNOUNCING A MILLIONAIRE CONTEST
The IC3 has been alerted to the circulation of a fraudulent e-mail, purportedly from the "The Oprah Winfrey Show", notifying recipients of their nomination for the "Oprah Millionaire Contest Show."
3/30/2009
FTC Releases Spoof Videos with a Serious Message: AnnualCreditReport.com is the Only Authorized Source for Free Annual Credit Reports
Despite the musical claims of some TV commercials, the only authorized source to get your free annual credit report under federal law is AnnualCreditReport.com. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – to provide a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months from AnnualCreditReport.com, a toll-free telephone number, or a mailing address.
3/20/2009
Administration Launches New Consumer Website For Responsible Homeowners Seeking Relief
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today launched a new website for consumers seeking information about the Obama Administration's Making Home Affordable loan modification and refinancing program. A wide array of large banks to small lenders have already agreed to participate in Making Home Affordable, and servicers have undertaken steps to proactively engage borrowers and respond to their inquiries related to the new program.
3/9/2009
The Defense Commissary Agency
The Defense Commissary Agency will accept outstanding CertifiCheck gift certificates from authorized customers thanks to a plan approved today by the Department of Defense. The approved plan allows DeCA commissaries to honor CertifiCheck gift checks now through July 31, 2009.
3/5/2009
DoD providing free anti-virus for home computers
As computer technology advances, so do methods hackers use to infiltrate networks and computer systems. fortunately for servicemembers and Department of Defense employees, the DoD provides them free software to protect their home computers from these attacks.
3/5/2009
Single 800 number for all Airmen
Members of the Total Force - regular Air Force, Air Force National Guard, Air Force Reserve, civilian and retired Airmen - all now have one central phone number for help with their personnel questions. Member of the Air Force community should call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102 to reach a customer service counselor...
2/20/2009
Kiplinger-BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families- This guide contains practical, easy-to-understand information about being financially prepared for deployment, buying a home, minimizing taxes, holding down insurance costs and avoiding financial schemes that too often target military families.
1/28/2009
Trojan Attack Masquerades As Airline E-Ticket Notice
Realistic-looking email messages from Northwest, United actually bear data-stealing malware, researcher warns.Security researchers have spotted a new attack designed to fool users into thinking that airline tickets have been purchased with their credit cards. The attack, which was first spotted as an email from Northwest Airlines, and subsequently as a message from United Airlines, is a realistic-looking "receipt" that contains an attachment bearing the name Your_ETicket.zip or eTicket.zip, according to researchers at security vendor Sophos.
1/22/2009
Heartland Payment Systems Uncovers Malicious Software In Its Processing System
Payments processor Heartland Payment Systems has learned it was the victim of a security breach within its processing system in 2008. Heartland believes the intrusion is contained. "We found evidence of an intrusion last week and immediately notified federal law enforcement officials as well as the card brands," said Robert H.B. Baldwin, Jr., Heartland's president and chief financial officer.
1/9/2009
Wachovia Issues More Than $150 Million in Checks to Victims of Payment Processing Center Scam
Wachovia Bank, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, today began mailing checks totaling more than $150 million to victims of telemarketing fraud. The checks are reimbursement for money deducted from victims' bank accounts by telemarketers and their payment processors.
12/16/2008
OPM drafts new hiring rules for spouses
The Office of Personnel Management has drafted new rules to implement an executive order allowing managers in all federal agencies to hire qualified military spouses without putting them through the normal competitive hiring process.
12/10/2008
Make a holiday budget and stick to it with discounts
As you steel yourself to run the annual gauntlet of holiday shopping, the first thing you should do is map out a budget.For service members and their families, one place to focus for holiday shopping is the military exchange system. All the military exchanges have specials between now and the first of the year, and those specials change frequently.
11/05/2008
Lowe's, Home Depot offer discounts
The Home Depot and Lowe's, the world's largest home improvement retailers, once again are offering 10 percent Veterans Day discount to active-duty service members, reservists, retirees, veterans and their immediate family members.
10/28/2008
DoD Contracts for Free YMCA Membership for Deployed Guard and Reserve Families
The Department of Defense announced October 1 that families of deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve, active duty members on independent duty and their families, and active duty service members assigned to selected bases would be eligible for free family memberships at participating YMCAs in their local community.
10/20/2008
COLA increase is 5.8%, biggest since 1982
The Dec. 1 cost-of-living adjustment for military and federal civilian retirees, disabled veterans and survivors will be 5.8 percent, with the increase first appearing in Jan. 1 checks.
10/3/2008
Military spouses get boost for federal jobs
An executive order signed Sept. 25 by President Bush allows hiring managers for all federal agencies to hire qualified military spouses without going through the competitive process.
09/03/2008
Bush signs sole-survivor benefits bill
President Bush on Friday signed into law an expansion of military benefits to sole surviving members of a military family who decide to leave the military. The law applies retroactively to sole surviving members of families in which one or more siblings were killed or severely injured in the military.
08/28/2008
Military Strives to Maintain Financial Readiness Among Troops
The economic downturn that has hit many Americans appears to have had less impact on U.S. servicemembers, partly because of the nature of military service and partly due to the vast network of programs and services available to help them, defense officials said.
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Links to Resources
Kiplinger-BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families- This guide contains practical, easy-to-understand information about being financially prepared for deployment, buying a home, minimizing taxes, holding down insurance costs and avoiding financial schemes that too often target military families.
Air Force Crossroads This is the official community Website of the US Air Force, providing information on installations, finances, family member employment and much more.
Air Force Community
The Air Force is committed to ensuring Airmen and their families have access to helpful information and community-related services. This Web site provides a 24/7 resource for Airmen and their families with helpful military-related support information that affects daily life.
Air Force Personnel Center This site offers a wealth of information including Airman and Family Readiness Flight (A&FRF) programs and services, benefits and pay, and many helpful links.
Air Force Retiree ServicesThe Air Force Retiree Services Section, AFPC/DPSIAR, manages the Air Force Retiree Activities Program and the Survivor Benefit Plan; supports the Air Force Retiree Council; and advises the Air Force retirement community via various means of communication including the Afterburner, News for USAF Retired Personnel, and postings on the Internet.
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