Army Life 101 - There's
a special place in heaven for an Army Wife!
Army Life 101 - There's
a special place in heaven for an Army Wife!
If you have experienced something you think would be helpful for others to know, e-mail me so I can look into adding it.
The PX
The Commissary
Medical
DentalA military identification card is need to use nearly all military benefits and services. Never leave home with out it, and if you notice you have, go back for it. The excuse "I forgot it" won't cut it! You should also memorize your spouses social security number, you'll be asked for it often. **The phrase "last four" refers to the last four digits of your spouses social security number.
The Post Exchanges are the military very own department store located on post. You must have an ID card to shop here. Guests can be signed in, but are not to make purchases. The PX carries everything from shoe polish to electronics equipment, clothing and jewelry to household items, usually at a discount from what they cost on the civilian economy. The Fout Seasons, usually attached to the PX shopping center, carries toys, gardening supplies and equipment, and occasionally furniture. Shopping at the PX helps keep money invested in the post, benefiting the total Army community.
The Commissary is army lingo for grocery store. Unlike the PX, guests cannot be signed into this store. It provides savings on name brand items, averaging 25% lower costs then civilian stores. The commissaries accept food stamps and coupons. Many bands offers "special military coupons" at the entrance to the store. There is no tax, but you will find a small surcharge added to your bill. These surcharges cover operating costs, like grocery bags, utilities, and carts. One way the commissary saves money is to individually contract workers to bag groceries. These baggers work for tips only, they are not paid an hourly wage. A good rule of thumb for tipping is 25 cents per bag.
The military's medical care system is ever-changing. I could do an entire website on it, and still never answer all your questions. Basically though, the mission of the post hospitals is to provide medical care to active-duty service members. The active-duty family members come second receiving routine care on a space available basis; the retirees and their family come third. Tri Care is the military's HMO-like program to manage medical care. Your post hospital has an office to answer your questions and explain Tri Care to you.
It is important to make sure you are enrolled in the "DEERS" program. DEERS is the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System that verifies only authorized patrons are receiving medical care. In the Army, you should be automatically enrolled when you receive your ID card.
Most stateside posts do not have dependent dental care available on post. However, your spouse can sign-up for the military's dental insurance plan to cover you and your children. The price for this insurance is very affordable, under $10 a month for an individual and under $20 a month for a family. Currently, United Concordia is the insurance carrier. The post hospital can give you more information on this service and a list of local providers accepting the insurance.
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