My Life As A Military Spouse

Army OneSource Updates

Military Spouse Residency Relief Act Links by State

This act provides that when a Soldier is on military orders, the Soldier’s spouse may retain residency in his or her home state for voting and tax purposes, after relocating from that state to accompany the Soldier. When the military orders Soldiers to move, spouses who move with them may have to pay taxes in a new State or locality, and may lose the right to vote in the place considered home. This law alleviates these and other burdens on our military Families. This legislation is an important means of maintaining the morale and readiness of our Armed Forces, and significantly enhances the ability of our military to effectively recruit and retain these highly valued Soldiers. Below are links to individual state pages on the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA).

California: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act
Maine: Maine Tax Alert November 2009 (about 1/4 of way down)
Maryland: Employer Withholding Tax Alert, MW507 (Withholding Certificate, with instructions for military spouses)
New Hampshire: Driver’s License Information
New Jersey: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act
North Carolina: Important Tax Information Regarding Spouses of United States Military Servicemembers
Ohio: Ohio Department of Taxation FAQ’s Military Page
South Carolina: Military Spouses Residency Relief Act
Virginia: 2009 Tax Relief for Spouses of Military Personnel, Tax Bulletin 9-10

Spouse BATTLEMIND Telephone Support Groups

The Army and DoD funded a research study administered by the Memphis Veterans Affairs Medical Center for the spouses of Service members who were deployed at least one time to Iraq or Afghanistan. Free confidential telephone support groups are one hour, one time a month for 12 months. Spouses learn ways to manage stress and solve problems related to reintegration, education about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other common problems. For Information or to enroll, contact Spouse BATTLEMIND at 1-800-636-8262 X7485 or go here.

Family Suicide Prevention and Awareness Training

The U.S. Army created a Suicide Prevention Task Force in an ongoing effort to decrease the number of suicides in the Army. One of the goals of the task force is to increase the number of available training programs, to include one for Families. This Family training is strictly voluntary. Research shows Families are aware of this training, but some have not attended the sessions. To learn more, go here.

Army Spouse Employment Partnership Initiatives for 2010

The Army Spouse Employment Partnership (ASEP) is designed to help spouses realize their dreams of having a career. The ASEP has numerous initiatives to advance the program during 2010. The ASEP-National Guard Bureau (NGB) Integration Program Plan includes piloting the program in five states: Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Virginia. Program briefings are scheduled with each pilot state’s Adjutant General. To further its endeavors within the Army community, the ASEP program has joined with Fort Gordon to launch the first State and Regional Pilot Program in May 2010, to link the National ASEP Partners with the companies located within surrounding communities to provide an extensive network of employers with whom spouses can obtain careers. The ASEP Korean Peninsula Integration Project Plan promotes ASEP with the Army community in Korea. The marketing strategy for this initiative combines relocation and employment to provide pre and post relocation courses to prepare spouses for employment in a foreign country. Another current ASEP initiative is a partnership with the Warrior Care and Transition Office to create a Wounded Warrior Spouse Employment Program. The ASEP and SFAC staff will work to develop the integration plan for the project and pilot it in two locations still to be determined. Another initiative is development of a promotional ASEP video for use in multiple venues to highlight the program, and help make ASEP a household name with Army spouses in 2010. For more information about the ASEP program, visit here.

posted by LoveMyTanker @ 9:07 AM